Starting a new game
Getting into a game on Chess.com is quick and easy, no matter where you are on the site. Here's how to do it:
Web
From your homescreen
You can start a game from the moment you open the site. You can start a game with a random opponent using your most recent time control, choose a new time control and customize your game, play against a bot, or challenge someone from your friend list!
From anywhere else on the site
Simply hover over ‘Play’ in the left-hand menu of any Chess.com page and select ‘Play’ from the options. This will take you to the Play Online screen, where you can click ‘Start Game’ to begin a game right away using your default settings.
If you want to play a slower or faster game, click on the current time control to get more options. If you don't see listed a time control you want to play, click on 'More Time Controls' to get a wider selection or create a custom time control to fit your preferences:
Check out these articles to learn more about the different time settings: How do time controls work on Chess.com? and What is Daily Chess?
How do I play a custom game?
To further customize your game, click 'Custom Challenge' on the 'Play Online' screen. This will reveal several extra options to personalize your game.
Here you can choose your opponent, game type, and time control, decide if the game will be rated or unrated, and set a rating range. For more details on your options, see the table below.
Setting
|
Details |
Opponent | By default, you’ll be matched with a random player. To challenge someone specific, click this field to enter their username or select a friend from your list. |
Game Type | Select the game type you want to play. The default is Standard, but you can click the dropdown to see other available variants. After choosing the game type, use the box below to select your preferred time control for the game. |
Rated | Turn this option off if you want the game to be unrated. In an unrated game, you can choose what color you want to play as and allow takebacks if you're playing a Daily game. |
Rating Range | If you choose to play against a random opponent, you can use the dropdown arrows to set a rating range to match with players within your desired skill level. |
Daily Games
If you want to play a Daily game, you can customize your game with these options:
Setting
|
Details |
Move Speed | If you want to play with someone who doesn't take super long to make a move, you can specify here the average move speed of the member you want to be paired with. |
Minimum Games Played | You can use the up and down arrows to specify the minimum number of Daily games a player must have completed to be paired with you. |
Avoid Time-Outs | If you toggle this on you will not be paired with members who have lost games on time in the last 90 days. |
Premium Members Only | Toggle this on if you only want to get paired with premium members. |
Do you want to play a variant? Check this article to learn how: How do I play chess variants?
Mobile
To start a game on the Chess.com app, simply tap 'Play' on your home screen.
This will take you to the Play screen, where you can begin a game immediately with the default settings or tap 'Custom' to tailor your game to your preferences.
Check out this article to learn about playing variants on the apps: How do I play variants on the Chess.com app?