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How can I play the computer from a custom position?
How can I play the computer from a custom position?
Updated over a week ago

Did you encounter an interesting position in a recent game, and want to try out some alternatives versus the computer? Or maybe you have a strange position you invented that you’d like to see how the computer would react to?

You can set up the board to any position you like, and then play from that position against the computer!

There are a few ways to play versus the computer:

Play from a position in one of your games

Maybe your opponent resigned early, or you wish you’d made a different move and want to see how it would have gone. Here’s how to find out!

Open the game and go to the point where you’d like to start playing against the computer.

Once you’re in the game you want, click on the ‘analysis’ or 'game review' button:

Play through the moves until you get to the desired position, then click on the ‘practice versus computer’ button:

You will then be able to play the game from that point, but versus the computer!

Once you've started the computer match from that position, if you want to switch sides, you can click the 'switch sides' icon:

The computer will default to the strongest setting. To change the computer strength, click on the change bot icon:

Then you can choose from any engine strength, or any of our computer personalities!

Play from a common opening

Maybe you want to practice versus the computer, but want to practice against a specific opening. How to get the computer to lay that opening? You can! Here’s how:

Hover over ' learn' in the left menu, then click ‘openings’ and find the opening you want to practice, and click on it.

From inside the opening description, click on the ‘practice vs computer’ icon, and this will start a game with the computer from the position on the board:

Remember that you will be playing as whoever's turn it is in the position! If you want to play as the opposite side, you will need to click 'analysis' (the magnifying glass icon next to the computer icon) then make a move so that it is the other side's turn to play, then click the computer icon to finish vs computer from there.

Play from a setup you created

Another way you can play the computer is to set up the board in any way you want! Hover over 'learn' then click 'Analysis':

Then, from within the analysis board, click on ‘setup’

You will now be able to drag and drop pieces onto or off of the board, to create any position you like--even impossible ones!

When you’re ready, click the ‘practice versus computer’ button to see how the computer reacts to whatever position you made up! Remember that you will be playing as the side whose turn it is to move!

Just play!

The last way to play versus the computer is to just play! You can start a game versus our Chess.com computer by going to ‘play’ and then ‘computer’

This computer will allow you to analyse moves and take back moves! Read more about the computer here.

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