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How can I play a game from a custom position?
How can I play a game from a custom position?
Updated this week

There are two ways to play from a custom position. You can either pick from a book opening (Ruy Lopez, Scotch game, etc, anything in our opening library!) or make your own custom setup.

Pick a book opening

On the left menu, click 'Play'

Then select 'custom'

Next, click on 'Random' to instead choose your opponent. You can NOT play odds/custom position games against a random opponent, and must choose who you are sending the challenge to. Click on 'Random' to instead choose your opponent.

Next, click where it says 'Standard' and change it to 'Custom Position / Odds'

The default choice is 'auto balance' for an odds game. Click there, and change it to either Book Opening, Set up Position, or FEN


Be sure you have selected a Daily time setting (1,2,3,5,7 or 14 days per move) and that the rated toggle is off, then you will be able to see the 'setup' dropdown.

If you select

'book opening' you'll be able to choose from any of a hundred different openings:

Whatever opening you pick, the game will start with those moves already played!

Create your own setup

If you want to create your OWN setup, you can choose 'FEN' , and paste in the FEN for whatever setup you want.

Here's how to get the FEN:

On the left menu, hover over 'learn' and select 'analysis'

Then, on the right side of the analysis board click 'setup'

Set the board up however you want, then when you're ready, copy the text from the FEN box:

This string of text describes exactly how you set the board up!

Next go back to the custom game options and select 'FEN'

Paste in the text you copied from the analysis board, and you'll see your position!

Then you can send the challenge to your chosen opponent!

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