There are many factors which can impact the speed of both the chessboard and the internet connection in online chess. Chess.com serves the same code and same internet to all players; but player browsers and internet connections can vary a lot. Try these tips to optimize your playing experience!
Chessboard
The speed of play in your browser can be impacted by several things on your computer. Try these suggestions to optimize your experience.
Close any other programs that are not critical to playing.
Make sure your browser is up to date with all updates. Chess.com recommends Chrome for top performance.
Close your browser and open it with a clean session (no other tabs or windows).
Clearing your browser cache can help free up resources for your browser.
Set your Animation Type to
Noneat https://www.chess.com/settings/boardIf you are using a wireless mouse, use fresh batteries as older batteries “shut down” the mouse in small moments to conserve power. A wired mouse is recommended.
Use the best possible computer, as a powerful CPU can better handle javascript operations like dragging pieces.
Internet
Most internet connections generally work fine, including wifi. However, in some cases there can be connection issues. In those cases, try these tips:
Close any other programs that are not critical to playing.
Try rebooting your modem / router.
Connect directly to your modem / router rather than wifi.
Test your connection speed at https://www.speedtest.net
If you disconnect, give the browser 5-10 seconds to reconnect on its own. If it does not, try a browser refresh/reload (Control+R).
[ADVANCED]Try to “ping” and “tracert” live.chess.com in your console and report the output to a Chess.com team member.
Streaming
If you are streaming while playing and need to be capturing your screen, you should follow all of the tips above to optimize your experience, and also:
Browser
Make sure your bitrate matches your internet speed. See this video for an explanation of what bitrate is.