Play

The Play card on the home screen is the fastest way to a game.

Time controls

Nine quick choices, grouped by speed and written the chess.com way:

• Bullet: 1 min, 2 | 1.
• Blitz: 3 min, 3 | 2, 5 min.
• Rapid: 10 min, 10 | 5, 15 | 10.
• Classical: 30 min.

“3 | 2” means 3 minutes plus 2 seconds added after each move. Ratings are kept per category (bullet, blitz, rapid, classical).

Rated or casual, and game modes

• Rated games change your rating. Casual games do not.
• Standard starts from the normal position. Middlegame and Endgame modes start from a balanced position picked for your rating, so you practise exactly those phases (casual games).
• In a friend challenge you can also start from a custom position, for practice.

In the game

• Clocks at both ends. Tenths of a second show when time is low (optional).
• Premoves: make your move before your opponent’s reply is shown. You can queue several and cancel with a click (see Settings).
• Draw offers: offer a draw from the menu. Your opponent can accept or decline. Draws are also automatic by repetition, the fifty-move rule and insufficient material.
• Resign asks for a confirmation (you can turn the confirmation off).
• Takeback: in games against a bot you can take moves back in Assisted and Friendly modes (see Bots). Games against people have no takebacks.
• Abandoned games: a game keeps its clock if you leave. Come back from the Home tab.

After the game

Rematch, review or return to the lobby. Review is the best next step.

Tip: choose the time that lets you think. At 800 to 1600 a 10 | 5 or 15 | 10 game is the best classroom.

Open in the app: https://chessgm.net/