Choose a time control
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How it works
- Choose a time control, from 1 + 0 bullet to 30 + 0 rapid.
- Press Play. We look among everyone waiting with the same time control, as close to your rating as we can, and widen the search the longer you wait.
- If nobody turns up within a minute, one of the house players takes the seat, one who suits your level. The page tells you who it is.
Rated, as in the arenas
The games count toward your Live rating, the same one as the arenas. Against the house players, the same rules apply as in the tournaments: at most five rated games a day against the same one, and if you beat the same house player with the same first twenty moves as before, the game doesn't count.
If a first move isn't made within 30 seconds, the game is called off, with no result. Before you have both moved, either of you can call it off. If someone loses their connection, the game waits a while: after a minute, the one still there can claim the win or a draw, and after five minutes the server ends the game.
The house players
The house players are LaviChess's own computer opponents, twenty-five of them, each with a name and a style of their own. Here they range from beginner to hard, never the very strongest. They step in when nobody else is there, and the page always tells you who you're playing: they never pretend to be people. Meet the whole house.
Live right now
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Anyone can follow the games from Play now, the arenas and the cups on Watch while they're played, and when they're over they go into the archive, with the players' names. Anyone who'd rather not be seen there turns off Show my games on their profile.
Safe
There's no chat, only ready-made greetings like 👍 Nice! and 🤝 Well played. Every name is checked, and if a mean one slips through, you can replace it with one tap. If you think your opponent had help from a computer, you can report it after the game, and one of us will go through it. Read more on the privacy page.
Rather play someone in particular? Play a friend with a link, or test yourself against others in this week's tournaments.
Questions
Does it cost anything?
No. It's free, and you don't need an account, just a player code. You get one in a few seconds.
Why do I need a player code?
The games are rated, and your player code keeps track of your rating. With the code, you can also carry on from another device.
How do I know if I'm playing a person?
If you meet one of the house players, the page says so, with their name and portrait, and “house player” stands next to the name. Everyone else is a person who also pressed Play.
Can I choose who I play?
Not here. To play someone in particular, send them a link from Play with friends.