The Best Online Platforms for Playing Chess

I love chess and always look for ways to get better. Luckily, there are many online chess platforms for every player. No matter if you’re starting out or have lots of experience, these sites have something for you. They offer lessons on strategies and let you play in chess online platforms.

Chess Strategy Online doesn’t let you play games, but it’s great for finding the best sites to play anytime. These platforms add a lot to the chess world, more than just playing games. Among these, Chess.com stands out with its 100 million users, and Lichess is famous for being free and having no ads since 2010. Chessable is known for its 300 hours of video lessons from Grandmasters, and Chessify is loved for its fast servers.

Key Takeaways

Chess online platforms cater to all levels of players with a wide range of features.
Chess.com is the top chess website in the world, with over 100 million users.
Lichess is noted for its free, ad-free experience since 2010.
Chessable uses ‘MoveTrainer’ technology and has many video courses taught by Grandmasters.
Chessify stands out for its fast server speeds, reaching up to 1 BN/s for Stockfish, earning high praise from top players.

Introduction to Online Chess Platforms

Technology has brought chess into the digital age. Now, we have many websites for chess, reaching out to millions worldwide. These sites help both beginners and advanced players. In November, Chess.com saw a big jump in new users, showing more people love online chess games.

Lichess also saw more people playing, doubling its games each month. This shows how important these sites are for chess fans. Even more women are joining Chess.com, making up 27% of new users. This shows how chess websites welcome everyone.

Online chess games are also big on Twitch and YouTube. From March to August 2020, Twitch streamed over 41 million hours of chess. By 2023, YouTube had 4 billion views on chess. This shows just how popular chess is online. Most games on Chess.com are fast, played in 10 minutes or less. This is different from traditional chess, which is much slower.

But, popularity brings challenges. Chess.com has to close 500 accounts every day due to cheating. This includes accounts of some top players. Yet, these sites work hard to keep the game fair and fun for everyone.

What to Look for in Chess Platforms

Finding the best chess platform can seem hard because there are many choices. Here’s a guide on what to think about when picking top chess platforms.

Accessibility and Usability

First, how easy a platform is to use is very important. You want a site that’s simple to get around and friendly to users. This makes everything from joining to playing games smooth. For example, Chess.com is very popular with over 100 million users because it’s easy to use.

Range of Features

The variety of features on a chess website is crucial for a good experience. Chessable, for example, has over 300 hours of video courses. It uses spaced repetition which helps you learn better. Chess Tempo offers 80,000 tactical puzzles and 10,000 endgame problems. This helps players improve specific parts of their game.

User Community

A strong user community makes your chess experience better. Lichess has over 150,000 daily users. It provides forums and social interactions, similar to a real chess club. FICS has been a key site for chess lovers, thanks to its large and active user base.

Tournament Options

Last, look at the tournament choices available. Competing in tournaments on these platforms can make improving your skills fun and challenging. Chess24 is great for live tournament broadcasts. It’s easy to join in or watch big tournaments.

Platform	Users	Features
Chess.com	Over 100 million	Live matches, puzzles, lessons
Lichess.org	150,000 daily active users	Free, ad-free, various tournaments
Chess24	10 languages	Live broadcasting, learning resources
Chessable	Varied users	300+ hours of video, spaced repetition
Chess Tempo	Broad user base	80,000 puzzles, 10,000 endgame problems

The Popularity of Chess.com

Chess.com is the go-to spot for online chess. It has more than 100 million users. People of all skills find something here, from games to live chess tournament streams. Its huge user base and rich features place it at the top for fans.

Features of Chess.com

Chess.com is full of features that draw global chess fans. It offers everything from fast-paced bullet chess to longer, thoughtful games. Add daily puzzles and lessons from grandmasters, and it’s perfect for both learning and competition. Its busiest times are from noon to 4 p.m. ET. This shows its global popularity.

Community and User Base

The Chess.com community is incredibly active. In January, it broke records daily, with over 300,000 new signups in one day! Since December, its traffic nearly doubled. The app also hit #2 in the US iOS app store’s Top Free Games. Its users enjoy chess with others, creating over 250,000 new accounts daily. They play over 31 million games each day.

Unique Selling Points

Chess.com stands out for its fair play, big community, and interactive features. It hosts major chess tournaments and sees a million daily puzzle attempts. The site works hard to improve for users, keeping it stable and efficient. An average of 16,000 chess moves per second shows just how active it is.

Lichess: The Free and Open Source Platform

Lichess.org is a standout among chess websites, offering everything for free without ads. It attracts 150,000 users every day and is available in 80 languages. This makes Lichess a global spot for chess lovers.

Lichess boasts an impressive collection of bots. These bots suit all levels of players and have adjustable settings. This means you can find just the right level of challenge anytime. The bots are always there, ready for a game 24/7.

The platform focuses on helping players get better. After each game, you get detailed feedback. This helps improve your game. You’ll face bots with various styles, from aggressive to defensive, teaching you new strategies.

Lichess works hard to keep the platform safe and fair. They put rules in place to stop misuse and limit when bots can be used. They also watch for cheating to make sure everyone plays fair.

The community is a big part of Lichess’s success. It has 155,000 reviews with an average rating of 4.1. This shows most users are happy. The positive comments and high marks point to a strong, supportive community.

Lichess is also big on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. These platforms show how popular chess is becoming. The Lichess Twitch channel hosts shows with famous streamers and chess players. They also offer guides and kits for new streamers.

As a leading chess site, Lichess keeps improving. It has the strong support of its users and donors. They continuously add new features and tournaments to keep the community engaged.

ChessBase for Advanced Players

ChessBase is a top choice for advanced chess players. It’s been around since 1987. The latest version, ChessBase 17, offers tools to improve your chess skills.

Database Features

ChessBase 17 is known for its vast database, ideal for analyzing games and research. It has the Endgame Turbo 5 for solving endgames with six pieces or less. Plus, its live database has over eight million games, a treasure for Grandmasters. The basic version is 149 Euros, and the premium one costs 499.90 Euros.

Training Tools

ChessBase provides a range of training options. It includes a video library, tactics servers, and opening training apps. These are great for advanced players. With a ChessBase Account Premium for 109 Euros a year, you get more tools. You also get Let’s Check and access to playchess.com for games and tournaments. Users can also buy 500 ducats for 50 Euros to enjoy premium features more.

If you’re looking for something other than ChessBase 17, try Lichess Studies, 365chess.com, or chessgames.com. These sites offer great options for game analysis and opening databases.

Interactive Learning with Chessable

Chessable is like the “Udemy for chess players.” It offers a fun way to play chess online. The site has many courses by famous Grandmasters like Anish Giri and Vladimir Kramnik. This means you can learn from the very best.

Video Courses

Chessable is known for its video courses. These courses teach everything about chess, from basic moves to complicated strategies. They’re easy to follow, so anyone can learn. Chess stars share their insights, helping you understand the game better.

MoveTrainer Technology

Chessable has a cool tool called MoveTrainer. It’s based on spaced repetition, a key method for remembering chess moves and strategies. This helps players remember and use what they’ve learned in games.

Chessable makes learning fun and professional. It combines videos and smart learning tools. This is different from other online chess games. It’s great for anyone wanting to get better at chess.

Tactical Training on Chess Tempo

Chess Tempo stands out among chess online platforms for its tactical training. It has over 100,000 puzzles that are from real games. This helps players of all levels improve their tactics. The site also offers quick, high-quality game analysis with Stockfish.

If you’re trying to get better at specific tactics, Chess Tempo helps. For premium members, it allows creating custom problem sets for targeted practice. There are over 14,000 endgame positions available. Free members can try two endgame positions daily, but premium members get even more.

Here are some key tools and features on Chess Tempo:

Feature	Description	Target Audience
The Woodpecker Method Book	Contains over 1000 tactical puzzles for fast pattern recognition.	Intermediate to titled players (Rating 1800+)
Chessmood Tactic Ninja Course	Aimed at beginners and intermediate players, this course helps build foundational tactics.	Beginners to Intermediate (Rating 800-2200)
Chess Talk YouTube Channel	Nearly 1 million subscribers benefit from its important tactical motifs and checkmate patterns.	All levels
Chess.com’s Tactical Tools	Offers an assortment of puzzles and tactical training tools, accessible with a premium membership costing under $10 per month.	All levels

For those seeking quick pattern recognition, The Woodpecker Method is great. It has over 1000 puzzles. The Chess Tempo app also lets you train anywhere, with a 4-star rating.

To sum up, Chess Tempo is a top choice for tactical training in chess. It offers a wide range of puzzles, custom sets, and strong analysis tools. It’s perfect for improving your tactical skills.

Enhancing Skills with ChessMood

ChessMood is perfect for those looking to boost their chess skills. It provides plenty of resources that are both deep and easy to use. Players can not only play chess online but also learn and practice various parts of the game.

Video Lessons

ChessMood has more than 300 hours of video lessons taught by Grandmasters. These lessons cover everything from opening strategies to endgame skills. They are made for players at all levels. You’ll also find a huge 141-page guide and 120-page study plans for extra learning.

Lily, for example, raised her chess.com rating by 100 points in two weeks. She did this by focusing on tactical moves. Her story shows how focusing on tactics can lead to quick improvements.

Live Streams and Forums

ChessMood also offers live streams and forums. Grandmasters play chess online with learners in these streams, giving tips in real time. The forums let players ask questions and share advice. This helps build a tight-knit community.

A chess.com player with a 1,500 rating is better than 94% of players. This shows how studying openings deeply, like 1.e4, for a year can really pay off. ChessMood’s structured learning approach is backed by hard data.

The following table shows what ChessMood has to offer:

Resource	Details
Video Courses	300+ hours by Grandmasters
Improvement Guide	141 pages detailed guide
Study Plans	120 pages long plans
Community Interaction	Forums and live streams
Rating Increase	100 points in 2 weeks through tactics

ChessMood gives players video lessons, a community in forums, and live streams for real-time learning. This makes ChessMood a complete platform for learning and playing chess online.

Real-Time Events on Chess24

Chess24 is an exceptional platform for fans of chess multiplayer games. It shines with live tournament broadcasts, combining video, forums, and lessons. This blend makes it a standout for real-time event coverage.

Chess24 offers in-depth coverage of the Champions Chess Tour. It has teamed up with Eurosport and the Play Magnus Group. This expansion reaches 60 markets in Europe and Asia, featuring top grandmasters and a $1.5 million prize pot.

Online chess gained fans during the Covid-19 pandemic. Chess24 added new features to keep the excitement alive. There are daily theme tournaments that offer diverse play styles, with special events on weekends.

Chess24 lets viewers connect with chess stars through tour passes. This creates a special bond between players and fans. Training Tuesday shows dive into game analysis, enriching the experience.

Chess24 also partners with the World Chess Federation (FIDE). It holds video rights for major events, ensuring fans don’t miss out. Events like the World Cup and Chess Olympiad are covered.

Chessable, part of Chess24, supports youth development in chess with significant funding. This commitment helps the chess community grow and stay accessible. Their support includes the Candidates Tournament and the World Chess Championship cycle.

In summary, Chess24 leads in providing real-time event coverage for chess fans. With its innovative features, it stands as a top platform for chess multiplayer games worldwide. Its commitment enhances the chess ecosystem for all enthusiasts.

Using Chessify for Engine Analysis

Chessify is a big deal in the world of top chess platforms. It’s known for its strong cloud engine analysis and lots of database features. Here’s why so many chess fans, myself included, prefer Chessify.

Cloud Engine Analysis

Speed and power are key for analyzing chess games. Chessify leads the way with cloud engines that can go as fast as 1 BN/s. That’s about three times quicker than what you get on ChessBase Public Cloud, where speeds hit 350,000 kN/s for Stockfish.

Buying a cloud package from Chessify means you can dive into game analysis right away. Your credits show up instantly. Getting a cloud server is easy. Just enter your payment info, and you can manage your servers in the Chessify engine window.

Chessify has different subscription speeds for everyone. The Amateur plan offers 10 MN/s, while the Master and GM plans offer 100 MN/s. These plans renew on their own, but you can cancel any time. If you need help, just shoot an email or a Discord message to their support team.

Mega Database Features

Chessify’s mega database is amazing, with over 9 million games dating back to 1475. It gets updated weekly with new tournaments, so there’s always something new to learn. It’s great for serious players and coaches, giving them loads of games to study.

The platform also boasts advanced chess notation for deep analysis. You can add different move values and comments. If you’re on a higher-tier plan, you also get unlimited cloud storage, letting you save and access up to 50 PGN files, depending on your subscription.

In sum, Chessify shines as a top chess platform. It gives players incredible tools for bettering their analytical skills.

The Week in Chess for News and Databases

Since 1994, The Week in Chess (TWIC) has offered a free weekly digest. It brings the latest chess news and game analysis to fans and pros alike. Everyone can stay up-to-date on chess tournaments from anywhere.

2021 was a year full of exciting chess competitions. The European Online Chess Club Cup had 1,800 games, showing off players’ skills. The ch-Moscow Final and 94th ch-St Petersburg had 40 and 32 games, drawing lots of attention.

The European Online Chess Club Cup stood out, with 5,450 games played. Other events like the Chelyabinskiy Variant and the ch-FAI Landslidsbolkur had 334 and 8 games. The Israeli Youth Championship added to the excitement with 113 games.

The Nakhchivan Premium, with 48 games, was a showcase of skill. The Oceania Hybrid 3.6 Zonal mixed online and in-person play with 35 games. We also saw 12 and 14 games in the 80th ch-GEO 1st League and Levitov Chess Mamedyarov-Fedoseev Match.

The Week in Chess keeps track of the chess world’s happenings. It’s a key source for anyone wanting to update their game databases. TWIC brings vital data and insights to chess players and fans around the world.

Engage with Chess Puzzles on Chess Puzzle Net

If you’re into solving chess puzzles, Chess Puzzle Net is a top choice. It offers a special kind of puzzle-solving fun that comes from real games. This lets you see into various playing styles. It’s great for both beginners and experienced players.

Interactive Puzzle Solving

Chess Puzzle Net stands out for its interactive puzzle-solving. It has tons of puzzles named after players so you can dive into different game strategies. This makes learning fun and shows you how various chess masters think. Regularly tackling these puzzles can really up your game.

Player Rating System

Chess Puzzle Net also has a cool player rating system. As you solve puzzles and face challenges, you get ratings showing how good you are. This adds a fun competitive edge and pushes you to get better at puzzles. The leaderboard is a neat feature too. It shows where you rank compared to others, making the site not only educational but also super engaging. It builds a lively, competitive community of chess fans.

Platform	Features	Community
Chess.com	100 million users, unlimited puzzles, $5 to $14 subscription	Large and diverse user base
Lichess	Free, ad-free, tactical puzzles	Vibrant and supportive
Chess Puzzle Net	Interactive puzzles, rating system, leaderboards	Competitive and engaging

Why Chess.com is the Best Place to Play Chess Online

Chess.com is one of the best chess websites for many reasons. It has different games like “Assisted” and “Friendly” for all skill levels. This makes it great for both new and experienced players.

Chess.com lets you save and share your games. You can keep a game in your archive, share links, create GIFs, or post on social media. This is great for learning and tracking how you’re doing.

The site’s free version offers a “Review” function every 24 hours. If you want more, Chess.com has paid plans like “Platinum” and “Diamond.” These plans give you tools to analyze your games deeply.

Chess.com also lets players review games on their own. This helps improve critical thinking and gameplay. Many users see fewer mistakes and faster checkmates with practice and dedication.

Education is a key focus on Chess.com. It urges players to study openings, strategies, and tactics. This helps players improve their game continuously.

Chess.com allows unlimited free games for beginners. You can save these games for later review and analysis. This helps track improvement over time.

Here’s a snapshot of user reviews on Chess.com:

Rating	Percentage
5-star	24%
4-star	4%
3-star	5%
2-star	8%
1-star	59%

Despite its strengths, some users have raised concerns. They mention cheating, poor customer service, and technical issues. However, the training features and wide capabilities make Chess.com recommended for online chess play and improvement.

This shows why Chess.com is seen as one of the best chess websites. It has great features, educational tools, and a strong community.

Chess Online Platforms: Comprehensive Evaluation

Looking at many chess playing websites may feel like too much. But, checking out their features, user experiences, and if they meet your needs helps make a choice.

Comparing Features

Features vary across platforms, especially in cost and content. For example, Chess.com has plans for $5, $7, and $14 a month, fitting various user levels. In contrast, Lichess is free, runs on donations, and has no ads.

Let’s look at how some popular platforms stack up:

Platform	Subscription Cost	Key Features
Chess.com	$5, $7, $14/month	Various plans, over 50 million users, many play options
Lichess	Free	No ads, donation-based, Arena tournaments
Board Game Arena	Free/ Paid for other games	Free chess, no mobile app
SocialChess	$10 annually	Ad-free, extra features

User Experiences

User experiences differ a lot. Chess.com has over 50 million users, offering a vibrant place for play chess online lovers. But, Lichess has a community vibe with 150,000 daily users, no ads, and lots of tournaments.

GameKnot and ChessKid serve specific groups well. GameKnot has over 1.5 million members. ChessKid is great for kids, offering ad-free access to Gold members.

Choosing the Right Platform for You

Finding the right platform depends on what you need and like. If money is tight, Lichess is amazing for free. If you want many features and a big community, try Chess.com. For learning, Chessable and Learn Chess With Dr. Wolf are excellent, with educational content and personal training.

The best way to see which you like most is to try these chess playing websites yourself. See which one fits your style and goals the best.

Conclusion

The digital age has completely changed chess. Sites like Chess.com and Lichess.org make the game easy to access anywhere. They bring players worldwide together. They even let us play “centaur chess,” combining human and AI minds for unbeatable strategies.

These platforms offer something for every player. AI tools give quick tips and deep game insights. This helps everyone from beginners to pros get better. With chess engines like Stockfish and AlphaZero, strategy has reached new heights. The game is more complex and fascinating than ever.

But, we must think about the ethical side too. We need fairness, openness, and access for all to AI tools. This keeps chess fun and fair for everyone. Chess has a long history, starting in ancient India and Persia. Now, it thrives online, staying true to its roots.

No matter your chess goal, online sites have lots to offer. They help new players learn and pros compete in big tournaments. The core of chess hasn’t changed with these digital tools. The tradition of learning, playing, and enjoying chess continues, just like always.