Chess is a game for two armies of 16 pieces on an 8×8 board. You win by checkmating the enemy king: attacking it so it has no escape. Here you play against the computer at Easy, Normal or Hard, as White, Black or a random side.
How the pieces move
King: one square in any direction. It can never move into check.
Queen: any distance in a straight line or along a diagonal.
Rook: any distance along a rank or file. Bishop: any distance along a diagonal.
Knight: an L shape (two squares one way, one square to the side), jumping over pieces.
Pawn: one square forward, or two from its starting square; it captures one square diagonally forward.
Special moves
Castling: the king moves two squares toward a rook, and the rook jumps to its other side. Only if neither piece has moved, the squares between are empty, and the king is not in check, passing through check or landing in check.
En passant: when a pawn moves two squares and lands beside your pawn, you may capture it as if it had moved one square, but only on your very next move.
Promotion: a pawn that reaches the far side becomes a queen, rook, bishop or knight. You pick which.
Check, checkmate and draws
If your king is attacked you are in check and must get out of it straight away. If you can’t, it’s checkmate and the game is over. A king in check glows red on the board.
Stalemate (the side to move has no legal move but isn’t in check) is a draw. So is a position where neither side has enough pieces left to mate. When the same position has appeared three times, or 50 moves each have passed without a capture or pawn move, either side can claim a draw; five repeats or 75 moves end the game automatically. You can also offer a draw once per move. The computer accepts only when it isn’t doing better.
Playing on Everyday Games
Tap a piece to see its moves (rings mark captures), then tap a square, or drag the piece there.
Choose White, Black or Random in New game. Playing Black turns the board around.
Hint shows the move the computer would play for you. Undo takes back your last move and the computer’s reply.
Easy plays like a beginner and makes mistakes, Normal sees short tactics, and Hard thinks for a second or two each move.
Tips for beating the computer
In the opening, control the center with pawns, develop knights and bishops, and castle early.
Before every move, check what your opponent’s last move attacks, and whether any of your pieces are left undefended.
Trade pieces when you are ahead in material; the endgame is easier with less on the board.
Against Hard, avoid loose pieces and quick attacks; play solid moves and use the hint when you are stuck.