To play chess online with a friend on ChessRooms, create a private room on the homepage and send your friend the room link. Both players connect instantly in their web browsers without creating an account or downloading an application.
How do you start a game with a friend?
Starting a match takes under thirty seconds from start to finish. Follow these simple steps:
- Enter your display name: On the home page, type the name you want your friend to see during the match.
- Choose your match options: Select untimed play or pick a clock speed such as 5, 10, 15, or 20 minutes. You can also toggle move takebacks or add an optional room password.
- Click Create Room: ChessRooms creates a private, unlisted room and assigns your color.
- Share your invite link: Copy your room URL and paste it into WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, iMessage, or text.
- Start playing: As soon as your friend clicks the link and enters their name, both boards connect live over WebSockets.
Ready to invite a friend?
Create your private link and start playing immediately. No sign-up, no app install, completely free.
Looking for answers? Check our Frequently Asked Questions or see how playing without an account works.
Can you play with custom clocks and passwords?
Yes. Under the Play with a Friend card on the home page, you have full control over the match setup:
- Time controls: Play relaxed untimed chess, or add clocks for 5-minute blitz, 10-minute rapid, 15-minute, or 20-minute rapid games.
- Password protection: If you want to make sure only your friend enters, check the password option and share the passcode with your link.
- Move takebacks: For friendly games where someone misclicks, enable takebacks so either player can request to undo a move.
Does it work across different devices and phones?
Yes. ChessRooms runs directly in any modern mobile or desktop browser, including Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge. One player can be on an iPhone or Android phone while the other plays on a Mac or Windows desktop. The board automatically resizes and supports smooth touch dragging or tap-to-move input.
How does spectator mode work?
Each room seats two active players: one for White and one for Black. If you share the link in a group chat, any additional friends who open the link join automatically as live spectators. Spectators can follow all moves on the board in real time without interfering with the game.
Can you rematch when the game finishes?
When a game ends by checkmate, resignation, draw, or clock timeout, you do not need to create a new room. Either player can click the Play again button to flip board colors and reset the pieces immediately.
Learn more about ChessRooms
Explore our platform guides for additional details:
- Play chess online without signing up: Why zero-registration chess is fast and private.
- ChessRooms vs Lichess vs Chess.com: When to choose ChessRooms over traditional rating platforms.
- Frequently Asked Questions: Direct answers to common questions about gameplay and features.