How to Play Chess Online with a Friend
To play chess online with a friend, open Chess on GameLake, tap Online, choose Play a friend and send them the link. The game starts as soon as they open it. Each move has a 90-second clock, colours swap every game, and all the rules (castling, en passant, promotion) are checked for you. It's free and neither of you needs an account.
Invite a friend, step by step
- Open Chess and tap Online next to Easy, Medium, Hard and 2 players.
- Choose Play a friend. GameLake opens a private table and shows a link.
- Tap Share to send it through any chat app, or Copy link. The preview says something like "Comet562 invited you to play Chess".
- Your friend taps the link and lands at your table in their browser, on a phone or a computer.
- The game starts right away. Hop tells you which colour you have this game; the board turns round so your pieces are always at the bottom.
How online chess works
| Online chess | |
|---|---|
| Time per move | 90 seconds |
| Run out of time | The game goes to the other player |
| Colours | Swap every game, so rematches stay fair |
| Rules | Full rules: castling, en passant, promotion, stalemate |
| Draws | Stalemate, three-fold repetition, the 50-move rule, not enough material |
| Lost connection | 30 seconds to come back |
| After the game | Both press Rematch; the table keeps score |
No friend free right now? Quick match pairs you with the next person looking for a chess game. If nobody turns up within 20 seconds, Hop the frog takes the seat. Wins against real people go on the Online tab of the leaderboard under the board.
Sitting at the same table? Choose 2 players instead: you share one board on one screen, without the clock.
A friendly opening to start with
If you and your friend are still learning, these first moves get your pieces out quickly and are hard to go wrong with: a pawn to the centre, a knight toward the centre, then a bishop that aims at the weak f7 square.
Watch out for the four-move trap on f7 in Scholar's Mate, and check how chess pieces move if anyone at the table needs a reminder.
Free, no account and safe for kids
Online chess on GameLake is free and has no sign-up: every player gets a guest name automatically the first time they play. There's no open chat, only six friendly emotes such as "👋 Hi!", "👍 Nice move!" and "🤝 Good game!", so it's a safe way for a child to play a grandparent or a friend from school. You can create an account later to keep your progress on another device.
Frequently asked questions
Can I play chess online with a friend for free?
Yes. Open Chess on GameLake, choose Online, then Play a friend, and send the link. The game starts when your friend opens it.
Do we need an account?
No. GameLake gives each player a guest name automatically. You can create an account later if you want to keep your progress on another device.
How much time do I get?
90 seconds for each move. If the clock runs out, the game goes to the other player.
Who plays white?
Colours swap every game. Hop tells you at the start whether you have white or black, and white always moves first.
Can I undo a move online?
No. Undo is only available against Hop on Easy and Medium. Against a person, every move counts.