About LocalChess
A free, fast, privacy-friendly chess game that runs entirely in your browser.
LocalChess is a complete game of chess you can play instantly — no signup, no ads, and no download. Play against the computer at three difficulty levels, or share one screen with a friend for a two-player game. Every rule is built in, including castling, en passant, pawn promotion, check, checkmate, and stalemate, so you always get a full, legal game.
What makes it different
- Runs 100% in your browser — no server, no tracking of your games, and it keeps working offline once loaded.
- Play the computer — pick Easy, Medium, or Hard and choose your colour.
- Two-player hotseat — two people play on the same device.
- PGN & FEN — import and export games and positions to study or share.
- Post-game analysis — review a finished game move by move.
- Themes & sound — multiple board themes, piece styles, and chess clocks.
Our philosophy
Chess should be free and available to everyone, everywhere, without friction. LocalChess exists to be the quickest way to get a real game going — open a tab and play. No account walls, no paywalls, no data harvesting.
How to play
- Choose 2 Players or Play Bot in the controls panel.
- If you pick the bot, set the difficulty and which colour you want to play.
- Click a piece to see its legal moves highlighted, then click a target square to move.
- Use Undo, Flip Board, and the move list to review the game.
- When the game ends, press Analyze game to see where it turned.