Watch & Learn Chess

Start with the board

1. On your first visit, both engines start after a 3, 2, 1 countdown. New games start the same way. Use Pause to stop, or In Play to join.
2. Select In Play, then choose White or Black to join the current game. The game pauses while you choose; your position and remaining time are preserved. On your turn, select a piece, then its destination.
3. In Play runs automatically. Use Undo to take back your last move and the AI's reply, if it has moved. Both clocks return to just before your move. You can undo moves from your current participation, but not the earlier moves you watched.
4. Choose Watch & Learn again to let both engines continue, or In Play to switch sides. The rotate button changes your view without changing the side you control.

Choose each engine's difficulty

Set the number beside each king from 200 to 3000, in steps of 100. On mobile, choose from the rating menu. On desktop, type a value or use the input arrows. Each side keeps its own setting, including while you control it.

These are approximate difficulty settings, not measured Chess.com or FIDE ratings. The beginner range of 200–1300 is simulated by mixing engine choices with other legal moves. Higher settings use Stockfish's strength limiter. Playing strength also depends on the app's short search time.

Set your time and pace

Choose 10, 30, or 60 minutes per player, with no increment. Only the side to move uses its clock. Thinking and the delay between AI moves count. Opening game dialogs, including promotion, pauses both clocks.

Watch & Learn starts at 2× by default and remembers your chosen speed. Speed changes the gap between AI moves; it does not change the clock's rate. The countdown, pausing, and reviewing freeze both clocks.

Games pause while the tab is hidden. In Play resumes automatically when you return, reload, or close a dialog, once the engine is ready. A finished game or a position under review stays stopped. Watch & Learn stays paused after leaving or reloading; press Play to continue.

Changing the time control after moves have been played asks you to save the current game and start a new one.

Review and return

Open Game history to see moves and saved games. Select a move to revisit that position. Return to game takes you back; Play from here saves the original and starts a branch with fresh clocks.

Your game, saved games, clocks, and settings stay in this browser. No account is needed, and saves do not sync between devices. Clearing the site's browser data removes them.

Use a keyboard

Tab to the board, use the arrow keys to move focus, and press Enter to select a piece or destination. Escape clears the selection.