Dark Chess drops you into a board challenge you can start in a couple of seconds. The core of it is chess & checkers. No account, no install and no plugins — just the game in a browser tab.
About Dark Chess
It is a very interesting chess, it is using Chinese Chess to play but the game rule is very different. Only higher level chess can eat lower level chess, if all of your chesses are eaten or you cannot move any chess. You will loss.
How to play Dark Chess
The rules land within the first few seconds of play. On desktop the arrow keys / WASD do the moving; the full mapping is in the table below. The game is wide rather than tall — fullscreen is worth it on a monitor, and on a phone the picture is much better sideways. Expect the first attempt to be a write-off; that is normal here.
Controls
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Mouse | Navigate menus and interact |
| Arrow keys / WASD | Move |
| Spacebar | Primary action |
On mobile: Tap and swipe on screen. Turn your phone sideways — this game is designed for landscape and fills a horizontal screen.
Why it is worth playing
Difficulty in Dark Chess comes from the game itself rather than from waiting, unlocking or paying, which is rarer than it should be. It works as well on a phone on a bus as it does on a desktop.
At a glance
- Free to play with no account required
- Runs in the browser — nothing to download or install
- Landscape layout with fullscreen support
- Keyboard and mouse on desktop, full touch support on mobile.
- Chess & Checkers gameplay — The oldest strategy games there are
- Added to our catalogue from a 2022 release
Frequently asked questions
Is Dark Chess free to play?
Yes. Dark Chess is completely free and runs in your browser. There is no purchase, no subscription and no account needed — open the page and play.
Do I need to download or install anything?
No. Dark Chess is an HTML5 game that runs inside the page itself. There is nothing to install, no plugin and no launcher — it loads like any other web page.
Can I play Dark Chess on my phone?
Yes. Tap and swipe on screen. Turn your phone sideways — this game is designed for landscape and fills a horizontal screen.
What are the controls for Dark Chess?
Keyboard and mouse on desktop, full touch support on mobile. Mouse — navigate menus and interact; Arrow keys / WASD — move; Spacebar — primary action.
Can I play Dark Chess fullscreen?
Yes — the button in the top-right corner of the player goes fullscreen, and Escape returns you to the page.
What kind of game is Dark Chess?
Dark Chess is a board game built around chess & checkers. If that is the sort of thing you enjoy, the related games further down the page are picked using the same tags.
