Chessboard with pieces set up for a new game
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Chessmsgs.com

Play chess over Slack, RCS, SMS, iMessage, Twitter, Facebook, Snap, Whatsapp, email, and other services that support the sharing of web links.

ChessMsgs is correspondence chess for the messaging apps you already use. There are no accounts, nothing to install, and no game server — the entire game lives inside the link you send. If you can share a web link with someone, you can play chess with them.

How it works

  1. Make your move by dragging a piece on the board
  2. Copy the link it gives you and send it to your opponent in any messaging app
  3. They tap the link, see your move, make theirs, and send you a new link back

In most messaging apps the link previews as a picture of the current board, and opening it always shows the board from your side. There's no clock — reply in seconds or in days. Just always play from the newest link in your conversation.

FAQ

What is ChessMsgs?

ChessMsgs is a free way to play correspondence chess over any messaging app. You make a move on the board, send the generated link to your opponent, and they reply with a link containing their move. There is no account, no app to install, and no game server — the entire game state is encoded in the link itself.

Do I need an account or an app?

No. ChessMsgs runs entirely in the browser. Neither player signs up for anything, and there is nothing to install.

How do I start a game?

Go to chessmsgs.com, drag a piece to make the first move, then copy the link it gives you and send it to a friend in any messaging app. They tap the link, make their move, and send you a new link back.

Which messaging apps does it work with?

Any service that can share a web link: RCS, SMS, iMessage, Slack, WhatsApp, Snap, Facebook, Twitter/X, email, and more. In most apps the link previews as a picture of the current board.

Is there a time limit?

No. There is no clock — reply in seconds or in days. The game waits in the link until your opponent opens it.

What happens if I open an old link?

Each link is a snapshot of the game at one position. Opening an older link shows the game as it was at that point, so always play from the newest link in your conversation.

Created by Greg Wilson