Spells
Played face up. A Quick spell goes first and you still make your normal move: shield a piece, freeze another, even take two moves in one turn. A Move spell replaces your move: a queen leaps like a knight.
Chess × card duel
Chess, with a hand of cards.
Every rule of chess you know, plus a deck of spells and traps that bend them. Play a card, make your move, and still win by checkmate.
- Free to play
- In your browser
- No download
What makes it different
The board you know. The surprises you don’t.
Chess 2.0 keeps every rule of chess and adds a card layer on top. Three ideas do all the work.
Traps
Set face down. Your opponent sees only a closed card and has to guess. It springs by itself on their turn, the moment its condition is met. You can keep up to two set, and each lasts four of their turns by default.
Energy & card plays
You gain 1 energy at the start of each of your turns (up to 6), and 1 more each time you lose a piece, so a comeback is always possible. Cards cost 1 to 6, and you get 6 card plays per game by default. Timing beats speed.
How a turn works
A turn in three beats.
Nothing to memorize. Every turn follows the same rhythm.
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Play a card optional
Spend energy on a spell or set a trap face down. One card per turn at most.
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Make your move
Move a piece just like in normal chess. If you played a Move spell, the card was your move.
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Traps spring
On your opponent’s turn, your face-down traps spring by themselves the moment their condition is met. There is no button to press.
The deck
20 cards. 10 are free from the start.
Build a deck of 10 different cards, one copy of each. The 10 starter cards are free for everyone; the other 10 unlock with XP you earn by playing.
These 10 cards are free for everyone, from your very first game.
Rare, Epic and Legendary cards. Unlock them with XP earned by playing; gems are an optional shortcut. Practice mode lets you try all 20 against the AI.
Ways to play
Play your way.
Warm up against the AI, challenge a friend, or climb the ranked ladder.
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Versus the computer
Easy or Normal difficulty. Practice mode lets you try all 20 cards.
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2 players, one screen
Pass-and-play on one device, with hands hidden between turns.
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Friend link
Create a room and send the link. When your friend opens it, the game starts.
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Quick match
Get paired with an opponent, casual or ranked, on a 3+2, 5+3 or 10+5 clock.
The ranked ladder
Ratings use Glicko-2 and start at 1500. After 5 placement games you get your league. Bronze through Diamond each have divisions IV to I, with Master and Grandmaster above them. The leaderboard shows the top 50.
Ranked games need a free account.
Fair play
Every card can be earned by playing.
No card sits behind a paywall. Here is exactly how the free-to-play side works.
- Cards
- XP from playing unlocks every locked card. Gems, which you can earn in the season pass or buy, are an optional shortcut to the same unlocks.
- Cosmetics
- Board themes and card backs change how the game looks, never how it plays.
- Season pass
- A monthly pass with 25 tiers and two tracks, free and premium. Premium is $4.99 a month, or 600 gems for a single season, and adds 25% XP. The premium track also pays extra gems and two cosmetics. Gem packs start at $0.99.
| Rarity | XP | Gems |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 600 | 150 |
| Epic | 1,500 | 350 |
| Legendary | 3,000 | 700 |
Live ladder
Top ranked players
Straight from the ranked ladder. Think you can beat them?
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Is Chess 2.0 free?
Yes. It is free to play in your browser. Every card can be unlocked by playing; the shop and the season pass are optional.
Do I need an account?
Not to start. As a guest you can play the AI, share one screen, invite a friend by link and join casual quick matches. A free account saves your XP, unlocked cards and rating, and is required for ranked games.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes. It runs in any modern browser on desktop and mobile, with nothing to download.
How do I unlock more cards?
With a free account, playing earns XP. Spend it on the 10 unlockable cards: 600 XP for a Rare, 1,500 for an Epic and 3,000 for a Legendary. Gems can unlock them sooner but are never required.
Is it pay-to-win?
No. Every card can be unlocked with XP alone, and cosmetics never touch gameplay. Premium adds 25% XP and a premium season-pass track with extra gems and two cosmetics; gems only unlock cards sooner and are never required. Energy, clocks and card-play limits are the same for both players, and White’s 3-card start against Black’s 4 offsets the first-move advantage.
Do I need to be good at chess?
You should know how the pieces move. Cards are explained as you go: a short intro and a coached practice game walk you through the basics, and the How to play page covers every rule.
Your move.
Start with a quick intro and an optional coached practice game. No download, no sign-up to begin.