Chess
Ludo
Backgammon
Skill, luck, or a bit of both
Chess, Checkers and Four in a Row have no luck in them at all: both players see everything, and the better plan wins. Our chess has every rule, castling, en passant and promotion included, six computer levels from Beginner to Master, and a personal rating that starts at 800 and moves with every result. Checkers plays the American rules on an 8×8 board, where a capture is a must; switch on Flying kings for the long-range kings of the international game. Four in a Row is the quickest of the three, on the Classic 7×6 board or the Big 8×7 one.
Dice and hidden tiles add luck, so a beginner can beat an expert on the day. Backgammon is a race full of choices: every match is a best of 3 or 5, and the doubling cube raises the stakes. Ludo races four tokens round a cross-shaped board, or two in its Quick mode, and landing on a rival sends them back to their yard. Pip Parlor is our five-dice scoring game: three rolls a turn, thirteen boxes to fill, and 35 extra points for 63 in the upper boxes. Dominoes uses a double-six set with three games to choose from: Draw, Block and All Fives. Bingo is pure luck and a quick eye, against a room of computer players.
Play board games online with friends
All but Bingo can be played against a friend on another phone or computer. Tap Play with a friend, send the link or the five-character room code, and your friend sits down at your board; in Backgammon you open a room and send the code. Every move has a clock, so nobody waits long: 60 seconds in Chess, 45 in Checkers and 30 in Four in a Row, Ludo, Pip Parlor and Dominoes. In Backgammon, Ludo and Pip Parlor the dice are rolled by our server, so nobody can pick a number.
Sitting together? Chess and Four in a Row have a two-player mode on one screen, and Ludo and Pip Parlor let two to four people pass one phone around; games on one device are free. More games for two, from pool to Gin Rummy, are on our two-player games page.
Against the computer
Every game has computer players at several levels, each with a name and a style of its own. In Four in a Row, Hard looks eight moves ahead and Master plays the end of a game perfectly. In Chess, Checkers and Four in a Row, Hint shows a strong move and Undo takes one back while you learn. Chess has a mate puzzle every day and Pip Parlor the Daily dice, the same for everyone.
New to a game? Our guides explain how the chess pieces move, the rules of checkers, backgammon and the doubling cube, how to win at Four in a Row, Ludo house rules, dominoes scoring and five-dice strategy. All are on the game guides page.
Questions and answers
Can I play board games online with friends for free?
Playing the computer, and two to four players on one device, is always free. An online game uses 40 play coins in most games; every new player gets 800, and coins have no money value. In Backgammon the friendly table is free, and the city tables take an entry in coins.
Does my friend need an account or an app?
No. The invite link opens the game in any browser, on a phone, tablet or computer. The first time, your friend gets a guest name.
Which board games can four people play?
Ludo and Pip Parlor take two to four players on one device, and Dominoes can be played against one, two or three computer players. Online games are for two.
What happens if someone leaves an online game?
Open the game again and it takes you back to your seat. A player who stays away too long loses the game.
Which game should a beginner start with?
Four in a Row takes a minute to learn. Ludo and Pip Parlor are friendly for all ages, and Chess has a Beginner level for anyone still learning how the pieces move.