Frequently asked questions
Is C4Chess free to play?
Yes. You can play chess against 48 bots of every strength, challenge friends with a private link, solve puzzles and watch lessons for free. No download, and no sign-up needed to start playing.
Can I play chess online with friends on C4Chess?
Yes. Create a challenge from the Play page, choose the time control and side, and share the private invite link. Your friend joins in one click, on any device.
How strong are the C4Chess bots?
The 48 bots span 12 levels from about 400 to 2600 Elo. Each bot has a personality, chats during the game, and plays human-like moves, including human-like mistakes at lower levels.
Can I scout my opponents on C4Chess?
Yes. Scout reads any chess.com or lichess player's recent public games and builds a preparation dossier: opening weaknesses, repeated lines, tilt patterns and a pre-game checklist. It is free with a C4Chess account, and you can preview the scout page before signing up.
Does C4Chess have a chess chatbot?
Yes. Ask C4 is a free chess chatbot with its own board. Ask about the rules, openings, tactics, endgames or the great players' games, or paste a game, position or move list and go through it move by move. It is not an AI chatbot: answers come from C4Chess's own chess lessons, opening statistics and analysis engine, and nothing you type is sent to an AI language model. Guests can try a few questions without an account.
Does C4Chess offer chess coaching for kids?
Yes. C4Chess runs structured online chess coaching with live classes, homework, daily lessons and progress tracking for students, with a free demo session to start.
Which chess variants can I play?
Standard chess, Chess960, King of the Hill, Three-Check, Antichess, Horde, Atomic and Racing Kings, against bots or friends.