10 Games Like Chess — Free Strategy Games to Play Online

Chess is the deepest 2-player game ever invented — 1,500 years of refinement, infinite strategic possibilities, and engines that now exceed world-champion level. If you love Chess and want more games with similar strategic depth, this list covers 10 of the best alternatives available in your browser.

1. Chess (the original)

1,500 years of refinement. 16 pieces, 64 squares, infinite depth. The benchmark for all strategy games. Play Chess.

2. Checkers

The accessible cousin. Solved by computer in 2007 — perfect play = draw — but humans don’t play perfectly. Play Checkers.

3. Reversi (Othello)

Flank opponent discs to flip them. Simple rules, deep strategy. Top engines play above human level. Play Reversi.

4. Gomoku

Ancient Japanese 5-in-a-row. Deeper than Tic-Tac-Toe, lighter than Chess. Play Gomoku.

5. Connect Four

7×6 grid. 4 in a row wins. Solved (first player wins from centre) but humans rarely execute perfectly. Play Connect Four.

6. Backgammon

5,000 years old. Dice + strategy combination. Every game is different. Play Backgammon.

7. Hex

1942 connection game by Piet Hein and John Nash. First player wins by “strategy stealing” — but the winning strategy is unknown for 11×11. Play Hex.

8. Ultimate Tic-Tac-Toe

9 small boards in a 3×3 meta-grid. Each move dictates where opponent plays next. ~10³³ positions, unsolved. Play Ultimate Tic-Tac-Toe.

9. Mancala

1,300+ year old game. Sow stones, capture, score. Simple rules, deep strategy. Play Mancala.

10. Nim

Ancient game with a complete mathematical theory (Bouton, 1907). XOR of pile counts determines the winner. Play Nim.

Why Chess-like games endure

• Pure decision-making. No reflexes; just choices.
• No hidden information. All pieces visible to both players.
• Infinite depth. Even after 1,500 years, top humans still find new ideas.
• Cultural inheritance. Played for centuries by every culture.
• Cognitive maintenance. Strategic play helps maintain mental sharpness with age.

Chess history milestones

• 6th century: Chaturanga (India), chess’s ancestor.
• 15th century: queen gains its modern long-range power.
• 1886: first World Champion (Wilhelm Steinitz).
• 1972: Fischer-Spassky in Reykjavik — most-watched chess match.
• 1997: Deep Blue beats Kasparov.
• 2018: AlphaZero reaches superhuman level in 24 hours of self-play.
• 2020: Queen’s Gambit Netflix series triggers chess boom.

FAQ

• Q: Can humans beat top engines? A: No. Top engines play 700-1000 Elo above the human world champion.
• Q: Best beginner alternative to Chess? A: Connect Four. Quick games, intuitive rules, real depth.
• Q: Hardest strategy game? A: Go is harder computationally than Chess. AlphaGo’s 2016 victory was a landmark.
• Q: Strategic game with luck? A: Backgammon. Combines dice randomness with deep strategy.

For more strategy games, browse our strategy category, or read our best strategy games roundup.