Online 1v1 chess: bullet, blitz and rapid

There are four time controls, each with its own ELO:

• 1 minute (bullet): very fast games where reflexes and clock handling matter most.
• 3 minutes (blitz): high intensity with a little more room to think.
• 5 minutes (blitz): the most balanced pace between speed and quality.
• 10 minutes (rapid): calmer games where calculation and technique count.

ELO measures your level and goes up or down after every game depending on the result and your opponent's strength: beating someone with a higher ELO earns more points than beating someone lower. Each time control has its own, because you can be very good at bullet and not as good at rapid.

When you look for a game, the system pairs you with someone of a similar ELO. If nobody of your level is around, you can widen the search to a larger ELO range to find a game sooner.

Time is not measured on your device but on the server, so a slow connection neither gives nor takes seconds. If you disconnect, your clock keeps running: if you come back within 60 seconds and still have time left, the game carries on as normal.

White has 60 seconds to make the first move; if they do not, the game is cancelled and both players get their stake back with no fee.

Games follow the official rules of chess, including castling, en passant and promotion. A game ends in a draw by stalemate, insufficient material, threefold repetition, the 50-move rule or agreement between both players. It is also a draw if you run out of time and your opponent does not have enough material to checkmate you.

You can play free games, no-stake challenges between friends or games with a USDT prize. If it is your first time, start with the free practice; to see how prizes work, read chess for USDT prizes.

Games with a stake are for adults aged 18 and over only and may be restricted in some countries.