Is Lichess really free?

Yes, all features are free for everybody, forever. Lichess is a free, libre, open source chess server with zero advertisements and no tracking.

En passant is a special chess rule that allows a pawn to capture an opponent's pawn under certain circumstances. It is one of the rules of chess.

Can I checkmate with only a knight or bishop?

Yes, it is possible to checkmate with only a knight or a bishop, if the opponent has more than a king on the board. According to the FIDE Laws of Chess, if a checkmate is possible with any legal sequence of moves, then the game is not a draw.

Is Lichess monetized with ads?

No, Lichess will never display any kind of ads. The site does not track players and does not sell or buy traffic or users.

Can I use Lichess in my commercial content?

Yes, you are welcome to use Lichess for your activity, even commercial. You can show it in your videos and print screenshots of Lichess in your books. Credit is appreciated but not required.

Games & Entertainment

Lichess

Free Online Chess

Filed 3 October 2026

Free online chess server with no registration, ads, or plugins required. Play against the computer, friends, or random opponents.

Screenshot of the Lichess homepage — A look at lichess.org

Questions answered

Is Lichess really free?: Yes, all features are free for everybody, forever. Lichess is a free, libre, open source chess server with zero advertisements and no tracking.
What is en passant?: En passant is a special chess rule that allows a pawn to capture an opponent's pawn under certain circumstances. It is one of the rules of chess.
Can I checkmate with only a knight or bishop?: Yes, it is possible to checkmate with only a knight or a bishop, if the opponent has more than a king on the board. According to the FIDE Laws of Chess, if a checkmate is possible with any legal sequence of moves, then the game is not a draw.
Is Lichess monetized with ads?: No, Lichess will never display any kind of ads. The site does not track players and does not sell or buy traffic or users.
Can I use Lichess in my commercial content?: Yes, you are welcome to use Lichess for your activity, even commercial. You can show it in your videos and print screenshots of Lichess in your books. Credit is appreciated but not required.

Billboard: paid placement

Notices in this column are paid for. They run in order of the total sum contributed and are kept apart from the vote record.

The Billboard in full Place a notice from $5

Key features

Arena tournaments
Swiss tournaments
Simultaneous exhibitions
Correspondence chess
Chess variants
Stockfish analysis
Tactical puzzles
Opening explorer
Endgame tablebase

Link metrics

Majestic link data for lichess.org. Arrows show the change since the previous check (up, down or no change).
Metric	Value	Change
Trust Flow	49	no change since last check
Citation Flow	61	no change since last check
Referring domains	15,672	no change since last check
External backlinks	7,185,664	no change since last check

Top topic: Games/Board Games (47). Checked 3 Oct 2026, changed 3 Oct 2026. Link data by Majestic. Trust Flow, Citation Flow and Topical Trust Flow are trademarks of Majestic-12 Ltd.

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