Questions & Answers

Frequently-Asked Questions about SparkChess and chess in general and their answers.

I’m on Linux – is SparkChess available for me?

While we do not have a native Linux version, SparkChess Premium Live is available on all operating systems that support modern browsers. Firefox is fully supported.

On what platforms does your chess game work?

SparkChess Premium Live works in any modern browser, regardless of platform, and it’s the recommended choice.

SparkChess is available as a native app on:

I want to play the game without opening the browser, like a normal program; is that possible?

Yes. SparkChess is available as a standalone application on all major platforms.

Why do you show ads?

SparkChess could not exist without ads and paying customers. Simply put, they pay the bills.

Developing a game like SparkChess, operating a website with over two million monthly views and maintaining a multiplayer service that needs to be up and responsive 24/7 is not cheap.

For example, we use Cloudflare Business so that the game loads as fast as possible, we use an EV SSL certificate to make sure the connection is secure, DNS with failover so the site never goes down, IP filtering to mitigate attacks, code signing certificates so you can trust downloading the game and so on. We even need to buy mobile phones and tablets to make sure SparkChess runs anywhere. Then there’s development and customer support.

We try not to abuse ads – limit their number, avoid questionable type, work with only reputable partners.

Is playing SparkChess online free?

Yes. Online play is free, although we display unobtrusive ads from Google. If you prefer not seeing ads, you can download the standalone version of the game or subscribe to SparkChess Premium Live.

I see both SparkChess and flashCHESS mentioned. What’s the difference between them?

They are the same product. When we created the first game engine in 2002, we called it flashCHESS. Later, in 2008 the third generation of the engine, rewritten from scratch, took the web by storm and we wanted to keep the name due to its heritage, naming it flashCHESS III. Later, to prevent any trademark complaints from Adobe regarding the use of “Flash”, we decided to rename the game as SparkChess.

SparkChess® is a registered trademark.

Your chess engine is too easy! Is that the best you can do?

Congratulations! You must be an advanced player; most likely you’ve played in tournaments. Our Chess AI was created to be fun and quick, not brutally strong. If you are an advanced player, you can still enjoy SparkChess’ multiplayer or by using its Board Editor and the PGN/Replay features.

Your chess game is too hard! Help!

Try playing with a weaker opponent, like Deon or Cody. If you download the Premium Version, you have access to some help tools that will help you make better moves. SparkChess Premium also includes over 20 chess lessons covering the basic rules, strategies, openings and endgames.

You can find more articles and puzzles here on sparkchess.com.