You can play fog of war chess, also called dark chess, on three websites: Chess.com, where it is one of the most popular variants; PyChess, a free, open-source site for chess variants; and Fog of Chess, a site made only for fog of war. Lichess doesn't have it.
Last checked: November 2026.
The three sites at a glance
| Chess.com | PyChess | Fog of Chess | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | The biggest chess site; fog of war is one of its variants | An open-source site for dozens of variants | A site made only for fog of war |
| Play against | People, in rated games | People and the Fairy-Stockfish engine | People in ranked games, bots, friends by link |
| Learn the rules | Help pages and articles | A rules page | A one-minute tutorial on the board |
| Price | Free | Free | Free |
| Best for | The most opponents | Trying many variants | Learning fast, playing on a phone |
Chess.com
The world's largest chess site has fog of war in its Variants section, and it is one of the most played variants there. Games are rated, and Chess.com has run an official Fog of War championship with prize money. If you want the biggest pool of opponents, or you already have a Chess.com account, start here.
PyChess
PyChess is a free, open-source site with dozens of chess variants, from shogi to xiangqi. It added fog of war in August 2024, and its Fairy-Stockfish engine can play it, so you can practise against the computer as well as play people. It suits players who like to try a different variant every evening.
Fog of Chess
This is our site, so read this part with that in mind.
Fog of Chess is made only for fog of war chess. A one-minute tutorial teaches the rules on the board, move by move, and you can start playing without signing up. You can play ranked games against people, practise against bots that get stronger each time you beat one, or send a friend an invite link. It runs in the browser on phones and computers, it's free, and you can unlock more than a dozen fog skins as you play.
Keep in mind that it's a young site: fewer people are online at any moment than on Chess.com. The bots are always there, though.
Play on Fog of Chess · Fog of war chess rules
Lichess and other options
Lichess doesn't have fog of war. Its variants are Crazyhouse, Chess960, King of the Hill, Three-check, Antichess, Atomic, Horde and Racing Kings, and players have asked for fog of war on its forum.
Dark Chess by Tall Troll Games is a game you download rather than a website: chess rules with fog of war, a story campaign and online matches. It came out on Steam in 2023.
Fog of war is also not the same game as Kriegspiel, an older variant in which you see none of your opponent's pieces and a referee tells you whether your move is legal. If that's the game you want, search for Kriegspiel by name.
Which one to pick
- You want the most opponents, or you already play on Chess.com: Chess.com.
- You like trying many variants, or you care about open source: PyChess.
- You're new to fog of war, want bots to practise on, or mostly play on your phone: Fog of Chess.
FAQ
Is fog of war chess the same as dark chess?
Yes. Dark chess is the original name, from 1989; fog of war is the name most players know it by today. See the fog of war chess rules for how it works.
Does Lichess have fog of war chess?
No. As of November 2026, Lichess doesn't offer fog of war. You can play it on Chess.com, PyChess or Fog of Chess.
Can I play fog of war chess against the computer?
Yes. Fog of Chess has bots that get stronger each time you beat one, and PyChess lets you play its Fairy-Stockfish engine.
Can I play fog of war chess on my phone?
Yes. All three are websites, so they open in a phone browser. Fog of Chess was designed for phones first: the board fills the screen and there is nothing to install.
Are the rules the same on every site?
The core is the same: you see only what your pieces see, nobody announces check, and you win by capturing the king. Small details can differ; on Fog of Chess, for example, a pawn always promotes to a queen.
Is fog of war chess free to play?
Yes. You can play it for free on all three sites.