Skip to Main Content

Unlock Facebook Messenger's Hidden Chess Game


Did you know you could play chess with a friend directly in a Facebook chat window? All you need is a special phrase to launch the chess board and start playing.

BetaNews shares the instructions:

  1. During a conversation, type @fbchess play and a board will appear. Your friend will go first.

  2. Select a piece using K for king, Q for queen, B for bishop, N for knight, R for rook, or P for pawn.

  3. Then add the letter and number representing the space you want to move it on the board.

So, for example, you’d type @fbchess Pd4 to move it to that space. If more than one piece can go there, you’ll be asked which one to move.

By the way, if you want a larger view of the chess board, click on the chat menu settings icon and select “See Full Conversation.”

Sure there are tons of great/better chess games you can play online with your friends, but this built-in one is accessible to everyone you know on Facebook.

Here’s how to unlock (and play) Facebook Messenger’s secret game | BetaNews