Learn to play
Every lesson is played on the same board you play matches on. Read a few lines, make the move, and the board tells you whether it worked.
- 20 games
- 117 lessons
- Free, no sign-up
Courses
For games deep enough to keep teaching: units of short lessons, from the first move to real tactics.
Chess
Learn chess by playing it. Interactive lessons on a real board, from how each piece moves to mating patterns, openings and endgames. Free, no sign-up.- The pieces
- Special moves
- Winning the game
- Your first tactics
- Checkmate patterns
- More tactics
- Opening principles
- Endgame basics
Sudoku
Learn sudoku on a live grid. The rules, then the techniques that crack harder puzzles, from naked singles to pairs, pointing pairs and the X-wing.- The rules
- Solving techniques
Checkers
Learn checkers by playing it: the rules, then two-for-one shots, forced jumps, the bridge, breakthroughs and how to trap a king. Free, no sign-up.- The rules
- Tactics
- The endgame
Othello
Learn Othello by playing it: the rules, then corners, X-squares, mobility, edges, quiet moves and parity, each on a live board. Free, no sign-up.- The rules
- Strategy
Minesweeper
Learn Minesweeper on a real board. What the numbers mean, flags and chording, then the 1-1, 1-2, 1-2-1 and 1-2-2-1 patterns. Free, no sign-up.- The rules
- Patterns
Backgammon
Learn backgammon on a live board, from how the checkers move, hit and bear off to the best opening moves, primes, safe play and the pip count.- The rules
- First strategy
Connect Four
Learn Connect Four on a live board: the rules, then the threats that beat players who always block. Odd and even threats, the 7 trap and zugzwang.- The rules
- Threats
Nonograms
Learn to solve nonograms on a real puzzle. Read the clues, then the overlap, edge, finished-line, joining and splitting techniques. Free, no sign-up.- The rules
- Solving techniques
Go
Learn Go on a real 9×9 board: the rules, atari, ladders, nets, snapbacks and capturing races, two eyes and the vital point, and your first strategy.- The rules
- Capturing stones
- Life and death
- First strategy
Mahjong
Learn American mahjong at the real table. Six short lessons take you from the tiles and the hand card through the Charleston to declaring Mahjong.- Tiles, card and Charleston
- Playing a hand
Dots and Boxes
Learn Dots and Boxes on a live board: the rules, then the chain endgame that decides most games. Short and long chains, the double-cross, the long chain rule.- The rules
- Chains
Truco
Learn Truco by playing it. Four short lessons on a real table cover the card ranking, tricks and pardas, calling Truco and counting Envido. Free.- The cards
- Tricks and the round
- Calling Truco
- The Envido
Tutorials
The rules of a game in a few minutes, one move at a time.
Solitaire
Learn Klondike Solitaire on a live table. Build down in alternating colours, move runs, work the stock and fill the foundations. Free and interactive.Hearts
Learn Hearts at a real table. Pass three cards, follow suit, dodge the queen of spades and shoot the moon against three bots. Free and interactive.Gin Rummy
Learn gin rummy on a live table. Sets and runs, drawing and discarding, deadwood, knocking, going gin and the undercut, in eight short steps. Free.Battleship
Learn Battleship on a live board. Place a ship, call your shots, sink a ship along the line and hunt the last one down with a checkerboard.Ludo
Learn Ludo on a live board. Roll a 6 to leave base, capture, use the safe squares, bring a token home with the exact roll and keep out of reach.Dominoes
Learn dominoes on a live board. Open with the highest double, match the ends, draw from the boneyard, go out, and score a blocked round. Free.Mexican Train
Learn Mexican Train on a live board. Start your train from the engine, use open trains and the Mexican, cover a double, draw, pass and go out.Tic-Tac-Toe
Learn Tic-Tac-Toe on a live board. Take turns, get three in a row, block your opponent and set up a fork. Free and interactive, in six short steps.