Install ChessDummy in Chrome
ChessDummy is a free Chrome extension for chess.com and lichess. Installing it takes about a minute. You do not need an account.
What you need
- Google Chrome on a desktop or laptop (Windows, macOS, Linux or ChromeOS).
- A chess.com or lichess.org tab. You do not need to be logged in to either site to try it on the analysis board.
Install from the Chrome Web Store
The Chrome Web Store listing is on its way. ChessDummy is being prepared for the Chrome Web Store. Once it is listed, installing it will be three clicks:
- Open the listing. Find ChessDummy on the Chrome Web Store (the link will appear on this page).
- Click “Add to Chrome”. Chrome asks you to confirm that ChessDummy can read chess.com and lichess.org. Choose “Add extension”.
- Open a game. Start or open any game on chess.com or lichess.org. The ChessDummy board appears in a corner of the page.
Install it today from a zip file
You do not have to wait for the store. Chrome can load an extension straight from a folder on your computer. It takes about a minute.
- Download the extension. Download chessdummy-extension.zip and unzip it. You get a folder called
chessdummy-extension. Keep it somewhere permanent, such as Documents, because Chrome reads the extension from that folder every time it starts. - Open the extensions page. Type
chrome://extensionsinto Chrome's address bar and press Enter. - Turn on Developer mode. It is the switch in the top-right corner of that page.
- Click “Load unpacked”. Choose the
chessdummy-extensionfolder you unzipped. - Open a game. Go to chess.com or lichess.org and open a game or the analysis board. If the site was already open, reload the tab once.
To update a manual install, download the new zip, replace the folder's contents, and press the reload arrow on the ChessDummy card at chrome://extensions. When the Web Store listing goes live you can remove the manual copy and install from the store to get updates automatically.
The first time you open it
On first run ChessDummy opens its settings page and asks a few short questions. You can change any of them later by clicking the ChessDummy mark in the corner.
- During a game. Choose “Show the board”, “Blur until I look” or “Hide during the game”. For live rated games we recommend “Hide during the game”. See the fair play guide.
- Play fair. “Show the better move once someone leaves the book” is best switched off for live rated games.
- Your username. Optional. Enter your chess.com or lichess name to let ChessDummy read your recent public games and find the opening mistakes you repeat.
- Corner. Pick the corner of the page where the board sits.
Choose “Start”, then play a game. When it ends, the corner asks whether you want to practice the opening now or keep it for later.
Pin ChessDummy to the toolbar (optional)
Click the puzzle-piece icon to the right of Chrome's address bar, find ChessDummy in the list, and click the pin next to it. The ChessDummy icon then stays visible in the toolbar.
If something does not work
I installed it, but nothing appears on the page
Reload the chess.com or lichess tab once. Chrome only adds an extension to tabs opened or reloaded after it was installed. Then open a game or the analysis board and make a move.
The corner board only shows a small mark
That is the collapsed state. Click the mark to open it. If you chose “Hide during the game”, the mark opens settings instead, where you can pick “Show the board”.
Does it work in Edge, Brave or Opera?
Chromium browsers that can install Chrome extensions usually run ChessDummy without changes. We test in Google Chrome. Firefox and Safari are not supported.
Does it work on a phone or tablet?
No. Chrome on Android and iOS does not run extensions, and ChessDummy does not work inside the chess.com or lichess mobile apps.
How do I remove it?
Go to chrome://extensions, find ChessDummy and click “Remove”. This also deletes the practice list and settings that Chrome stored for it.
While you are here
ChessDummy comes from the makers of Halfchess, a set of quick chess games for your phone, including daily puzzles on a smaller board.