The 9 Chess GIFs You Have to See

GIFs are a fun and quick way to share an animated image. These animations are short and soundless, so they do not require the viewer to invest as much time and attention as full videos.

It’s no surprise that GIF animations are some of the most popular content on the Internet. As chess fans, you’ve probably seen or shared a few chess GIFs to your friends or family as a way of appreciating the game we all love.

Here’s a collection of our nine favorite chess GIF animations. Let us know your favorite chess GIFs in the comments or on Facebook.

9. The Floating, Spinning Chessboard of the Future

Magnets, how do they work?

This futuristic chess set would be the perfect addition to any enthusiast's game room (or spaceship, as we saw in the 5 Craziest Places to Play Chess). 

8. How Fast is Your Mouse? 

All of us on Chess.com have played chess with mice -- also known as computer pointers.

But how many of us could stand to play with an actual rodent? This gives a whole new meaning to calling your opponent a rat.

7. Cats Playing Chess

We've seen pictures of dogs and cats playing chess before, in the 11 Worst Chessboard Photos, but there's nothing more adorable than this video of a cat moving his a-pawn -- even if the board is set up wrong again. 

6. Making a Rook

This Chess.com video shows you which rook is right to move. Even if you knew that, did you know how rooks were made? This sped-up video demonstrates the manufacturing process. 

5. Quick Setup

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to set up the pieces for a rematch this quickly after losing a tough game?

4. A Friendly Game

Many of our first chess games as children were probably played like this, just moving around the pieces for fun and making up our own rules. The GIF is right, though. It's much more fun to play the right way.

It's even more enjoyable to play chess with a plan. Check out GM Melikset Khachiyan's 11-part series on evaluation and planning.  

3. Early Computer Chess

Human-computer chess has been getting a lot of attention on Chess.com lately, first with GM Naroditsky and Rybka vs. Stockfish, and then a huge match between Cyborg Nakamura and the engine.

This GIF shows how computer chess might have worked in the early days. 

2. Rook and Roll

Chess is one of the few human endeavors to produce child prodigies, like the now-grown-up GM Fabiano Caruana. Music is another discipline that often sees young prodigies.

Why not combine the two?

1. The Animal King-dom

FM Elliot Liu shows you how to win against the Orangutan opening, but what do you play against an actual primate?

You're probably on your own for this one. 

What are your favorite chess GIFs? Let us know in the comments below.