Voice Control On Chess.com
Did you know Chess.com supports voice recognition on the web for Live, Daily, and Bot games? You can make moves and issue other game commands using your voice, and you will also receive audio feedback during the game.
How To Activate Voice Recognition
Hold the space bar to control the game with your voice. Supported commands include moves, offering or accepting draws, resigning, sending rematch requests, and starting a new game.
Enable
Click the cogwheel icon ('Settings') located between the top-right corner of the board and the right sidebar. The settings pop-up will open in the Board tab. Scroll to the bottom and toggle 'Enable Voice Control.'
Your browser will prompt you to allow microphone access. Approve the permission request and be sure to select the correct microphone device.
After enabling voice control, press the space bar and speak your move. The microphone icon will turn green to show it is listening.
If you denied microphone access, the icon will appear red.
If you want to enable permissions after denying them, click the site permissions icon in your browser’s address bar and allow microphone access. You can also enable voice control in your Accesibility Settings page by toggling 'Enable voice control.'
Supported Voice Commands
Below is a table showing the voice commands you can use to make moves, along with the audio feedback you may hear during your game.
Voice commands you can use
- Moves, including captures and castling (Example: h4, rook h4/ rook to h4, rook takes h4)
- Resign
- Offer a draw
- Accept or decline a draw offer
- Send a rematch request
- Accept or decline a rematch request
- Accept or decline a challenge
- Start a new game
Voice feedback you may hear
- Which color is on move
- Auto-resign at the start if no move is made
- Opponent moves, including captures and castling
- Draw offers from your opponent
- Draw offer accepted
- Draw offer declined
- Rematch request from opponent
- Rematch request accepted
- Rematch request declined
- Challenge received
- Challenge accepted
- Challenge declined
- Game result: win, loss, or draw
- Game aborted
- Reconnecting (unstable connection)
For more details on how to say specific moves, see below. Each section includes the correct phrasing to use, plus examples for different move types and actions.
Basic Moves
| Action | Format | Example |
| Move a pawn | Square | E four |
| Move a piece | Long format: Piece + "to" + square Short format: Piece + square |
Long format: "Knight to f three" Short format: "Bishop c four" |
| Move from one square to another | Square + "to" + square | E two to e four |
When more than one piece of the same type can move to the same square, you’ll need to be more specific about which piece you want to move:
| Option | Format | Example |
| Use file to clarify | Long format: Piece + file + "to" + square Short format: Piece + file + square |
Long format: "Rook a to e seven" Short format: "Rook a e seven" |
| Use rank to clarify | Long format: Piece + rank + "to" + square Short format: Piece + rank + square |
Long format: "Rook one to a four Short format: "Rook one a four" |
| Clarify captures | Piece + file or rank + "takes" + square | Knight c takes e four |
Captures
| Action | Format | Example |
| Piece captures | Piece + "takes" + square | “Queen takes d five” |
| Pawn captures | Simple format: "Pawn takes" + square Short format: File + "takes" + square |
Simple format: “Pawn takes f six” Short format: "D takes f six" |
| Square to square capture | Square + "takes" + square | “E four takes d five” |
Castling
| Castling direction | What to say |
| Kingside | “Castle kingside” |
| Queenside | “Castle queenside” |
Note: Phrases like 'short castle' or 'long castle' aren’t currently supported. Please use 'castle king side' or 'castle queen side' when trying to castle.
Pawn Promotion
| Scenario | Format | Example |
| Standalone promotion | "Promote to" + piece | “Promote to queen” |
| Pawn move with promotion |
Long format: Square + "promote to " + piece Short format: Square + piece |
Long format: "E eight promote to queen" Short format: "A eight bishop" |
| Pawn capture with promotion |
Long format: File + "takes" + square + "promote to" + piece Short format: File + "takes" + square + piece |
Long format: "D takes e eight promote to queen" Short format: "B takes a one rook" |
Game Commands
| Action | What to say |
| Resign | “Resign” |
| Offer a draw | “Offer draw” |
| Accept or decline a draw | “Accept draw” / “Decline draw” |
| Request a rematch | “Send rematch” |
| Accept or decline a rematch | “Accept rematch” / “Decline rematch” |
| Start a new game | “New game” or “Start new game” |
Conclusion
Now you can play chess without touching your mouse! If you have any questions about how voice commands work, please contact support.
Try voice commands today!
