The Best Little Secret on Chess.com

This is you: You love chess. You're playing tons of games, maybe even a little 4-player chess. You're so busy slamming that timer that you've overlooked this one tiny, itty bitty, Chess.com thing.

You're playing on the default settings.

Even though this is technically a small thing, it's also HUGE. This is your command center, your home turf. When you slide behind your computer, you need to feel that this game is being fought on your terms and yours alone.

To rectify this, you need to start with the basics: free chess wallpaper. You can go to any of literally dozens of sites and choose an image that makes you feel good, preferably powerful. There are countless sites, but here are a few easy-to-peruse ones: Pixabay, Wallpaper Abyss, Itanium Solutions, and Desktop Nexus. You can also use Google Image search to look for images (which is how I found the above background photo), though be cautioned about using copyrighted images. 

Now, maybe your desktop wallpaper is already set to your kids or your family and maybe it's not. But if you're just looking at a blue screen or some vague green countryside somewhere, you need to get your computer up to speed first. Follow these easy steps:

1. Find a chess image you like. Right click this pic and choose "Save image as..."
2. A tab at the bottom left of your browser should show that download. Click on the carrot and choose "Show in folder." (You can also just navigate to the file directly.)
3. Without opening the file, right click it and choose "Set as desktop background."

Now, if you're having a good time, this next part is going to make your head explode. Just like your desktop, let's take a look at your Chess.com "Theme." The Theme is the design and look of your Chess.com space. To leave the default settings behind, use the Chess.com sidebar on the left side and follow these steps:

1. Scroll over "Home" on the left sidebar, and choose "Theme" in the drop-down menu.
2. From here, you have a list of boards and pieces. Any of these options might suit you for a new, sleek format, but for a very personalized look, click on "Custom" at the top of these choices.
3. Upload the photo of your choice.
4. Choose the look of your pieces, board, and movement sound effects.
5. Click on "Play" on the left sidebar to see your changes.

Mix and match. Find what works for you. If you're a child of the 80s, you might choose the "8-Bit" Pieces. If you like an old-timey feel, you might choose the "Newspaper" board. And if you want an insanely difficult challenge, you can choose "Blindfold" pieces under the Custom Theme. You'll be playing with an empty board, with only highlighted squares to guide you.

Bottom line: If you're going to play here, you might as well get comfortable. After all, this place is here for you. Now make it yours, and enjoy.

Image from Itanium Solutions, with "Gothic" pieces and "Orange" board.

Image from Pixabay, with "Icy Sea" pieces and "Metal" board.

Image from "64," an old Russian newspaper dedicated to games, scraped by Google Images, with "Tournament" pieces and "Green" board.

***Image in the cover pic from this website.***