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Pawnstorm — Chess Online vs Computer

by crokocat · Board
Plays on
Desktop · Phone · Tablet
Price
Free · no download · no sign-up

Pawnstorm is chess on a chunky, bright 3D board. Play a ladder of games against a bot that starts out friendly and gets sharper with every level, or pass the device to a friend. Tap a piece, tap where it goes — every rule of chess works, from castling to en passant and promotion.

The bot on the first levels looks only a move ahead and often leaves pieces hanging, so a new player can win straight away. Every few levels it looks deeper and plays more precisely; past level thirty it reads five moves ahead and rarely gives anything away.

Tap a piece and its moves appear as dots on the board; a ring means a piece you can take. The last move stays marked, a king in check glows red, and a pawn reaching the far side lets you pick a queen, rook, bishop or knight.

Taken pieces tumble off the board and line up on the frame on the side of the player who took them, and the pill at the top shows who is ahead in material.

Undo takes back your last move and the bot's answer; the bulb shows the move a strong engine would play. A win without either is worth three stars. From level five you play Black on every even level.

Two players can share one device: the board stays put and the pills show whose turn it is.

Games end in checkmate, or in a draw by stalemate, threefold repetition, the fifty-move rule or too little material to mate.

If you learned chess against the computer on an old PC — Chess Titans on Windows, or a chess program on a family computer — Pawnstorm is that kind of game, rebuilt for any browser and any phone: no account, no rating anxiety, no opponent waiting for you. It is a good place to learn, too: the bot starts gentle enough for a first game, and the tips below cover the habits that win most beginner games.

How to play Pawnstorm

Checkmate the other king:

Desktop: Click pieces and squares. Ctrl+Z takes back a move, Escape returns to the menu.
Mobile: Tap pieces and squares. Hold the phone upright.

Game modes

ModeWhat changesWho it's for
LevelsAn endless ladder of games against a bot that looks deeper and blunders less as you climb; Black on even levels from level 5. Stars by the take-backs and hints you used.Beginners who want to win their first games, and improving players looking for a steady climb.
Two playersClassic chess for two on one device.Friends and families sharing a phone or tablet.

Tips for Pawnstorm

Who made Pawnstorm?

Pawnstorm was built by crokocat game studio in 2026 — its own chess engine (checked move for move against the standard perft positions), a bot ladder from friendly to sharp, a coached first game and turned 3D pieces.

About this game

Controls
Tap or click a piece to see its moves, then tap a dot to move. Rings mark pieces you can take. Undo takes back your last move, the bulb shows a good one. Ctrl+Z undoes on a keyboard; Escape returns to the menu.
Supported devices
desktop, phone, tablet
Developer
crokocat
Genre
Board
Release date
September 2026
Latest update
September 2026

Related categories

boardclassic2 playerstrategy

Frequently asked questions

Is Pawnstorm free to play?

Yes. Pawnstorm is free on crokocat with no download and no sign-up — it runs in your browser on desktop, phone and tablet.

Can I play chess against the computer without signing up?

Yes. Pawnstorm opens straight in the browser with no account and no download. The bot starts gentle and gets stronger every level, and you can take back moves or ask for a hint at any time.

Is Pawnstorm real chess?

Yes — full standard chess with every rule, against a bot that grows stronger level by level, or against a friend on one device.

How strong is the bot?

It starts very gentle — it only looks one move ahead and makes mistakes on purpose — and grows level by level, up to a five-move search with almost no mistakes.

Can I take back a move?

Yes, as often as you like. It costs a star on that level, never the game.

Can two people play?

Yes. Pick Two players and pass the device between moves.

Which rules are used?

Standard chess: castling, en passant, promotion to any piece, and draws by stalemate, repetition, the fifty-move rule and insufficient material.

Guides & tips

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