Best board and card games
Classic board and card games last because their rules are simple and their strategy runs deep. You can learn the rules of chess in an afternoon and still be learning from it years later.
These versions are free, need no account and run in your browser, so you can play against the computer or a friend any time.
A quick note on rules
Board games often have regional variants, and that matters. Checkers is a good example: the Italian version has different capture rules than the American one, so a strategy that wins in one can lose in the other. Check the rules in each game before you play.
Card games like solitaire also have variants. Klondike is the one most people know, with seven columns, a draw pile and four foundations.
Our picks
Chess 2D
A clean chess game that highlights legal moves, which is useful if you are still learning.
Master Chess Multiplayer
Play the computer or real players online in a classic chess game.
Checkers Legend
Checkers with adjustable rules, against the computer or a friend.
Master Checkers
Italian checkers, where men cannot capture kings and you must take the longest capture.
Tic Tac Toe Mania
The classic three-in-a-row game. Quick enough to play as a tie-breaker.
Klondike Solitaire
The solitaire most people know, with a stylish look.
Mahjong Master 2
Mahjong solitaire with pyramid layouts and star ratings.
Sudoku Levels
A number puzzle that fits in with the quieter board games.
If you want to improve at chess, play slowly and ask what your opponent's last move is threatening before every move of your own. That one habit wins more games than any opening.