Have you ever wondered to play your favourite game “chess” while you chat with your friends? Yes…. Facebook has made this possible. FB keeps coming up with more and more new ideas for its users but this time it is a more intellectual one. Facebook has built a build-in-functionality in Facebook messenger, in which you just need to enter one key command to enjoy the game with your friends. It just takes one simple step to unlock the hidden chess game –
All you need to do is: type “@fbchess play” into the chat window and hit Enter. A small square would appear in the chat window. FB Chess is currently available for both mobile and web platforms, eliminating the need to download it separately.
How to play the game – The person who initiated the game would get the “white” side, to make the first move. Though it’s a more laborious way of playing online chess than many of us might be accustomed to, the commands are somewhat intuitive. Once the game has started, players use traditional chess notation to move each piece. There are some designated algebraic notations for the game –
- B for “Bishop”
- R for “Rook”
- Q for “Queen”
- K for “King”
- N for “Knight”
- P for “Pawn”
Here are some most useful commands –
- Make a move: use Standard Algebraic Notation
o @fbchess e4 or @fbchess Pe4 moves pawn to e4
o Nbd2 to move knight from b-file to d2
o B2xc5 to take on c5 with 2nd rank bishop
o e8=Q to promote pawn to queen
o 0-0-0 or O-O to castle
- Claim draw (e.g. 3-fold repetition): @fbchess draw claim
- Offer a draw in the current position: @fbchess draw offer
- Offer an undo of the last move: @fbchess undo
- Resign: @fbchess resign
- For any help during the game from FB: @fbchess help
The game would also allow you to have a conversation during the game with your friend, resumes the game by issuing the game commands. So now you can sharpen your brain while having chat with your dear friends. Instead of just sending your friends silly stickers and emojis, challenge any of your FB friends to a game of digital chess and check the intellectual level of your friends. Using Facebook has become an addiction for many people but now you have an option to do something positive out of this addiction and train your brain for something better in your life.
So, have fun playing this beautiful game and training your analytical skills while chatting with your buddies.