How to play Chess with Gather
Chess is for two players, or for you alone against the computer. Moves are always made on a phone; an Apple TV, iPad or Mac can show the big board with clocks and the move list.
Choose Chess
On the game table, select the “Chess” tile. Without a TV, tap “Chess” under “Play without a TV” in the iPhone app.
Set opponent and time control
Under “Who’s playing?”, pick “Two players” or “Vs. computer”, then the time control: “No clock”, 5, 10 or 30 minutes, or 15 + 10. On the iPhone, the buttons are called “Play the computer” and “Invite a friend”.
Open the room and join
“Open a room” brings up a QR code and a room code. Without a TV, your iPhone shows the code and a “Share invitation” button; your opponent joins in the app or in a browser.
Pick a color and get ready
Under “Your color” on your phone, choose White, “Random” or Black – a color that’s already taken is marked. Once both of you have tapped “Ready”, the game begins.
Make your moves
Tap one of your pieces, then one of the highlighted squares. The board on your phone is turned to your side; when a pawn promotes, Gather asks “Promote to”.
Offer a draw or resign
Below the board are “Offer draw” and “Resign”. If your opponent offers a draw, your phone shows “Accept” and “Decline”. Against the computer there’s no draw button.
Rematch
After the game, choose “Rematch” on the TV or a phone. Colors are swapped, and both players tap “Ready” again.
TV and phone
The TV always shows the board with White at the bottom, the two players and their clocks on the left and the move list on the right, plus notices like “Check!” or a pending draw offer. You don’t move pieces there – the remote only opens the menu, for example to close the room.
Your phone shows the same board from your side, both clocks and a line saying whose move it is. “Moves” opens the move list. Without a TV, one phone per player is all you need.