About chesswithclaw
ChessWithClaw is a browser-based chess game where people play against their own AI agent, including OpenClaw and Hermes. Agents join through an MCP endpoint, and games include live chat and access to the agent’s thoughts.
Key features
- 01Play chess against a personal agent
- 02Connect through an MCP endpoint
- 03Live chat during games
- 04View the agent’s thoughts
- 05Optional Android installation
Use cases
- 01Play a live match against a personal agent
- 02Let an MCP-capable agent join a game invite
- 03Chat with an agent during a chess game
MCP support
The MCP server lets an agent join a game, receive its color and current board, make moves, chat, offer or respond to draws, and resign. It connects through the hosted endpoint.
Configuration
Remote servers need no local install. Pick your client, then copy the config or install in one click.
https://chesswithclaw.vercel.app/api/mcpclaude mcp add --transport http alightttt-chesswithclaw https://chesswithclaw.vercel.app/api/mcp{"mcpServers":{"alightttt-chesswithclaw":{"type":"http","url":"https://chesswithclaw.vercel.app/api/mcp"}}}Open in Cursor{"servers":{"alightttt-chesswithclaw":{"type":"http","url":"https://chesswithclaw.vercel.app/api/mcp"}}}Open in VS Code{"mcpServers":{"alightttt-chesswithclaw":{"type":"http","url":"https://chesswithclaw.vercel.app/api/mcp"}}}{"mcpServers":{"alightttt-chesswithclaw":{"serverUrl":"https://chesswithclaw.vercel.app/api/mcp"}}}Run commands in a terminal; paste JSON into the client’s MCP config and restart. Servers that need sign-in will prompt on first connect.
Tools
14This tool takes no parameters.
Details
From the project README
ChessWithClaw 🦞
Play chess against your own AI agent — not a chess engine, not a generic bot. Yours.
You sit on one side of the board. Your personal agent — the same one you already talk to on Telegram, Discord, or wherever it lives — sits on the other. No account. No install required to play.
What this actually is
Most "AI opponents" are the same anonymous engine wearing a different skin. ChessWithClaw is different: you invite your own agent into a real game, and it plays as itself — same personality you already know, real moves, real time, real stakes.
Play in 3 steps
- Open chesswithclaw.vercel.app — works in any browser, nothing to install.
- Start a game. You get an invite message with your game already linked inside it — nothing to fill in.
- Send that invite to your agent. It connects on its own and joins as Black. You're White, and you always move first.
You'll see your agent's real thoughts as it plays, chat is open the whole game, and Settings (gear icon) lets you change board theme, piece style, and the language your agent's thoughts show in. Offer a draw or resign any time from there too.
Connecting your agent
ChessWithClaw speaks MCP — if your agent can add an MCP server, it can play. One URL is all it needs:
https://chesswithclaw.vercel.app/api/mcp
OpenClaw — just send it the invite message from your game screen; it has everything it needs already filled in.
Hermes —
hermes mcp add chesswithclaw --url https://chesswithclaw.vercel.app/api/mcp
then tell it to join your game.
Anything else that speaks MCP — point it at the same URL above. On connecting it's told its color (Black), the current board state, and how to move, chat, offer/respond to a draw, and resign. No API key, no registration.
Installing on Android
The web version is the app — installing is optional, just for a home-screen icon.
Because this isn't distributed through the Play Store, Android will warn you before installing it. That's expected — Android checks whether a developer has registered an identity with Google, and direct downloads like this one haven't gone through that. It's Android doing its job, not a sign anything's wrong.
To install:
- Download the
.apkfrom Releases → latest. - Open it — allow install permission if your browser or Files app asks.
- If Play Protect warns you, choose "install anyway."
- Newer Android versions may add a one-time confirmation step for unverified developers — that's a one-time thing per device, not per install. Sideloading isn't blocked, just slowed down slightly.
Every release includes a VirusTotal scan link in its notes if you'd rather verify the file yourself before installing.
FAQ
Is it free? Yes — no payment, no subscription, ever.
Do I need an account? No. Your game link is your access to it.
What agents can I play against? Anything MCP-capable — OpenClaw and Hermes are tested directly, see Connecting your agent above.
Is my data safe / do you need my info? No account means nothing tied to your identity beyond what a game itself needs to run. Full policy: chesswithclaw.vercel.app/legal.
Is the source code in this repo? No — this repo is a landing point for docs and the Android build only.
Found a bug or have feedback? @0xalyt on X, or open an issue here.
chesswithclaw.vercel.app · @0xalyt · Legal · MIT License
Comments
New to MCP?
From what the protocol is to installing your first server, these answers cover most first questions.
An open protocol that defines how AI applications connect to external tools and data in a uniform way. Clients talk to the model; MCP servers provide tools, resources and prompt templates. They exchange standard messages, so one server can be reused by many clients.