Free Tool
PGN Viewer
Paste any chess game in PGN and step through it move by move. Arrow keys to navigate. Free, no signup needed.
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Paste any chess game in Portable Game Notation (PGN) format and replay it move by move on a real board. This free PGN viewer works entirely in your browser — no account, no download, no upload limits. It handles full games with headers, comments, variations, and all standard SAN notation including castling, promotions, and en passant.
What is PGN?
PGN (Portable Game Notation) is the standard text format for recording chess games. Every major chess platform — Chess.com, Lichess, FIDE tournaments — exports games as PGN. A PGN file includes tagged headers (players, event, result) and a sequence of moves written in algebraic notation (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6...).
How to use this PGN viewer
- 1.Paste your PGN into the text box above and click Load PGN
- 2.Use the arrow buttons or your keyboard arrow keys to step through moves
- 3.Click any move in the move list to jump directly to that position
- 4.Press F or click Flip to see the board from Black’s perspective
- 5.Copy the current FEN to analyze any position with Stockfish
Where to get PGN files
You can export any of your games from Chess.com (Download PGN), Lichess (Analysis → PGN), or most tournament databases. Famous historical games are freely available from sites like chessgames.com. The default game loaded here is Morphy’s Opera Game (1858) — one of the most celebrated chess games ever played.
Frequently asked questions
About the free chess.lc PGN viewer and PGN format.
Is this PGN viewer really free?
Yes. The chess.lc PGN viewer is 100% free, runs entirely in your browser, and requires no install, no signup, no account, and no credit card. There are no file-size limits, no daily replay caps, no watermarks, and no premium tier — paste any PGN of any length and step through it instantly.
What is a PGN file and how do I open one?
PGN (Portable Game Notation) is the standard text format for recording chess games — every major platform (Chess.com, Lichess, FIDE) exports games as PGN. A PGN file is just plain text: tagged headers like [White "Carlsen"] and [Black "Nepomniachtchi"] followed by a move list like '1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6'. To open one here, copy the file contents (or open it in any text editor) and paste it into the textarea — no upload, no file picker required.
How do I export a PGN from Chess.com or Lichess to paste here?
On Chess.com: open the game → click the share icon → 'PGN' tab → copy the text. On Lichess: open the game → 'Analysis' → scroll to the PGN box at the bottom → copy. Then paste into the textarea on this page and click 'Load PGN'. The viewer parses headers, full SAN notation, castling (O-O / O-O-O), pawn promotions, captures, check (+), checkmate (#), and game-result markers (1-0, 0-1, 1/2-1/2).
Can I analyze positions from a PGN with a chess engine?
Yes. Step to any position in the game, click 'Copy' next to the FEN to grab the current board state, then paste it into chess.rodeo for unlimited free Stockfish analysis — no signup, no daily cap, no premium tier. The 'Analyze with Stockfish' button below the board jumps you straight to chess.rodeo with the current FEN pre-loaded.
What PGN features does this viewer support?
Full PGN headers (White, Black, Event, Date, Result, ECO, Opening, Site, Round), all standard algebraic notation moves, castling (both kingside and queenside), en passant captures, pawn promotions with the '=Q' / '=N' / '=R' / '=B' notation, check (+) and checkmate (#) markers, game-termination markers (1-0, 0-1, 1/2-1/2, *), inline comments in braces, and variations in parentheses. Click any move in the move list to jump directly to that position.
Why won't my PGN load — what are the most common errors?
Three most common issues: (1) Headers missing the surrounding square brackets — every tag must look like [White "Name"] including the brackets and quotes; (2) Move list interrupted by a stray newline or curly-quote character — the parser expects straight ASCII quotes and a single block of moves; (3) Non-standard notation like '1.e4 e5' without spaces — add a space after the period. If a move is invalid, the viewer plays up to the last valid move and shows an inline error.
Does the PGN viewer work on mobile and tablets?
Yes. The board, navigation controls, move list, and PGN textarea are fully responsive — the layout reflows from side-by-side on desktop to stacked vertical on mobile, and every button stays touch-sized. The keyboard shortcuts (arrow keys, F to flip) work on external keyboards; on mobile, tap the navigation buttons or any move in the move list to jump positions.
Where can I get free engine analysis of my chess games?
chess.rodeo gives you unlimited free Stockfish analysis with no account. Paste your PGN (or just a FEN copied from this viewer) and the engine returns evaluations, best moves, blunder detection, and full variation trees instantly. No daily cap, no premium tier, no paywall on multi-PV or deeper search depth.