| Scenario | Should you use a proxy? | Recommendation | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | (want to play live) | No | Use your phone's hotspot or Lichess anonymous. | | Checking daily games (no live play) | Maybe | Use Google Translate proxy if you must, but change your password immediately after. | | Office computer | No | Do not risk your job. Play against a physical chess computer or use an offline app. | | Traveling in a censored country | Yes, but only a VPN | Pay for a reputable VPN (Mullvad, ProtonVPN). Do not use free web proxies. | | Bypassing a fair play ban | No | It won't work. Chess.com uses browser fingerprinting. You will be re-banned instantly. |
: Another domain frequently cited by users as an "unblocked" way to play. chesscom proxy sites
: Accessing the site through certain proxies or VPNs may trigger Error 1020 Access Denied , indicating that the Cloudflare firewall has flagged the request as suspicious. | Scenario | Should you use a proxy
To navigate these restrictions, users typically employ one of several methods: | | Office computer | No | Do not risk your job
If you've ever tried to sneak in a quick blitz game or solve a daily puzzle only to find a "Site Blocked" screen, you’re not alone. Many schools and workplaces block gaming sites like Chess.com to keep everyone focused on tasks. Fortunately, there are several "proxy" or alternate domains—many of them officially created by Chess.com—specifically designed to bypass these filters. Top Official Chess.com Proxy Domains
While the concept sounds simple, using free, random proxy sites found on search engines comes with significant downsides:
In some countries, international social platforms or gaming sites face temporary or permanent restrictions. Chess.com, which includes chat functions and user-generated content, sometimes gets caught in these nets.