A challenge on Rovian is a direct game invite sent from the lobby’s “Online players” list to a registered player who is on the site or in a game right now. If they’re mid-game, it reaches them when the game ends. After a game, “I’d like to play again” lets you set a day and time for the rematch.
“I’ll beat you next time.” It’s the most common promise in chess, and the most forgotten. If you want to play again right away, the “Rematch” button at the end of the game is enough. The hard part is keeping the promise when there’s no time that evening. The game ends, the tab closes, and your opponent’s name never crosses your mind again. Now that promise can have a date and a time.
How do you challenge an online player?
1. On the Play page, pick the time control you want. Your challenge is sent with it.
2. Look at the “Online players” card. Your friends come first, then players who are free right now, then those in a game. Each row says “On site” or “In a game”. The card shows the first 8 people and tells you how many more there are.
3. Press “Challenge” next to the person you want. The game starts when they accept. It’s the quickest way to invite a friend to a game of chess.
Challenge games are played in a private room and are unrated, so the result doesn’t touch your rating. The seat is locked to the person you invited; someone who knows the code can’t take it. Your camera and audio don’t go to viewers in these games, though the board can be watched like any other game. Only registered players appear in the list; guest accounts don’t.
What happens if they’re in a game or say no?
If your opponent is in another game, a notice tells you your invite will be delivered when it ends. It reaches them the moment their game finishes. You need to stay on Rovian in the meantime; if you go offline, the invite can’t be accepted. A player can have only one pending challenge waiting at a time, and the invite room stays open for one hour.
If they decline, the row says “Declined” and a countdown starts. You can’t challenge the same person again for 2 minutes. You also can’t send a second invite to the same person while one is still waiting for an answer. Together, these two rules keep invites from turning into pestering.
Everyone decides who can invite them. In the Social tab of Settings, “Who can challenge me” can be Everyone, Friends only or Nobody. If you challenge someone who only accepts invites from friends, Rovian tells you so and offers a “Send friend request” button. Players who have blocked you, hide their online status or don’t accept invites from you never show up in the list.
Where do you see challenges sent to you?
When someone challenges you, an invite card opens on whatever page of the site you’re on. The card disappears after 45 seconds, but the invite doesn’t. It stays in the “Incoming challenges” list on the Play page as long as the sender is online and the invite is open. Each row shows who invited you and the time control. “Accept” takes you into the game, and the cross declines it.
You can also challenge someone while you’re messaging. The “Start game” button at the top of a conversation sends that person an invite. An invite from them shows up inside the conversation as a “Game invite” card. We explain how the inbox works in our post on messages and message requests.
How do you schedule an online chess rematch for later?
When a game against a registered player ends, a “Meet again at the same table” card appears. Choosing “I’d like to play again” goes to the other player as a friend request, and the card says so plainly. Once you’ve both chosen it, or the request is accepted, you’re connected as friends. The card doesn’t appear for bots or guest opponents.
Once you’re connected you have two options. “Invite to a table” sends your friend a private table invite right away. “Suggest a time” lets you pick a date and time, with a “Tomorrow at 21:00” shortcut. You choose the time control from a list, from 1+0 up to 30+0. A proposal can be anywhere from 1 minute to 90 days ahead.
Everyone sees times in their own time zone, and your time zone is shown on screen. Your friend accepts or declines from the notification bell or from the “Play again meetups” section on the Friends page. The sender can cancel a pending proposal, and either of you can cancel an accepted meetup before it starts. You can have only one pending proposal with the same friend at a time.
When the time comes, Rovian doesn’t switch your camera on or start the game by itself. It doesn’t send a separate reminder either, so keep the time in mind. You send the invite yourself with the “Invite to a table” button in the list. An accepted meetup stays in the list for 2 hours after its start time. To grow your list of friends, take a look at our post on friends and following.
Do you get notified when a player you follow comes online?
Yes, since 1 October. When someone you follow opens Rovian, and you’ve allowed notifications, your browser or phone gets a notification with their name saying they’re online now. The message asks: “A player you follow is on Rovian. Ready to play together?” Tapping it opens the Friends page.
1. You get at most one notification every 30 minutes for the same player.
2. It doesn’t repeat while the player stays on Rovian. If they don’t have Rovian open for 3 minutes, they count as offline.
3. No notification is sent if the player has turned off “Show my online status”, if either of you has blocked the other, or if you’ve switched off push notifications in the Notifications tab of Settings.
We deliberately keep push notifications sparse, and you decide which ones you get in the Notifications tab of Settings. We covered the channels and settings in notifications and push.
Who are you challenging tonight?
The player who beat you in the final seconds last week might be online right now. Open the Play page, pick your time control and look at the list. If they’re there, challenge them; if not, suggest a time, and this time the promise won’t just hang in the air. Open your camera. Make your move.
Frequently asked questions
How do I challenge a friend to online chess?
On the Play page, pick your time control, find your friend in the “Online players” card and press “Challenge”. When they accept, the game starts in a private room; if your friend is mid-game, your invite reaches them when it ends.
What happens if my challenge is declined?
The row shows “Declined” and you can’t challenge the same person again for 2 minutes. Once the time is up, the “Challenge” button opens again.
Do challenge games affect my rating?
No. Challenges sent from the Online players list are unrated, so the result doesn’t change your rating.
How do I schedule a rematch for a later date?
After the game, choose “I’d like to play again”; once you’re connected, use “Suggest a time” to pick a date, time and time control between 1 minute and 90 days ahead. Your friend accepts in the “Play again meetups” section of the Friends page, and when the time comes you send the invite with “Invite to a table”.
Will I be notified when a player I follow comes online?
Yes, if you’ve allowed notifications. It’s sent at most once every 30 minutes for the same player, and never for a player who hides their online status.