01
Load a position or game
Choose Import position (FEN) or Import game (PGN). You can also make legal moves on the board. The side to move comes from your position.
Chess analysis powered by Stockfish
Find Your Next
Best Chess Move
Use this chess move calculator to analyze a position, compare candidate moves, and explore the engine’s suggested continuation.
Chess position analyzer
Explore a position, compare moves, and follow the engine’s continuation.
White to move
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Tap a piece, then its destination, or drag. Keyboard users can enter a move below.
Analysis
Starting engine
Find and understand your next move
Try an example, import a game, or play moves on the board. Analyze to see the best move and explore possible replies.
How to use the chess move calculator
Start with a position, calculate, then explore the result.
02
Calculate the next move
Choose Analyze Position. Stockfish runs in your browser and compares candidate moves. You can cancel a search or change the position at any time.
03
Explore the result
Compare the top engine choices and select moves in a continuation to preview them on the board. Use Previous and Next to revisit an imported game, then analyze the position you want to study.
How to read your chess analysis
Evaluation and search depth
A score of +1.20 means the engine favors White by roughly 1.2 pawn units. A score of -1.20 favors Black. This is an evaluation, not a prediction of who will win. The perspective stays the same when Black is to move.
Depth describes how far the engine has searched. Suggestions can change with deeper analysis. A result such as White mates in 3 identifies the winning side and the number of moves to checkmate with best play.
A worked example: Scholar’s Mate
Load the example above the board. After 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Qh5 Nf6, White can play Qxf7#. The queen captures the f7 pawn with support from the bishop on c4, delivering checkmate.
Moves use chess notation: Qxf7# means the queen captures on f7 and delivers checkmate. Select a continuation move to preview its position. A principal variation is a suggested sequence for both sides. It is one calculated continuation, not a forced prediction of every reply.
Try the example on the analysis boardTools for understanding your next move
Analyze a position or step through an imported game in one workspace.
Best move calculator
Compare up to three Stockfish candidate moves and highlight a suggested move on the board.
Position evaluation
Read scores from White’s perspective: positive favors White, negative favors Black. Explore the continuation behind each score.
PGN game navigation
Import a game, step through its moves, and analyze individual positions. Automatic full-game review is not yet available.
FEN position import
Paste a FEN to load the pieces, side to move, and special-move rights. Study a specific position without replaying an entire game.
Chess calculator questions
Position input, engine results, and what the tool supports.
How do I find the next best chess move?
Import a FEN position or PGN game, or make legal moves on the board. Check the side to move, then choose Analyze Position. Stockfish suggests a move and candidate continuations for that position.
Is a chess calculator different from a chess analyzer?
For position analysis, these names often describe the same task: calculating candidate moves and evaluating a chess position. NextChess provides both in this workspace.
What is the difference between FEN and PGN?
FEN describes one position, including the side to move and castling rights. PGN describes a game and its moves. Import FEN to study a position, or import PGN to step through a game.
What do positive and negative evaluations mean?
NextChess displays scores from White’s perspective. Positive values favor White and negative values favor Black, regardless of whose turn it is. A score near zero suggests a balanced position. Mate indicators show a forced mate found by the engine.
Which chess engine does NextChess use?
NextChess uses Stockfish 19 Lite in your browser. Its recommendation depends on the position and search depth; a short search is not a guarantee of perfect play.
Can I automatically review a whole game?
You can import PGN, navigate the move history, and analyze each selected position. An automatic full-game report with accuracy scores is not currently available.
Is this chess calculator free?
The current NextChess position analyzer is free to use without signing in.
When should I use engine analysis?
Use NextChess for study, practice, and reviewing completed games. Follow the rules of your chess platform or event when engine assistance is restricted.