Garden Raid: a free chess coordinates game

You can know how a rook moves and still need a moment to find e4. When a book or video names a square, reading the board is another small task. Garden Raid gives you a playful way to learn chess coordinates without playing a full chess match.

Instead of showing a square name and asking you to tap it, the game shows you a mole and asks you to name where it is. The letters and numbers stay visible. You don’t have to memorise the board before you start.

Why make coordinate practice a game?

A plain drill keeps your attention on the square. Garden Raid gives each answer a small purpose: catch a carrot-stealing mole, keep a streak going or land a crown bonus. If repeating square names feels like homework, those little goals may give you a reason to try another round.

That doesn’t make it a better trainer for everyone. Lichess Coordinates offers both finding and naming squares, with options for coordinates and board pieces. Chess.com Vision offers coordinate and move exercises with White and Black views. They are useful choices when you want focused board practice rather than moles and arcade rewards.

Garden Raid’s difference is its 45-second garden challenge, not a claim that other trainers cannot teach square names. It keeps White’s view and visible labels, and adds a clock. If you want to learn chess coordinates without time pressure, start with the five untimed square finds. Choose the practice you enjoy returning to; no score here measures your chess strength.

Chess coordinates: letter first, number second

Each square has a two-part name. A file is a column, labeled a through h. A rank is a row, numbered 1 through 8. Put the file first and the rank second: e4, not 4e.

From White’s side, the letters run left to right and the numbers increase as you look up the board. Find column e, then row 4. Their meeting point is e4.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8
7
6
5
4					e4
3
2
1

The square names stay fixed when you turn the board around. From Black’s side, a1 is at the top right, but it is still a1. Garden Raid always uses White’s view, so you can concentrate on one orientation.

Two tricks for remembering square colours

Light on the right. On a correctly placed chessboard, the corner nearest each player’s right hand is light: h1 for White and a8 for Black. Use that as a quick check when setting up a board.

Odd is light, even is dark. Count the file letter as a number (a = 1, b = 2, through h = 8), then add the rank. An odd total means a light square; an even total means a dark square. For e4, 5 + 4 = 9, so it is light. For d4, 4 + 4 = 8, so it is dark. The rule still works from Black’s view. These are chessboard memory aids; Garden Raid asks for the square’s name, not its colour.

Your first round

1. Look for a mole. The round opens with a warm-up: one mole at a time. Follow its column to the letter and its row to the number.
2. Choose the letter, then the number. Use the on-screen keys on a phone, tablet or computer, or type on your keyboard. Entering the number bonks immediately; there’s no Enter key to press.
3. Catch it before it escapes. A correct square bonks the mole. Tapping the garden itself does not answer—you’re practising the square’s name.

Picked the wrong letter? Choose another letter before the number to change the selected column. If you miss or a mole escapes, keep going. You keep the points you have already earned.

A round lasts 45 seconds of play, and the garden gets busier as it goes. Use Menu, or Escape on a keyboard, to pause. There’s no difficulty selector to set up before playing.

Streaks, crowns and another try

Each ordinary bonk earns 10 points. Your fifth hit in a row starts a ×2 multiplier, and your tenth starts ×3. A miss or an escaped mole breaks the streak, not your total score.

Every fifth mole wears a gold crown. It takes just one bonk and awards triple points on top of your streak bonus—up to 90 points. The challenge is still naming the correct square; the crown gives you another reason to watch closely.

After the round, you can see your points, hits and accuracy, with missed squares available to review. Personal records stay in this browser, not in an online leaderboard. They describe your Garden Raid rounds, not your chess rating.

Practise the names, not just the score

For an early round, concentrate on reading the letter and number in order. Let the labels help. The game chooses where moles appear, so you don’t need to pick a set of squares or plan a practice schedule.

If the clock makes it harder to think, try five untimed square finds instead. You can also open Clockwork Lockdown and choose Learn for no-clock coordinate practice.

When you want a different challenge, Square Sprint calls square names for you to find in 60 seconds, first from White’s side, then from Black’s. It also offers an untimed drill for slow squares after a result. Choose speed when you want it, not because you need to pass a test.

Garden Raid FAQ

Is Garden Raid free?

Yes. Garden Raid is free in full, with no account and no ads. Square Sprint and Daily Sprint are also free. The optional US$9.99 one-time Arcade Pass unlocks more levels and modes in the other games, not extra Garden Raid rounds. There’s no subscription; see the FAQ for the full free and paid offer.

Can beginners and kids play?

You don’t need to know how chess pieces move: read a letter and a number to name the mole’s square. Parents and coaches can open Garden Raid in a browser for free, with no sign-up or ads. Help a child find the labels first, and try the untimed square finds if the 45-second clock feels rushed. This is square-name practice, not a complete chess course.

Can I play on a phone or with a keyboard?

Both work. On a phone or tablet, tap the on-screen letter and number keys. On a computer, use those keys or type the letter and number on your keyboard. The number submits immediately—no Enter key needed. Tapping the mole itself does not answer.

How is it different from Lichess or Chess.com trainers?

Those trainers offer focused board exercises. Garden Raid puts naming squares inside a 45-second arcade round with moles, streaks and crown bonuses. It keeps White’s view and visible labels rather than offering a choice of board orientation. Pick it for the game, not because it is proven to teach faster.

What should I play next?

For more coordinate practice without a clock, choose Learn in Clockwork Lockdown. For piece movement, try Relic Runner’s untimed puzzles or Dropstrike’s no-clock Learn mode. When you want a speed challenge from both sides of the board, try Square Sprint. None needs you to finish Garden Raid first.