Dev tools · September 26, 2025
Family Chess: Play across firewalls and Internet cultures
Hi HN! I built a simple chess game so that my son in Singapore can play chess with his grandfather in China. Why? There is currently no service or open source software that has all of the following: * All processing and assets on a single server (Critical to workaround a firewall) * No email account required (Chinese Internet services typically login via WeChat) * Works on Android browser * Simple to install and config I built it, together with Claude Code, using simple and boring technologies (Django + Client-side JS). I hope that when you use it, you will find it simple to understand…
In plain words
Family Chess is a web-based chess application designed to enable play across geographical locations and internet restrictions. Built with Django and client-side JavaScript, it runs entirely on a single server to bypass firewalls and requires no email account, instead supporting WeChat login common in China. The game works on Android browsers and is straightforward to install and configure, making it accessible for family members in different regions to play together without complex setup.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
In the maker’s words, at launch
Hi HN! I built a simple chess game so that my son in Singapore can play chess with his grandfather in China. Why? There is currently no service or open source software that has all of the following: * All processing and assets on a single server (Critical to workaround a firewall) * No email account required (Chinese Internet services typically login via WeChat) * Works on Android browser * Simple to install and config I built it, together with Claude Code, using simple and boring technologies (Django + Client-side JS). I hope that when you use it, you will find it simple to understand (everything is done server-side), deploy, play, and maybe even hack. :) Live demo: https://family-chess.quee.org (Please be gentle, it's a tiny 2GB VPS!)
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