Free tool · No account needed
Online PGN Viewer
Paste a PGN or drop a .pgn file to step through the game on an interactive board. Every position can be copied as FEN, opened in the board editor, or shared with a link. Everything runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
Runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
Moves
No moves loaded yet. Paste a PGN above and press Load.
What this tool does
Multi-game files
Load a tournament file with dozens of games and switch between them from a list.
Keyboard navigation
Use ← → to move through the game, Home/End to jump to the start or the final position.
Position tools
Copy the FEN of any position, open it in the board editor, or analyse it on Lichess in one click.
Forgiving parser
Comments, variations, NAGs and even scoresheet shorthand like 0-0 or dc are understood. Illegal moves are flagged, not silently dropped.
How to use the PGN viewer
- 1
Paste PGN text into the box, or drag a .pgn file onto it.
- 2
Click Load. The board shows the starting position and the move list appears on the right.
- 3
Click any move, or use the arrow keys, to jump to that position.
- 4
Use Copy FEN, Open in editor or Share to take the position elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a PGN file?
- PGN (Portable Game Notation) is the standard plain-text format for recording chess games. It contains a header with tags such as Event, White, Black and Result, followed by the moves in algebraic notation. Chess.com, Lichess and every chess database can import and export PGN.
- Is my PGN uploaded to a server?
- No. The viewer parses and replays the game entirely in your browser. Nothing you paste or drop here leaves your device.
- Can I view a PGN with several games?
- Yes. When the file contains more than one game a selector appears above the board so you can switch between them.
- What if the PGN has an illegal move?
- The viewer replays every legal move up to the problem and highlights the move it could not play. Use the PGN validator to see the legal alternatives and produce a cleaned file.
- How do I get a PGN from a paper scoresheet?
- Photograph the scoresheet and run it through ScanChess. The AI reads the handwriting, validates the moves and gives you a downloadable PGN you can open in this viewer.
Have a handwritten scoresheet instead?
ScanChess turns a photo of your scoresheet into a validated PGN in seconds. New accounts get free credits — no card required.
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