How can I add friends while playing chess on Game Center?

Thank you for your reply, and screenshot. (I translated some of the Catalan, and it seems similar to text in the Chess User Guide.)

You and your friends may or may not have restrictions set to keep you all safe online.

Wondering if there are any sharing restrictions set up on / for your device:

Eg: Maybe in ScreenTime / Family Sharing / or via: Manage App Store purchases, settings, and restrictions on iPhone - Apple Support

Connect with friends in Game Center on Mac - Apple Support

Eg: says:

"Note: Age restrictions for Activity Sharing vary by country or region. In the United States, Activity Sharing options are limited to Friends Only and Only You for those under the age of 13 years."

The article may help you and new chess-opponents with online friending:

Eg: says: "Let your Game Center friends easily find you

You can let your Game Center friends find you using the email address and phone number associated with your Apple Account.

1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Settings, then click Game Center  in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
2. Go to Discoverability, then turn Help Friends Find You on or off."

No worries pucci2024 :-) Re: is there any log anywhere to check your games record?

Seems Mac's Chess software is from an earlier era in Apple's history ... you can see games you have saved.

Else you would need an app that can log games.

If you saved games: You may find them in your Documents Folder.

(If needed: You can try searching for .game in a Finder window)

If you want to save future games:

Save a game

1. In the Chess app  on your Mac, choose Game > Save.
2. Enter a name, then choose where to save your game.
3. Choose the file format.
4. If you choose Chess Game, you can open the file in Chess to continue the game. If you choose Moves (PGN), the moves and game information are saved as plain text.
5. Click Save.

Above is from the Chess User Guide for Mac

OK ... Re: Apple arcade: If you subscribed with a free trial, please remember to cancel 24 hours before the free trial expires if you do not want to pay charges to continue.

Seems you can download Apple Arcade games from the App Store.

Re: "I read somewhere some days ago you would be able to see a list of players to challenge, not only friends from contacts"

You may need to choose how you share your activity:

with Everyone, Friends Only or Only You in:

System Settings > Game Center > Activity Sharing

Eg: When in a multiplayer game, you should see anyone there who allows you to, in their settings.

In Mac OS Sequoia:

Play a game : In the Chess app  on your Mac, do any of the following:

• Challenge your Mac or a person to a game: Choose Game > New.
• Tip: When you start a new game, move the pointer over the items in the Variant and Players pop-up menus to get information about them.
• Play a match online: Sign into Game Center, choose Game > New, click the Players pop-up menu, then choose Game Center Match.

If your MacOS version is an earlier one, you can choose it at the top of this article, for more accurate info. Chess User Guide for Mac – Apple Support (AU)

More info. if needed: Play games on your Mac – Apple Support (AU)

Hi pucci2024

welcome to the Apple (user-to-usr) Community.

Re: I believe it's possible to add friends you play online with the chess app but I can't figure out how to...

Seems you and a friend would both need to log-in to Game Centre to play chess together.

For more info: Apple Support have the Chess App User Guide (link below) online, with all the details:

We don't know which MacOS version is installed on your Mac:

(To check: Click the Black apple in top menu bar, and choose "About this Mac") So, for accurate info.:

You can select the correct MacOS version at the top of the page that opens from the link below

Chess User Guide for Mac - Apple Support

___________________________________

Re: "I don't know if they will have a Mac"

A friend may be able to log-in to Game Center on an iPhone or iPad .

If you need more help:

Use Game Center on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac - Apple Support

and

More info: Mac: Connect with friends in Game Center on Mac - Apple Support

Game Center settings on Mac - Apple Support

All the best :-)

Seems the simplest methods of adding friends are:

System Settings > Game Centre > Show Profile > Friends > Add Friends

You may then find you have:

System Settings > Game Centre > Add Friends