Is Lichess Down? Aug 24 Hardware Failure Causes Hours-Long Outage

5 minutes Kevin Leye

Lichess, the beloved open-source chess platform, experienced a multi-hour outage on Aug 24 due to a serious hardware issue on a key server. In this overview, we break down what happened, how it affects your games and rating, how to check whether the site is down for everyone, and what to do while you wait. We also share some practical tips for getting back up to speed when services return and a few alternatives to keep your chess muscles warm in the meantime.

If you tried to log in and couldn’t pair, spectate, or even load the homepage, you weren’t alone. According to the Lichess team’s updates, the downtime stemmed from a critical hardware failure on an essential machine. In plain terms: a core server unexpectedly died on the job, which triggered a chain of stability issues. The team brought things back cautiously, monitoring closely to avoid repeat crashes as services ramped up.

The messaging during the outage made two important points clear:

  • The root cause was a physical failure, not a software bug or planned maintenance.
  • Restoring in-progress games or retroactively fixing impacted ratings is not feasible in this scenario.

That last part stings. If your bullet berserk or a crucial blitz endgame went sideways while the lights flickered, you likely won’t see those positions resurrected or your rating points magically refunded. It’s frustrating, but it’s also a reality of how chess servers store live games and rating transactions. When the hard disks go, in-flight data can go with them.

How long was it down? Community sources estimated several hours at minimum, and early guidance suggested a best-case window of around four hours from mid-day ET. As with any hardware incident, the exact timeline depended on how quickly services could be safely brought back, rebalanced, and verified. Lichess operates with lean resources as a nonprofit, so the team prioritized stability over speed to prevent a messy on-off cycle.

Is it down for everyone or just me?

  • Try loading a few different Lichess pages, not just the homepage. If nothing loads or you see a maintenance banner, it’s likely a sitewide issue.
  • Quick sanity check: open another gaming site or stream a short video. If that works, your connection is fine.
  • Switch networks (Wi-Fi to mobile data or vice versa) to rule out a local provider hiccup.
  • Ask a friend to check. If multiple players in different places can’t connect, it’s not on your end.

What to do while you wait

  • Play a local engine: Fire up your favorite desktop or mobile chess app and spar with a bot. Even a modest engine can be a great training partner at the right time controls.
  • Drill tactics offline: Many chess apps offer offline puzzle packs. Set a timer and run a puzzle sprint to simulate blitz pressure.
  • Study your own games: Load PGNs into an offline viewer and annotate. Identify recurring time sinks, opening traps, and tactical blind spots.
  • Practice endgame fundamentals: Build a mini checklists for K+P vs K, rook endgames, and basic mates. Set them up on a board and practice the technique.
  • Explore chess-likes: If you need a palate cleanser, there are great chess-inspired single-player games that scratch the strategy itch without requiring servers.

Why outages happen (even to the good guys) Lichess is run by a nonprofit and powered by open-source contributions and donations. That’s one of its superpowers—lean, transparent, community-driven—but it also means they aren’t backing a globe-spanning, infinitely redundant infrastructure budget. Hardware can and does fail, sometimes in pairs. If two storage devices drop in quick succession, recovery moves from routine to hair-raising. The responsible play is slow, careful restoration with lots of monitoring, even if that means more waiting for players.

What about my rating and games?

  • If the outage interrupted a live game, it might not be recoverable. Don’t expect rollbacks or position restores.
  • Ratings that moved due to disconnects or aborted games are typically not adjusted after the fact in this kind of incident.
  • When services return, play a couple of casual games to ensure everything feels stable before jumping into rated arenas or long tournaments.

When Lichess is back: a quick checklist

  • Refresh your session: Log out and back in if something feels off with pairing or chat.
  • Clear cached data: If pages partially load or your browser hangs, clear cache or try a different browser/device.
  • Start slow: Begin with casual or short-rated games before joining events.
  • Recalibrate your clock: After a break, your rhythm might be off. Warm up with a few puzzles or a 3+2 set.

Alternatives to keep sharp

  • Another major chess server can keep you warm if you’re desperate for games.
  • Set up over-the-board sessions with a friend or clubmate if you can.
  • Use analysis-focused tools and study resources offline to turn downtime into improvement time.

A note on community and expectations One of the reasons players love Lichess is the philosophy behind it: free, open, and transparent. That spirit also means they communicate candidly when things go wrong. Outages are never fun, but they’re part of the reality of running a massive live service that hosts millions of games without a paywall. When the team says they’re monitoring and can’t fix every rating blip, that’s them being honest, not evasive.

Bottom line: On Aug 24, Lichess went dark for hours due to a hardware failure on a crucial server, prompting a careful, phased recovery. If you were caught in the crossfire, your best move is to use the downtime productively, assume impacted games won’t be restored, and ease back into rated play once the lights are fully back on. With a bit of patience—and maybe a fresh run of puzzles—you’ll be back to grinding those endgames in no time.