Watch a match

You can watch a match without a seat when its host has opened it to spectators. A spectator sees the board as it is played, but never a player's private game information, such as the cards in a hand. A spectator cannot make moves. You must be signed in to watch.

The host match menu includes spectator access and the action to end the match. Other roles see different actions. Example data from the local development UI. Select the image to enlarge.

Watch

Open the match link.
If the page says "This match is open to watch.", select Log in to watch and sign in.
The board opens. A Spectating badge shows that you watch and do not play.
When you are done, open the three-dot menu and select Stop watching. On a phone, tap Stop watching in the match drawer.

If you open the link while the match is still in its lobby and do not take a seat, you watch when the match starts. In a full lobby, the page says "You'll be watching when the game starts."

Open or close a match to spectators

As the host, turn Open to spectators on or off beside the invite link in the lobby. During the match, select Open to spectators in the three-dot menu. When you close a match, every spectator stops seeing the board.

A new lobby starts open to spectators, except a private playtest, which starts closed. The players see who is watching beside the match's controls.

If you cannot watch

What you see	What it means
This match isn't open to watch.	The host has not opened the match to spectators. Ask the host to open it.
This match has already wrapped up.	The match has ended. Spectators cannot watch a finished match.

The players can watch a finished match again as a replay. See Watch a replay.