Klavogonki: typing races
A Russian typing trainer disguised as a race: you type the same passage as random opponents, and your car moves forward with every correct character.
What it is
Klavogonki ("keyboard races") is an online typing trainer built as a game. Hit Quick Start, land in a race with random opponents, and everyone types the same passage at once. Each correct character pushes your car toward the finish line; mistakes slow you down. At the end you get your speed in characters per minute and your place.
Beyond Quick Start, you can pick a race from the lobby or create your own with custom settings. There are modes like a digits marathon and survival races, user-made word lists, ratings, stats, a forum and a wiki. The homepage shows the scale: over 570,000 registered racers and more than 187 million completed texts.
Why we picked it
Everyone plans to learn touch typing "someday" and quits the boring drills by day two. Competition fixes that: you want to beat the person in the next lane, then again, then your own record, and your fingers learn the layout along the way. The site looks old-school but is very much alive: the "discussed" feed shows races from today, players post results above 900 characters per minute, and the project got a major update in summer 2025. Note that the interface and default texts are in Russian. For Russian learners that is a bonus: it is a fun way to drill the Cyrillic keyboard.
Where to start
- Hit Quick Start and do one race just to see your speed.
- Register if you want progress tracking and stats.
- Use "Your own game" to set up a private race with a friend.
- Browse the user-made word lists, including digit races.
- Check the ratings to see what the top racers can do.
Who it's for
Students who write a lot, anyone who works with text, learners of Russian practicing the Cyrillic layout, and people who want a five-minute break that is more useful than scrolling.
Quick answers
Who runs it? It is an independent project, online since 2008 and maintained by a handful of people.
What language are the texts in? Mostly Russian, with other sets such as digits in user word lists.
Is it free? Yes. An optional donation section helps cover costs and unlocks a premium account or points.
