So let’s take a look some of the best Android apps to learn how to play chess. Chess: Play & Learn. Download Chess Online. Also on Guiding Tech. 7 Awesome Free Word Games for Android. Chess is one of the original logic and strategy games ever and it's just as challenging today as it was long ago. Here are the best chess games for Android. Why to play Chess Online? Did you know playing chess games online improve your brain? Play chess with our 1,600,000 registered players worldwide or against strong computer for free. ChessFriends.com app is a perfect tool for everyone, including amateurs, pro players or children.
Chess is one of the oldest and most popular strategy board game today. It has been around for centuries and has gone through several changes. The chess we know and play today has standard rules worldwide. It’s equally fun to play with other people and AI. Our Phones are capable of competing, even defeating us with just a few moves. Everyone has a different preference while playing chess, and we have a list of best Chess App for Android and iOS.
Read: Best RTS games for Android and iOS
The best way to learn Chess is by playing it and even if you have no one else to play with, you have your Phone. Learn Chess is a tutorial app which teaches you basic rules and positions of the pieces.
This app would guide you through the basic elements of strategy, combinational moves, and methods of opening and closing. You get puzzles in this app which you have to solve, which are essentially a random part of the game and you have to solve it by making a legal move. The puzzles progress non-linearly to make it challenging. And if you ever get stuck while playing, the app offers you hints.
Learn Chess (Android)
When you gain a little confidence with Learn Chess and are ready to play with real players, Move to this app and play against people online with this app. Chess is a simple Chess app which lets you play against your Phone with a varying difficulty level. If you don’t wish to play against something written on set rules, you can go online and play with other users or even your friends and compete in tournaments.
You can chat with other players while playing online other than that you can solve puzzles if you’re looking to improve your skills and it automatically adjusts the difficulty based on your performance. The best thing about going online is, the app matches you with people of your own ability by adjusting your skill rating. You can watch interactive tutorials from grandmasters and learn valuable lessons.
Download Chess.com (Android | iOS)
Okay now you’ve played with random players and even your friends online but now you’re at home and you just wish to play against each other. You can play on the Phone with each other it becomes a hassle when you have to give your phone to your competitor after every move breaking your concentration. Wifi Chess allows you to play Chess against your friend over a local Wifi (or mobile hotspot) network without the need for Internet.
The UI is simple and you can even play on iOS with your Android app and vice versa. The apps are compatible with each other with choosing a layout before the game. You can even invite other players to play with.
WiFi Chess (Android | iOS)
Chess is a game of strategy and patience and some sessions last up to 6 hours in official tournaments. This can get boring when you’re not competing for a grandmaster title. Chess clock (another app from chess.com) is a Chess timer app which lets you run a timer for each player. You have to make a move quickly and press the button on the clock to stop your timer and start your opponent’s. This adds a challenge to the game and keeps you on your feet. However, you need to play the actual game on another Phone or a Chessboard.
There are a few different modes 1m, 1m+ 1 seconds, 5m, 5m+ 5 seconds, etc. You can play in Blitz modus or Fischer Modus. Different Themes are available and you can create your own themes as well.
Download Chess Clock (Android | iOS)
If you like everything open source, Lichess is the Chess game for you. Lichess is an online Chess app with which you can against opponents online. The community is ever growing with almost 150,000 users playing with each other. You can either play against AI or internet opponent
Also Read: Best Strategy games for Mac
There are a few variants of Chess available both online and offline: Chess 960, classical, Crazyhouse, King of the Hill, etc. You can find, and challenge players online for a quick game. Your stats are built with every game and you can see your growth. It’s completely open source and ad-free.
Download Lichess (Android | iOS)
Now, you have a decent idea how to play Chess both against real people and computer, it’s time to tweak it a bit with Really Bad Chess.
When you start the game, you are given a random board where you have the advantage over the other opponent. For example, you have 3 queens, an extra Rooks and bishops etc. It might feel weird at first, but after few moves, the board looks like any other regular chess game. The game becomes more difficult as your opponent has more key players than you. Like the computer may have 2 queens, while you have just one. Don’t worry you can still win, as the AI is not getting any smarter, it just has extra key players than you.
Overall, what I like about the game is, it helps you to break the stigma of regular chess. In a regular chess game, if one memorize the opening and pattern, it’s quite easy to beat your opponent. Real bad chess, on the other hand, demands a far better understanding of the game.
Download Really Bad Chess (Android | iOS)
Wow, I guess you’ve mastered playing and winning a game of Chess against the computer and feel like its based on a few set moves which once you figure it out becomes easy to defeat? DroidFish Chess is based on a Chess Engine which is still like playing against a computer but a more advanced AI enabled with natural move-guessing algorithms. Droidfish is an interface for the Stockfish engine which is the king of all engines
The app has many features like clocks, analyze mode, Blindfold mode, support for third-party engines, etc. This app would give you a highly immersive and engaging experience playing against an AI.
Download DroidFish Chess (Android) Stockfish Chess (iOS)
Based on Magnus Carlsen, the World Champion in Chess, this app lets you challenge a digital version of Magnus Carlsen – chess world champion. You play against a Chess Engine that is specifically tuned to play like Carlsen. You can play and qualify to actually play against the World Champion himself.
The game now features only one player option but you can expect multiplayer support in the future.
Download Play Magnus (Android | iOS)
Probably the best looking Chess game in our list. Real Chess offers high-end 3d graphics and a fantastic gameplay. You can play against players online and chat with them. There are over one million users registered with the app.
The game offers beautiful graphics and you can choose between 2D and 3D Chess boards. You get the option to play against an AI with 2400 different levels of difficulty.
Download Real Chess (Android )
I never learned to play Chess but Learn Chess helped me get started from the scratch and even helped learn a few tricks. Playing against people online is best on Chess and Lichess but Real Chess has the best graphics and gameplay. If you don’t find playing against the computer and its preprogrammed moves, go with DroiFish Chess and Play Magnus I’m sure you would have a great time playing against a Chess Engine that adapts to your moves. Tell us Which is your favorite Chess app. Let us know in the comments.
Must Read: 20 Best Online games for Android
I learned to play chess from one of my friends who is so good at it that he even coaches young kids in his free time. Chess is a strategy-based board game that requires the players to be patient, composed, and attentive at all times. There have been numerous studies conducted on the dynamics of the game too.
One study, cited by the NYTimes, claims that the game helps humans use both sides of the brain. Another study says that it helps develop problem-solving skills.
In life, as in chess, forethought wins - Charles Buxton
Playing chess on a regular basis can be a good exercise for your mind. So let’s take a look some of the best Android apps to learn how to play chess.
Chess app comes from the house of one of the leading authorities of the game: Chess.com. They aim not just to provide a platform to play chess but also to help individuals learn and pick up new skills.
Once you register and get yourself an account, the app asks you to select a skill level. Your selection will determine how the app interacts with you. You can always change the skill level later.
I was asked to solve some puzzles and lessons involving the rook in the first round. There are many lessons and tactics, both practical and video, under each skill level to go through.
Then there are the tournaments that you can participate in and play with strangers or friends online. The computer mode lets you challenge the AI. You can not only play but also connect with friends via chat rooms.
I like the news and articles section where one can read about the latest happenings in the world of chess. Brownie points to the app for streaming live chess tournaments.
Download Chess: Play & LearnYou will be greeted with pleasant music when you open the app. I can’t quite place the music so if anyone knows, let me know in the comments below. There are separate lessons for each chess piece like the rook, the pawn, the knight, and the queen. Then there are fundamental lessons that discuss how to anticipate and play in different scenarios like combat, capture, and check.
You can play offline or battle online with friends. The app also provides daily challenges for you to earn points. The graphics are more beautiful and sharper than Chess.com's app but lacks advanced features.
Download Chess OnlineChess King, the developers behind Chess Tactics, have more than a dozen apps on chess. I wonder why they didn’t consolidate all those features and options into 2-3 great apps. While reviewing all of them is beyond the scope of this guide, I believe that Chess Tactics is a solid app.
Based on the work of a known chess writer, Sergey Ivashchenko, the app is designed to take you through different strategies and steps one task at a time. These tasks are time-based, and while playing the game, you are required to make all your moves on your own. You only get a hint when you make the wrong move. I've noticed that in other chess apps that prompt hints even when you don't ask for one.
The good thing is that Chess Tactics works offline, but the sad part is that the UI is nothing to write home about. Eventually, you will have to download other apps by Chess King because each app tackles different scenarios and problems.
Overall, the app offers good exercises scattered across different sister apps with names like Gary Kasparov, Bobby Fischer, and Viswanathan Anand.
Download Chess TacticsChess Tactics Pro has a very simple interface among the apps mentioned on this list so far. Without wasting any time, the app presents you with three columns. The first one is Daily where you can choose between Easy, Medium, and Hard levels to receive your daily dose of puzzles.
The second one is Puzzles where over 200 chess puzzles are waiting for you to solve. You can track level here. The third one is Progress where you get a bird’s eye view of how far along are you in your training.
This app is fuss-free for learning to play chess at your own pace. It is free to download and comes with ads. You can buy more puzzles (over 1000) via in-app purchases.
Chess Tactics is all about theory rather than practical. The app offers over 100 theories where you will be taught the basic gameplay — when to use pawns, why you should cover the center, and why you should castle kingside rather than queenside.
The idea is neat, and while you cannot play any real chess, even against bots, you get to learn real strategies on how to move different pieces of chess, and which one takes precedence over others.
The only annoying part of this app is the ads. Every time you open a lesson, the app will greet you with an ad. Annoying but if you can look past that, I highly recommend it to strengthen your theories. After all, chess is a game of patience. Better start practicing.
Download Chess TacticsChess for Kids is more suitable for the little champs who are under the age of 12 years. There are two modes to select: Parent and Kids. You can also register as a parent if you are a coach. Makes your life that much easier.
Register as a kid to choose funny usernames and cartoon avatars. There are thousands of small but interactive chess puzzles to solve along with many videos that the kids will find fun to watch. They will help your kid learn the basics of chess, and understand what to do in different scenarios in a game.
The videos are further divided into different categories so parents/coaches can choose one depending on the skill level of the child. Finally, your kid can play chess with other friends, kids from around the world or try luck against the AI.
That said, Chess for Kids is free to download, but eventually, you will need to pay for the membership that will cost you $49 for a year. So you make sure your kid is really into chess before buying.
Download Chess for KidsMagnus Carlsen is often called a chess prodigy. He is a role model for many aspiring chess players, and he has his official app too. When you launch Magnus Trainer, it will ask a few questions based on images of chess pieces to determine your skill level. It will then begin your training as a beginner, intermediate or an expert.
Carlsen and his team of coaches designed this app and also crafted the lessons meticulously. There are some interesting facts and trivia that you will learn along the way like moves named after famous chess players.
The app is free to try, but after a few lessons, you will be asked to upgrade to a $3/month membership. At the time of writing this guide, there were about 200 lessons. The developers claim to design and add new lessons regularly.
Chess is a fantastic board game that will help you in other aspects of life too. While not a popular career choice when you compare it to some other sports, it is still a top-rated board game to have fun and also hone some cognitive skills in the process. Not to forget the fact that it can help you and your kids develop some critical thinking and decision making skills.
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