Name: Chess King - Learn to Play
Rating: 4.77385 (1866 reviews)

User Reviews for Chess King - Learn to Play

4.77 out of 5

1.9K Ratings

1 month ago, posroff

Awesome Comprehensive Chess Learning Suite

Chess King is an amazing comprehensive suite of chess learning software. From learning the game through master level, Chess King has it fully covered! Openings, tactics, strategy, blunders, end games, mating patterns, (etc.) and there’s a Chess King suite for that component of chess! Thousands of lessons, examples, and training tests! An unbelievable account of teaching materials! And, the quality of the materials is of the highest level! Chess King does NOT fill up lessons with weak examples! Chess King products have the highest quality lessons and the explanations are provided in comprehensive excellent English! I highly recommend Chess King for beginners, and club players through master level players who are looking to improve their chess performance! The absolute BEST chess learning product I own! Nothing else comes close in sheer volume, breath of scope AND the high quality of materials!

4 years ago, chesscrap

What’s the reasoning?

I am a longtime beginner. I have read books by Bobby Fischer on the approach to chess from a beginners perspective, which assigned the numerical values to the pieces. Pawn being lowest & Queen the highest. His attack strategy was capturing higher value pieces while sacrificing lower value pieces with the ultimate goal of placing a king in check that he cannot escape from ( checkmate). These exercises do little to teach one chess strategies because they do not explain these strategies. They simply tell you that it’s your move and what they want you to aaccomplish. So you make a wrong move say in the strategy of playing for advantage; all of these arrows appear( supposedly to guide your movement) but when you follow the arrows you are told that is an erroneous move! What’s the reasoning with the arrows then? It’s very confusing and frustrating. So then you guess, but invariably are wrong with your guess. Finally it shows the move you should have made, but there is no reason or explanation given other than the history of that particular maneuver in a match at some time in the history of match play! It might be elegant but you don’t ever understand how it came about? Maybe you should quit with the arrows and guide better!

6 years ago, _NM_

Versatile app, appropriately requires work by the user

This is a very good concept for conveying chess training from experts to all levels of players. It essentially combines a book reader and ability to bookmark, a demonstration board to walk through the coursework, and a scratch board with an analysis engine against which one can play. The courses are high quality and they existed before the app. In other words, this app is the medium that conveys tested and proven chess training courses, and it does it well. It takes time to get used to its idiosyncrasies but the effort is worth it. The course material typically take effort to grasp, and that simply is a requirement for learning chess.

10 months ago, Crim Law Man

Excellent teacher

I am not a good chess player. I started playing when I was around 11 years old. but never worked at improving periodically when I was at college, I also would play but again never practiced or did chess problems. I am now a senior citizen and have time to do lots and lots of chess problems on various apps. This app is the best for getting me to understand some fairly sophisticated combinations. as I get better, the problems get harder. I hardly recommend this app. I don’t know enough to recommend their online program.

7 years ago, Chess improver

Great learning tool, excellent support

I have four chess courses purchased in this app. The are all of high quality. Some courses are exercises only, others have preparatory explanatory screens. All permit the user to continue playing against a chess engine at any intermediate or final position to check his own ideas. A demo version of each course is available for download before purchase. Email messages to the developers are generally answered overnight and are most helpful. The courses themselves are inexpensive and are well worth the cost; they are reworkings of the Convekta and Peshawar courses at a lower cost!

2 months ago, eghernandez

Blown Away

This is the best chess training software that you never heard of! I recently took up chess again after not playing for about 30 years! I feel like somebody who just got out of a time machine because of all the amazing resources available to quickly get myself back up to speed. None of this existed when I last played chess. I highly recommend the chess king line of software for anyone.

3 years ago, a///,,,

I am learning

I am learning to look at all situtations. I am still having a bit of trouble seeing the landscape with all of those moving trees but the experience is over the top. I am learning as I go and I am an old person. This is one of the best experiences, expecially when I get one of those " oh yea" moments. Thanks, I still don't know when to give up pieces to gain advantage, other tricks as well. This is not and over night learning - it is a way of looking at the situtation -- I feel really dumb sometime - thanks for this experience

2 years ago, oc918

Great tool

You can use this app on iOS and on the web. I like this desktop version because I can use it without distractions. It also has a "test" feature that I can't find on the web version. Some of these courses exist on paper book form, too. But the app lets you go through more exercises faster. It syncs with the web and mobile apps, so what's not to like.

2 years ago, _NM_

Outstanding content and execution

The app itself is great, but the available content and courses are even better. The Developers are responsive. The courses are comprehensive and cover all player levels. Their content will keep you busy for a long time (and chess improvement requires a lot of drrills).

3 years ago, innertron

Scam

It’s impossible to play or do anything without being inundated with the fact that they selling you more and more and more. They never stop bombarding you with ways to pay them more money. Even though I paid a lot of money to get chess king on a Mac I cannot have a single game or do a single thing without being bombarded with the sales pitch they should have one page for sale pages and leave everything else so that people enjoy playing chess or learning chess on all the rest of the site but they’ve infested the entire applicationWith sales gimmicks

4 years ago, Leachim123

It got to be the best for amateurs

Very easy to learn. Instructive and challenging. Hint arrows after errors are helpful. Simulations are enjoyable. Problems to solve are grouped by categories but can easily be switched to random to make solving each position more challenging. This software has been very helpful to me in strengthening my tactics skills.

1 month ago, A.S. Mansour

I like it

This app in addition to the website is amazing.. it’s provocative and challenging.. but, there’s plenty of room to improve it.. make it more flexible and user friendly.. upgrade the design it looks like from the 90’s the website needs lots of work also.. nevertheless I find myself visiting the app and the website more and more.. good luck and thank you

4 years ago, Mordocai7

Excellent

Phenomenal courses. Cant recommend it enough. Just get their whole bundle @ the chess king website and you’ll be set for a long, long time. Great way to pass free time too when you need to kill some time waiting somewhere or have a 10 min break here or there.

3 years ago, Iiimpactz

Solid content but horrible UI

There are many solid courses available through this app but the UI is extremely poor and does not seem to be prioritized at all. It is a frustrating experience. Text is formatted awkwardly and there seems to be numerous encoding issues. Arranging content in tabs instead of a steady flow makes for an annoying experience overall. Potential to be a great app but is unfortunately very dated at this point

1 year ago, Rojo Pastel

The most useful and accessible app $$

This app has ebooks, exercises, and sorts them by category. It has world chess championship annotated games. A lot of free and cheap paid content that’s great! CT-Art 4.0 is inside it. This last one has been around forever and created National masters or even stronger ones!

2 months ago, tiddlywinks7

Probably one of the best trainers out there

I definitely see my game improving when I go through the courses. It's probably one of the best trainers out there currently. I'd say there's room for improvement on interface, presentation, and features, but still worth it if you're trying to up your game.

5 years ago, NyiNyi88

Can’t use with iPhone

I let the developer knows that the app is usable on an iPhone, especially in dark theme. The developer said they will fix it ASAP. After few weeks later, I still cannot use the app. I bought three courses and now cannot use the app.

3 years ago, Backcountry Flyer

Almost never write reviews but this app is awesome

And IM I know recommended this app to me - it’s great and for only eight dollars also a bargain. The Interactive features make it more like a lesson, unlike puzzles where you’re just left on your own to figure it out.

2 years ago, label97

Crashy

Useful app. Various actions do cause it to hang and/or crash on my platform e.g. the animation interface, using the pager toward the top of the screen and sometimes during practice sessions. In instances where it will not restart at all, I have to go into the Library folder and delete the ChessKing container folder, which causes me to lose all my saved progress.

4 days ago, oc918

Great app

This is a great app for practicing tactics. There are many courses at very affordable cost. Make sure you do not subscribe from the App Store, but from their website so that your subscription works in the app and on their website.

4 years ago, 74256274

Practice problems don’t sync with other device

The practice section doesn’t sync up with my other iOS device. It synced up until I was half way through the book, but then it stopped and nothing I’ve tried helped, including removing the book, deleting the app, logging in and out, removing my user... So now I can’t switch between phone and iPad because I don’t know where I left off. Can’t drag a piece to the right. Instead of moving the piece, it opens the main menu.

3 years ago, mannyflugo

Great compliment to opening training

It’s so helpful to have an app like this when preparing an opening repertoire because you can learn to easily spot mating opportunities agains all the various lines and not miss quick mating opportunities, I love this course!

2 weeks ago, HeinrichSchenker

Unbelievable value

So underrated. You can spend so much on chess books/courses (and I have) on a variety of websites. This is the best training tool I’ve ever come across and the courses are so cheap. My personal favorite course is Chess Endings for Beginners. 5 stars.

6 years ago, USCF expert

Very good

Excellent training quality, user friendly interface, and many options for beginner-expert level players in the chess king family. Highly recommended.

5 months ago, DBLClick

Great app but

Chess king is a fabulous app. My issue is that for a beginner it’s confusing to use. Lack of instructions and while you try to solve the problem it changes everything around on you. You have no options to disable it and cause problems trying to follow and solve it.

6 years ago, Cjcardoso

Wealth of information at your fingertips

I have had the Windows version for a while and was very happy. As soon as the app was made, I knew I had to get it, and it didn’t disappoint. I study chess anytime, anywhere with this app. Get this app!

2 years ago, Rondeau1978

Nice Program

I love the learning programs but I wish there were more lessons about different openings with their names as well as how to respond to said openings. Otherwise I love the way it is set up. How accurate are the chess ratings given to the user?

2 years ago, Lady eklipse

Best iOS chess puzzles app

While the price for maximum lifetime subscription is a bit steep, it’s worth it. You will never run out of exercises, regardless of your chess skills. What is important, it is well optimized for iPads.

11 months ago, elcriollito

Can you add the Art of attack

I would love to see any course related to the art of attack, like for example: how to attack the Kingside, commun attack on the Kingside, how to develop the attack according to the pawn chain

5 years ago, Parki69

Just short of good

It’s just short of good. It could be great, that would take some work. It’s not good because it’s to punitive, all the scoring and such, instead of being instructional. The games selected, do not discriminate in favor of great chess tactics, but instead are chosen based on all chess games. Easier to do, I guess. Like the interface, a lot!

2 years ago, RyanguyMC

Great App but the hints make it hard for me to learn anything.

What do the colored graphic hints mean? So far I’ve seen red squares, yellow, pink, and green highlighted squares. The apps help section and websites help section don’t explain anything.

2 years ago, BUS DRIVER D

This ChessTactics app keeps me highly aware of my decision

Critical thinking to analyze the moves to make before I play chess which I like when learning to practice and problem solving, I AM HAVING FUN THANK-YOU TEAM!!!!!

5 years ago, where is the nut

Rip off. Don’t buy

The description makes you think you’ll be getting access to the entire app for the $7.99 price. After you buy it you see that you only have access to a small amount of the lessons, which include zero tutorial or helpful information. If you want to buy more lessons it’s another $7.99 each. Too top it of, the App Store will not refund your money.

3 years ago, Plutocrats

Chess

One of the best Apps out there. It will provide you with all the training you need to become a tournament player and beyond. Charles Stevens

4 years ago, TheCuddleMonster

Not free...

Only reasons this is free is to get you to download it so they get another download on their stats to look good. Otherwise, everything is pretty much locked under rather expensive pay walls ranging from $8 for one purchase to $100 a year subscription. Developers, please show people your app is good by letting them actually experience it. You don’t need my credit card to give me a free trial.

2 years ago, Coursera fan

Nice app

Affordable. Nice UI. It doesn't take too much space. Doesn't need an internet connection to work.

6 years ago, rwscull

Great App!!

Love this app. The courses are well worth the price. I like having all the courses in one app instead having an app for each course.

2 years ago, ThermaDog

Not as many blunders

Their opening course helped me to not blunder so much and won more.

1 year ago, Stevedh43

cool but there should be online chess

1. you shouldn't increase rating when doing puzzles; you should increase rating when you beat the computer 2. there should be online chess (playing chess live with actual people online) and that increases your rating too i have no hate; it's a great app, just needs a little improvement

7 months ago, dave x1

Best chess instruction I have tried yet.

Chess King is my favorite trainer so far. It’s fun to use. So I use it. Good job all.

6 years ago, Adhi1234

No analysis app by chess king

There is no analysis app by chess king which would have been great so we can analyze our own games and check with engine the suggested moves etc like stock fish or other apps

7 months ago, Stucarius

Great with one issue

The app is great but sound cuts out too often. This needs fixing

4 years ago, jmfellin

Highly recommended

Well worth the monthly fee.

6 years ago, nimzogambit

Outstanding

Thanks you for Chess King. I have Peshka on lap Top, but now I can train anywhere, from phone and IPad. Keep up the great work!!!

6 years ago, Diesel 83-

Amazing

Finally a perfect app for training!!! Thank you soooo much chess king!! This makes learning so easy and convenient.

3 years ago, اسنیپ

Not useful

1- Most of courses are out of date, it's not unusual to see a game from 1970s called "recent". 2- The games illustrated in each lesson lacks enough explanation. 3- Support services are terrible. They don't answer at all. 4- The engine used in the program is weak.

4 years ago, Prescient63

Best chess app

Really great app. I love having all the courses in one place and the layout is great on an iPad Pro.

6 months ago, F4d3r

Simply the best

By far the most content.

1 year ago, K.A.Kenny

Smooth inviting play

Fun efficient way to review opening themes.

6 years ago, Andres soccer

Great training source!

With no doubt, in my opinion, this is the best training source out there...

Description

Chess King - Learn to Play is a universe of learning courses. It includes lessons on chess tactics, strategy, and puzzles. Get prepared for battle on the chessboard online and offline with your personal chess trainer. Chess lessons are split by levels, from beginners to masters. This is a game that has been played for thousands of years, enjoyed by people all over the world. No matter what language you speak or how you spell it - ajedrez, šachy, xadrez, チェス, satranç, scacchi, schach, șah, şahmat, 棋 - the rules remain the same. With the help of our app, you can learn how to play chess, improve your tactics, and reinforce your knowledge through practice. The app acts as a chess trainer, providing puzzles and helping you to solve them. It conducts chess analysis, gives hints and explanations, and even shows striking refutations of potential mistakes you might make during a game of chess. Some of the courses include a theoretical section. Theory is presented in an interactive format, allowing you to play against the computer, complete with a real chess timer. You can play chess online and work out incomprehensible moves on the board. App features: • 100+ courses in one app. Choose the most suitable one! • Chess learning. Hints are shown in case of errors • High quality puzzles, all double-checked for correctness • You need to enter all key moves, required by the teacher • Refutations are played for typical mistaken moves • Computer analysis is available for any position • Interactive theoretical lessons • Chess tasks for kids • Chess analysis & opening tree • Choose your board theme and 2D chess pieces • ELO rating history is saved • Test mode with flexible settings • Bookmarks for favorite exercises • Chess offline: Full offline support • VoiceOver support Each course includes a free part, in which you can test the program and exercises. Lessons offered in the free version are fully functional. They allow you to test the application in real world conditions before purchasing a full version. Each course should be bought separately, but you can buy a subscription which gives you an access to all courses for a limited time. Important information about subscriptions: • Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. • Your subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current subscription period. • Your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current subscription period. Automatic renewals will cost the same price you were originally charged for the subscription. • You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your iTunes Account Settings after purchase. • Any unused portion of a free trial, if offered, will be forfeited if you purchase a subscription. • Privacy policy and terms of use: https://chessking.com/ios_privacy_policy.html You can study the following courses in the app: • Learn Chess: From Beginner to Club Player • Chess Strategy & Tactics • Chess Tactics Art (1400-1800 ELO) • Bobby Fischer - Chess master • Manual of Chess Combinations • Chess Tactics for Beginners • Advanced Defense (Chess Puzzles) • Chess Strategy (1800-2400) • Total Chess Endgames (1600-2400 ELO) • Chess Middlegame • CT-ART 4.0 (Chess Tactics 1200-2400 ELO) • Mate in 1, 2, 3-4 • Elementary Chess Tactics • Chess Opening Blunders • Chess Endings for Beginners • Chess Opening Lab (1400-2000) Chess is a game for intelligent people. Playing chess with friends online or offline is great fun. Chess King - Learn to Play is an excellent way to learn how to play chess, improve your chess analysis, and develop your chess tactics and strategy. Use chess lessons and puzzles to master the game. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/