Chess is a game that has been enjoyed for centuries, and it continues to be a popular pastime today. With the rise of mobile technology, it’s easier than ever to play chess on the go. Android users can choose from a variety of chess apps, but beginners may find it difficult to know where to start. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best android chess apps for beginners, highlighting their features and benefits.
When looking for a chess app for beginners, it’s important to consider factors such as ease of use, tutorials, and game options. The best apps will provide a user-friendly interface that allows beginners to quickly grasp the basics of the game. Additionally, they should offer tutorials that explain the rules and strategies in a clear and concise manner. Finally, game options such as difficulty levels and practice modes can help beginners improve their skills over time.
One of the standout android chess apps for beginners is designed to provide users with all of these features and more.
We have compiled a list of 7 Best Android Chess App For Beginners for your consideration, which have undergone rigorous testing and evaluation by our team of experts.
Table of Contents
7 Best Android Chess App For Beginners
1. Chess – Play and Learn
Chess.com is an online platform that allows users to play chess with over 60 million players worldwide. The platform offers unlimited free chess games, 150,000+ tactics puzzles, interactive lessons and videos, and a computer opponent to help users improve their chess rating. Users can play real-time games from one minute to 30 minutes or longer and participate in daily correspondence chess. Additionally, Chess.com offers exciting chess variants like 960 chess (Fischer-Random) and blindfold chess.
The platform boasts over 150,000 unique puzzles and offers a rated mode to adjust to users’ skill levels. Users can also participate in Puzzle Rush, which challenges them to beat their high score while racing against the clock. Chess.com provides hundreds of quality chess lessons and videos made by masters, interactive tutorials, and a step-by-step lesson plan to learn all the chess rules and strategies.
Chess.com allows users to play against the computer opponent at their chosen level and analyze their games to see where they went wrong and how to improve. Users can also join a community of over 60 million chess players worldwide, compete to get their own rating, and aim to join the top-player chess rankings. The platform offers various board themes, 3D chess pieces, and backgrounds, allowing users to customize their playing experience. Additionally, Chess.com provides in-depth performance stats about users’ games, puzzles, and lessons, as well as an active community with forums.
In summary, Chess.
2. lichess • Free Online Chess
This app is a free, open-source platform designed for chess enthusiasts. With daily usage of 150,000 users, the app offers a variety of chess games, including bullet, blitz, classical, and correspondence chess, and arena tournaments. It provides options to find, follow, and challenge other players, and to practice with chess puzzles. The app offers multiple variants, such as Crazyhouse, Chess 960, King Of The Hill, Three-check, Antichess, Atomic chess, Horde, and Racing Kings, both online and offline.
The app comes equipped with game analysis features, such as local computer evaluation, server computer analysis with move annotations and game summary, and an unlimited opening explorer. It also includes an endgame tablebase explorer, an offline computer to play with, and an Over The Board mode to play offline with a friend. Additionally, it has a standalone chess clock with multiple time settings and a board editor.
The app is designed for both phones and tablets, supporting landscape mode, and is available in 80 languages. It is entirely free, without ads, and opensource. The source code of the mobile application and the website and server can be accessed on GitHub.
3. Chess – Analyze This (Pro)
The Chess Analysis app allows users to load and analyze their chess games from a PGN file. It has been tested with games from various online servers such as chess.com, lichess, and chess24. The app provides full engine analysis of the current game with verbose English commentary, allowing users to analyze games of notable chess players. Users can save moves and variations, paste PGN or FEN, and share PGN/FEN with other Chess apps or send it via email/Twitter. The app supports managing and installing new UCI engines and provides one-click analysis from iChess & Chess Book Study apps.
The app also includes a new innovative feature that allows users to move back and forth by simply tilting their device. Users can play against the engine or let engines play (current board position) against each other (Pro only). They can also annotate games with symbols and comments and auto replay games (Pro only). The app supports engines like Komodo 8, Komodo 9, which use the Open Engine format and offers support for loading public games from lichess, chess.com, and chessgames when viewing via Browser, WhatsApp, etc. when tapped on the game link.
4. Magnus Trainer – Learn & Train Chess
Magnus Trainer is an app that helps individuals learn and train in chess in a fun and engaging way. The app includes unique games crafted by experts in chess and game design, as well as premium lessons based on games played by Magnus Carlsen and other leading chess players. The app caters to players of all levels, with introductory lessons for beginners and more advanced tactics and strategies for experienced players. The app has received recognition from publications such as Fast Company and The Guardian and is created by the team behind the award-winning Play Magnus app.
Magnus Trainer offers multiple unique mini-games with dozens of levels in each, allowing players to develop essential chess skills in a fun and effective way. The app is free to use with added benefits available for members. Members receive instant access to all 250+ premium lessons, including exclusive bonus levels. The app offers subscription options for 1 month, 12 months, or lifetime membership.
Payment for membership is charged to the user’s Google Play account upon confirmation of purchase. Subscription to a membership automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Users can change their subscription settings in Subscriptions in Google Play or in the More tab in Magnus Trainer when a subscription is active. The app offers terms of use and privacy policy for users’ reference.
5. Learn Chess with Dr. Wolf
Dr. Wolf is a chess coach who can play with you and explain concepts step-by-step, making him an ideal companion for both complete beginners and intermediate players. He offers in-game teaching, pointing out strategic ideas and helping with mistakes. In addition, there are twenty five lessons available that go in-depth into each concept with opportunities for guided practice. Dr. Wolf is known for his friendly and occasionally witty demeanor.
As players learn new skills in chess and use them in their games, Dr. Wolf introduces new concepts to master. Whenever a skill is used in game, Dr. Wolf acknowledges it and players earn points. The first three games of chess with Dr. Wolf are free as a sample of his coaching style. After that, players may choose to subscribe to Coaching for continued learning. With Coaching, Dr. Wolf teaches while players play chess, pointing out good and bad moves and their reasoning. Players have access to unlimited hints, undos, and a Lesson Library with twenty five lessons.
Whether or not players choose to subscribe, Dr. Wolf is always available to play chess. Chess.com, where Dr. Wolf is based, was built by chess players and enthusiasts who are passionate about the game.
6. Aimchess – Learn Chess Online
Aimchess offers chess players advanced tools for analysis and training to help them improve their game. The platform can connect to popular online chess platforms such as Chess.com, Lichess, and Chess24 to develop a unique Personalized Study Plan and targeted training options based on a player’s own games.
Aimchess offers detailed analytic tools that can provide breakdowns on a player’s performance in key areas including Openings, Tactics, Endings, Advantage Capitalization, Resourcefulness, and Time Management. Players can also compare their performance to others in their range to identify areas for improvement.
Aimchess offers several unique training exercises, including Adaptive Tactics, Blindfold Tactics, Blunder Preventer, 360 Trainer, Practice Visualisation, and Checkmate Flash Cards. The platform also includes other features such as tactical chess content prepared by Grandmasters in the Explore section, warm-up puzzles, dedicated workouts to improve focus and tactical thinking, and Personalized Training Plans.
Aimchess offers a free tier that allows players to do up to 15 lessons per day in the Training Room or via the daily Personalized Workouts, with limited access to Scouting Reports and Statistics. Premium access provides unlimited exercises in the Training Room and full access to all the Statistical Analysis tools, with monthly subscriptions at $7.99 per month, or an annual subscription for $57.99 (Equivalent to $4.85 per month).
7. Chess for Kids – Learn & Play
ChessMatec is an interactive puzzle game designed for children to learn how to play chess through basic rules, tactics, and strategies. The game offers a unique journey with various theme maps, such as Kingdom, Sea World, and Space Adventure, allowing children to enjoy chess in a fun and exciting way. The puzzles for the lessons were created by Grandmaster Boris Alterman and a team of experienced chess teachers and professionals.
The game is super safe for kids, as it has no ads, collects no personal data, and requires no social interaction. The game is also available offline, allowing children to play anywhere and anytime on any device, including PC, tablet, or smartphone. The game offers nine courses with over 2,000 mini-games and puzzles. Additionally, the game has a chess engine customized towards each child’s skills to play a simplified or full chess game.
Children can gain points for correct answers, track their progress, and gain ranks through the game. The game also supports multi-student support, enabling multiple children to play the game and track their progress. Feedback and improvement ideas are always welcome and can be sent to support@chessmatec.com or through the website’s contact page.