I have wanted to find an application that would help me learn the game. It has really opened my understanding of the game. Here a few reasons: 1) The various games provide relaxed training opportunities to make a mistake and then ask if I wish to flip the board to determine why the last move was a mistake. 2) When I finish a game I can go over all of my blunders to compare what I did versus what would have been a better move. 3) The training session help explore specific tactics I can use for the specific pieces in unique circumstances. 4) I just learned there are multiple coaches and I am switching to see if they offer different teaching methods. The only suggestion I can think of is the developer could break the games down to help me recognize when to recognize sacrificing a piece or how to develop in game tactics when transitioning from opening and developing pieces. Well done. Worth the money if you want to learn.

My grandfather who taught me how to play as a 6 year old lass recently passed away. I’m his honor I was drawn back to the board. But I haven’t played since college, and if I’m super honest, my adhd made 3+ move strategies hard to keep going so - feeling dejected - I stopped playing. This little app is awesome. It was just like my grandfather ‘you suuuuure want to make that move?’, haha. I’m playing coached games interspersed with the lessons and finally have names for moves that I had completely forgotten I’d known. I’m also realizing that I’m an aggressive player so I’m not entirely certain how helpful this app will be in the long run but I absolutely recommend it for younger folks, newbies, and those like me who forgot how to play. Literally my only complaint is the background music. *** Edit: actually I do have more feedback (sorry devs!). I love the Hint function, it’s brilliant. BUT, it could be great if we got an explanation of *why* a particular move is preferred, it would help with the fundamentals. For instance, I’m learning that I’m a more aggressive player, so when the coach gives me a hint that goes directly against my strategy, without a reason why, it feels like it’s discouraging me from taking risks/initiative.

Dr. Wolf at expert level is no more than a version of the advanced level that makes almost just as many mistakes, albeit less embarrassing ones. When I launch a legitimate attack on “expert” Dr. Wolf, he often makes ridiculous blunders that beckons checkmate in less than 5 moves, leaving me feeling snubbed by the end. There are obviously somewhat educational purposes to his sudden weaknesses, but a difficulty level named as it is should be a platform where highly advanced players can feel consistently challenged. I believe having a more formidable opponent that can still act as a guide through more complicated variations retains more educational value than an opponent who plays with enticing inaccuracy. The latter is, after all, not an ideal role model for the more perceptive amateurs. Also, the concept of “strong moves” are based on very short-sighted standards, evaluating my moves just in light of incidental guiding principles and not the overall strategy of the game. Not expert teaching, I guess. If the nature of the app’s chess advice would be more refined and flexible, this app would become more competitive. And if learning opportunities and consistency of computer strength could be reconciled in an exceptional way, this app would become my favorite for chess.

This game is absolute garbage. I don’t mind paying for it but the fact that some of the coaching is not very good is the problem. On multiple occasions it has told me to put my queen in a spot I would leave it hanging. For example it had me put my queen where it could be attacked by a knight. I did with the coaching told me to do and for some reason it pulled its knight back. It made no sense. I re-created the match on another app, and as I played through the scenario the knight captured my queen and three moves later I was in checkmate. Sometimes it will have you do what it considers the best move but as it takes your rook, if you take his rook it will tell you that it is an incorrect move and that you should have taken it’s knight or Bishop and not do a direct trade. I understand that at certain times this is true but as it coaches you through the rest of the game you end up getting checkmated, whereas if you would’ve done the direct trade you actually would have won. Don’t believe me? Play Dr. Wolf on expert and if you lose go through the coaching scenario in which he shows you where you made mistakes and then you can play the game on from that point in the end you still lose even if you follow every option in which he tells you that that move is the best move. It’s a good game for beginners to learn but don’t count on it to teach you correct things. Also, it’s difficulties from beginner to expert are not very good. There are many times where on the beginning level computer will play moves that a normal beginner would never do and ends up check maiting you in 4 moves end it tells you better luck next time.As for teaching you how to use certain pieces to check mate, those lessons were very helpful. You can always review those if you forget.