# Active Chess — New Version of Chess

> A chess variant with randomized setups and modified rules for dynamic play. (iPhone/iPad app by Alexey Polunin.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/active-chess/id6449165496 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Alexey Polunin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1541894864)
- Category: Games, Entertainment, Board
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 4 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2023-05-15
- Data updated: 2026-08-10
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/active-chess/id6449165496/reviews.md

## What is Active Chess?

Playing chess regularly develops human cognitive abilities, such as: logical thinking, attentiveness, memory, ability to analyse and plan.

However, in classical chess there is one drawback that does not contribute to the interest in the game on the part of millions of potential players. For thousands of years of the existence of chess, all combinations, the so-called openings, that can appear on the chessboard at the beginning of the game, have been developed and well studied. A professional player who knows several of these openings will certainly gain an advantage over an ordinary player, even if his cognitive abilities are obviously lower.

Active Chess got its name because it excludes the use of different preliminary preparations in different game situations, especially at the beginning of the game. In active chess, there is no well-known traditional arrangement of pieces, and this precludes the use of a library of openings. From the first moves of the game, an active game begins, the result of which depends on the player's cognitive abilities, his ability to think and a bit of luck.

The luck factor is associated with the formation of the starting position randomly for each player. But in order not to depend on capricious luck, the player can independently form his position on the board. At the same time he does not know what position his opponent will have. This gives a special sharpness of the game.

In Active Chess, almost all the rules of classical chess are followed with a few exceptions:
• Rule for castling of kings is absent since a player, when creating an initial position, can place his king in that part of the board and among other pieces, where he will be in the greatest safety.
• Chess pieces can be placed on the first three ranks of each side in the order that suits the player.
• A special mark is applied to the image of the pawns of the first move, which disappears after the first move.
• Bishops can be of the same color field or different color fields at the choice of the player.

Active Chess has to a choice of two options for boards 8x8 and 8x10.

In the current version of the application, only a game with a chess bot is available.

The application has ads are shown after the end of the game. The winner does not see ads!  You can remove all Ads and limit of preset positions by subscription.

Enjoy Game!

Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Privacy policy: http://books.virenter.com/policy.php

## Key features

- Randomized starting positions
- Modified chess rules
- Strategic gameplay
- Cognitive skill development
- Choice of board sizes
- Play against a chess bot

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Positions 1 Week | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited Positions 3 Month | $4.99 | per 3 months |
| Unlimited Positions 1 Month | $1.99 | per month |



## Frequently asked questions about Active Chess

### What makes Active Chess different from traditional chess?

Active Chess features randomized starting positions for each player, eliminating the need for opening theory and focusing on immediate strategic play. It also has modified rules, such as the absence of castling and flexible pawn and bishop placement.

### Can I play Active Chess offline?

The current version of the application only offers a game with a chess bot, which is playable offline. However, specific features or updates might require an internet connection for certain functionalities.

### Does Active Chess have multiplayer options?

In the current version, only a game with a chess bot is available. Multiplayer functionality is not mentioned in the provided description.

### What are the subscription options for Active Chess?

Active Chess offers several subscription plans to remove ads and unlock unlimited preset positions. Options include 1 week for $0.99, 1 month for $1.99, and 3 months for $4.99.

### What devices is Active Chess available on?

Active Chess is supported on iPhone and iPod devices, as indicated by the platform compatibility information.

### How often is Active Chess updated?

The application was last updated on May 16, 2023, with the latest version being 1.0. Further update frequency is not specified.

### What is the age rating for Active Chess?

Active Chess has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of players interested in strategy and cognitive development.

### Does Active Chess have ads?

Yes, Active Chess displays ads after the end of a game, unless you are the winner. Ads can be removed by purchasing a subscription.

## Version history (last 2 releases)

### 1.1 — 2026-08-08

Fixed colors in dark mode and minor bugs

### 1.0 — 2023-05-16

No release notes.

## Apps similar to Active Chess

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [100 Squares](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/100-squares/id289002920) | 3.0 (1) | Free | Games |
| [Playing Dice](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playing-dice/id1241270060) | — | Free | Games |
| [Xmas Ludo](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xmas-ludo/id763361920) | 4.0 (8) | Free | Games |
| [Word Find - Cross Game Puzzle](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-find-cross-game-puzzle/id939288620) | 2.5 (2) | Free | Games |
| [将棋ノート](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1170925520) | — | Free | Games |
| [Emoji - Tic Tac Toe](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emoji-tic-tac-toe/id1354480480) | 4.6 (180) | Free | Games |

## More apps by Alexey Polunin

- [Medical Diets](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medical-diets/id1543033702)
- [Cognitive IQ](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cognitive-iq/id1603089297)
- [Greatest World Books](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/greatest-world-books/id1631475043)
- [Adventure Books](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adventure-books/id1636232619)
- [Active Chess](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/active-chess/id1641495450)
- [Doom of Titanic](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/doom-of-titanic/id1644671114)

All apps by Alexey Polunin: https://appshunter.io/developer/1541894864

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-10.*