# Chess & Variants

> Mobile app offering 45 chess variations with AI, online play, and rule descriptions. (iPhone/iPad app by ACLAP.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-and-variants/id522062562 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [ACLAP](https://appshunter.io/developer/512525676)
- Category: Games, Board, Strategy
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.00/5 from 12 App Store ratings · 9 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 6.0 · 52 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2012-05-01
- Data updated: 2026-07-06
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-and-variants/id522062562/reviews.md

## What is Chess & Variants?

* Open up your Chess horizon *

Jocly's Chess Variants is by far the most complete mobile application for playing Chess variations.

In addition to regular Chess, it offers 45 variants, all of them featuring:

- artificial intelligence to play alone / offline
- server connectivity to play real people, create or join tables, invite friends
- full rules description
- live games are saved and can be replayed
- ELO based leaderboard
- and many more ...

Supported variants:

-  Classic Chess
- XiangQi (Chinese Chess)
- Gardner Chess
- MiniChess4x4
- MiniChess4x5
- MicroChess
- Baby Chess
- Malett Chess
- Los Alamos
- Chess Attack
- Courier (Middle-Age Chess)
- Makruk (Thai Chess)
- Shako (10x10 board with elephants and cannons)
- Shatranj
- Raumschach (5x5x5)
- Glinski Chess (hexagonal)
- Brusky Chess (hexagonal)
- DeVasa Chess (hexagonal)
- McCooey Chess (hexagonal)
- Shafran (hexagonal)
- Modern circular Chess (on a round board)
- Byzantine Chess (on a round board, as played in the Xth century)
- 3D Chess (6x8x3)
- Cylinder Chess
- RollerBall (Chess on an unusual board)
- Chess960 (randomized start position)
- Metamachy (big board)
- Capablanca Chess
- Carrera Chess
- Gothic Chess
- Janus Chess
- Grand Chess
- Modern Chess
- Chancellor Chess
- Wildebeest Chess
- Smess (give it a try)
- Demi Chess (half a regular board)
- Romanchenko Chess
- Amazon Chess
- Duke of Rutland Chess
- Gustav III Chess
- Hyderabad Chess
- Kaiser Chess
- SultanGame Chess
- Reformed Courier Chess
- Tutti-Frutti Chess

## Key features

- 45 chess variations
- Play against AI offline
- Online multiplayer
- Create/join tables
- Invite friends
- Full rules description
- Replay saved games

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $0.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (9 of 9)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-and-variants/id522062562/reviews.md

### 2/5 — Needs a Zoom feature and some optimization

*2020-08-09*

While this Chess app offers a quite a few Chess variations, and it really is alone in the App Store in that respect, there are two pretty serious issues when it on my iPhone.  1. There is no screen zoom, and for many of these Varients, the boards and pieces are so small that you really need one.  Being able to select pieces for some of the games are almost impossible on an iPhone sized screen.  Then there’s 2.  The lag.  I don’t mean lag when the computer opponent is thinking.  There’s a lot of lag when it’s waiting for a move to be entered by the player.  I’d be poking at a piece on my screen over and over again before the poke would register.  I thought that there was an issue with my screen, but no.  It’s the app.  Everything, including trying to click the X to close out of a game just doesn’t register without poking the screen over and over again.  Also, I’d like to beg for the inclusion of Millenium Chess, and Omega Chess.  Those are my two favorite Chess varients.  This app has a lot of potential, but it needs that zoom ability and something done about the lag.  *edit* I also just discovered that on my iPhone, when I pull up the game rules, the lag increases a thousand fold.  It scrolls really choppy, and it takes multiple finger slides to make it scroll just once.  The scrolling and lag induced make it impossible to read the rules at all.

### 5/5 — Best chess app yet

*2020-07-25, version 3.4.4*

This app has Chinese chess, standard, tri-dimensions and any other form of chess you can think off. Not sure why it doesn’t have more reviews

### 5/5 — Excellent Collection of Chess Variants

*2019-01-09, version 3.4.4*

This app is a well-constructed collection of chess variants, some modern, some ancient.  It has a full set of features and is stable and easy to use.

### 5/5 — Very nice app

*2018-12-01*

Many chess variants are here, including some I have never seen. I have only played against the computer so far. No problems at all.

### 4/5 — Little Buggy

*2015-11-13*

Pretty good app for Jockly. I am using an iPhone 6 but I have a difficult time getting to my tables. It comes up quickly and crashes. I can follow an email link for my turn to a game without a problem. Wish this bug would be fixed.

Also when playing mini chess variants like "chess attack" the square colors do not change when you invert the view (say you are playing the black piece s). This is because a standard 8x8 chess board always has a black square to the players lower left but this is not the case in a 5x6 variant. It would be nice if this could be fixed.

### 1/5 — Bloody crap!

*2015-11-06*

This app does not work properly since iOS 9 has been released. Also all of my finished games and my games in progress have disapeared...! Very disapointing.

### 4/5 — Awesome

*2015-07-24*

Plays great, super fun game with tons of interesting variants, including Shatranj!!!!!!! Anyway, I would give it 5 stars, but the reading the descriptions and rules is a little buggy as you can't scroll down sometimes, and also the fact that they somehow forgot to put Tamerlane Chess in there. But hey, it's an awesome app, more than worth the nothing that you pay for it (which is also pretty awesome), and everyone should get it. But seriously guys, put Tamerlane Chess in the next update and you get 5 stars.

### 3/5 — A couple bugs...

*2015-02-17*

Great game for playing lots of variants, but a lot of the games' rules won't scroll on the iPhone, so you can't see them, which is obviously a problem.

### 1/5 — ÇHËČKMÃTĖ

*2014-06-19*

Since I'm the 1st person who has written a review for this app so far, I'm sure that you're actually going to take the time to read what I have to say, unlike all the reviews I've written for other apps (which were popular enough to be getting reviews written every other second) which I'm sure were probably just ignored. But I digress. I have a (sort-of Captain Obvious) suggestion of something you could do to help improve your app. You could search Wikipedia (more thoroughly than you already have) and Google (for websites other than Wikipedia) to find even more versions/variations/styles of chess such as Shogi, Endgame Chess, Parallel Worlds Chess, Suicide Chess, Einstein Chess, Extinction Chess, Gryphon Chess, Mock Chess, Rejection Chess, Take-All, 3-Check Chess, Unirexal Chess, Progressive Chess, Double Chess, Four-way Chess, 'Maharajah and the Sepoys', Pole Chess, and even Chessers... Just a thought...

## Frequently asked questions about Chess & Variants

### What chess variations does Chess & Variants offer?

Chess & Variants offers 45 different chess variations, including Classic Chess, XiangQi, Gardner Chess, Makruk, Shako, Glinski Chess, and many more unique adaptations.

### Can I play Chess & Variants offline?

Yes, Chess & Variants features artificial intelligence to play alone, allowing for offline gameplay across all supported variants.

### How does online play work in Chess & Variants?

You can play against real people online by connecting to the server. The app allows you to create or join tables and invite friends to matches.

### Does Chess & Variants have a leaderboard?

Yes, Chess & Variants includes an ELO-based leaderboard, allowing players to track their progress and compare their skills against others.

### Are live games saved in Chess & Variants?

Yes, all live games played in Chess & Variants are saved and can be replayed later, allowing you to review your matches.

### What devices is Chess & Variants available on?

Chess & Variants is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices.

### What is the age rating for Chess & Variants?

Chess & Variants has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of players.

### How often is Chess & Variants updated?

The latest version of Chess & Variants is 3.4.4, which was last updated on February 2, 2015. Future updates will depend on developer activity.

## Version history (last 3 releases)

### 3.4.4 — 2015-02-02

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

39 Chess variants have been added.
It is now possible to play against remote opponents, whether you are connected at the same time or not.
Full access to played games archives for analyze.

### 2.0.2 — 2014-05-13

New interface and engine. 
Added 6 variants of the chess game

### 1.2.1 — 2012-05-01

No release notes.

## Apps similar to Chess & Variants

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Mini Chess 5x5](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-chess-5x5/id1457707362) | 3.5 (73) | Free | Games |
| [Hexagonal Chess](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hexagonal-chess/id6479699878) | 1.0 (1) | Free | Games |
| [Chess Variants - Omnichess](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-variants-omnichess/id1593756511) | 4.1 (76) | Free | Games |
| [Chess Mega Bundle](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-mega-bundle/id1528161084) | 4.7 (107) | Free | Games |
| [Chess variants - Chess Remix](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-variants-chess-remix/id1547819624) | 4.4 (106) | Free | Games |
| [Chess Variants Battle Missions](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-variants-battle-missions/id1644069598) | 4.8 (17) | Free | Games |

## More apps by ACLAP

- [Checkers/Draughts & Variants](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/checkersdraughts-and-variants/id522064154)
- [Chopsticks & Variants](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chopsticks-and-variants/id522065666)
- [Jocly Classics Free](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jocly-classics-free/id522089732)
- [Mu Torere Free](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mu-torere-free/id563887660)
- [Dots and Boxes Free](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dots-and-boxes-free/id566863348)

All apps by ACLAP: https://appshunter.io/developer/512525676

## Related topics

[chess variants](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/chess-variants)

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*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 2026-07-06.*