# Chess Only — user reviews > 24 indexed App Store user reviews of Chess Only by Young-Jo Song, rated 3.97/5 from 29 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-only/id1569045693/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-only/id1569045693.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 17 · 4★ 4 · 3★ 3 · 2★ 0 · 1★ 5 ## Newest reviews (5 of 24) ### 5/5 — Awesome app! *2022-01-22, version 0.2.2* Not the first chess app I’ve tried, but it might be the last. Ad-free!!!! ### 5/5 — Exactly What It Says… *2021-12-27, version 0.2.2* I love the visual simplicity. I get old 90’s PC chess vibes. Wish this had better iPad optimization, but on my phone it looks very clean. I like that you can slowly grow with it, instead of being bullied right out of the gate like Stockfish or some of the other more unforgiving apps. I haven’t played chess in years and this app is a really nice reminder of what made me love it the first time around! ### 5/5 — Just Chess! *2021-12-15, version 0.2.2* I really like that the app is condensed to the minimal but essential functionality. No bells and whistles, just the facts. No menu / settings mania. It’s fun to play. Maybe the only missing option is to export a game as PGN. Also I was wondering which engine is used here? Stockfisch? ### 5/5 — Playing is studying *2021-10-18, version 0.2.2* This is an excellent app with a very clear purpose of playing and studying chess against an engine with little distraction. The progression of the rating as you play each game is a nice way to measure your skill level. The hint is a true hint and not a total give away of the best move. I play games regularly using this app and am very satisfied with it. One added feature I would recommend the developer to consider is the ability to export the moves in PGN format. ### 5/5 — Chess Only application is simply brilliant. *2021-07-11* Chess Only is a most instructive and engaging chess application. Congratulations to the developer. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Garbage chess *2024-04-18, version 0.2.5* Placed opponent in check mate multiple times and app decides to say stalemate. Stupid computer can’t win and doesn’t want to give any points so it gives stalemate. Very disappointing app. In two moves the computer says stalemate. ### 1/5 — Screen doesn’t display correctly *2023-02-16, version 0.2.5* I downloaded it for play on my iPhone. When the game launches the board is stuck in an upper right corner such that the right two columns don’t appear on the screen. I can’t reach the settings button because the buttons at the bottom are also overflowing the right edge of the screen so the last one visible is the hint button. No amount of tinkering would shift the screen to the left. Even deleted and reinstalled. Same result. ### 3/5 — Board offset *2023-07-24, version 0.2.5* 1/3 of the board is shifted to the right out of screen. ### 3/5 — Unfinished *2022-12-10, version 0.2.5* Needs a resign button. Needs to adjust ratings properly for new players. 1500 players don’t give up material as easily as this AI does. Seems a little underpowered at low levels. I like the simple blunder check coaching though. Keep working on it. ### 3/5 — No export? *2022-04-09, version 0.2.5* Nice UX. Good concept of matching engine strength to player strength. But I cannot export PGN of games. Huge negative. My workaround is to take screenshots of move list and replay hand in another tools that will export PGN. If I could export games, and could review past games then I’d bump up the number of stars. ### 3/5 — Easy *2022-04-02, version 0.2.5* To easy ### 4/5 — Ideale kleine Schach-App für zwischendurch *2023-11-16, version 0.2.5* Ich nutze Chess Only sehr gerne für Zwischendurch. Man kann die eigene Stärke quasi stufenlos einstellen und die App ist dann immer etwas stärker eingestellt als man selbst - so soll das sein. Der „Trainer“ schaltet sich bei Bedarf ein, wenn man einen schlechten Zug durchführen möchte oder „lobt“ einen guten Zug. Und auch den Modus „Try out“ finde ich toll - das kenne ich so von keiner anderen Schach-App. Gut fände ich noch, wenn man eine Partie oder eine Stellung in die App laden könnte. Dann wäre ich glücklich. Fazit: Für mich als Anfänger ideal und bestimmt haben auch Fortgeschrittene Spaß an Chess Only. ———— I really like using Chess Only for in-between games. You can set your own strength almost infinitely and the app is then always set a little stronger than you are - that's how it should be. The "trainer" switches on when necessary if you want to make a bad move or "praises" a good move. I also think the "Try out" mode is great - I don't know of any other chess app like this. I would also like it if you could load a game or a position into the app. Then I would be happy. Conclusion: Ideal for me as a beginner and I'm sure advanced players will also enjoy Chess Only. ### 4/5 — Almost perfect for this novice *2023-03-06, version 0.2.5* This game allows me to learn at a self-directed pace while tracking my elo. The problem is that it takes forever to correct my elo downward when I’m losing, because I can’t concede the match. I wish I could just have two or three buttons: “concede loss”, “declare draw”, and maybe “declare win” ### 4/5 — Nice and simple, but could use certain features *2022-12-22, version 0.2.5* I like being able to analyze my games and try different variations on difficult positions. This app ALMOST let’s me do that, but there are some features it could really use to help out as a training tool. 1) Allow me to force the board into a specific position. This is great for exploring certain openings. 2) Allow switching sides. 3) Allow saving the board positions. ### 5/5 — Great for improving my ability to see blunders *2025-12-25, version 1.27* Being able to back up and try other variations is a great feature. Best of all, a truly free app! ## Most praised reviews (9 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Just chess *2024-10-01, version 1.0.3* Just plays chess, can be very hard to beat on higher levels, no gimmicks, just chess. For anyone who played Chessmaster running the king engine, it has that kind of style, quite human at times, if it blunders and you miss it the engine will come back stronger. I do like the fact the engine will resign (you can refuse) or offer a draw, makes it feel much more natural. A note to the dev, the buttons are there to save a game as pgn file but can’t seem to locate the file in the files app on iPad, any ideas? ### 5/5 — Almost perfect! *2024-05-18* That's the app I’ve been looking for. Thanks for putting time and effort into it 🙌 The only thing missing is an option to configure the time when creating a new game (including games with no time). **Developer response:** Thanks a lot for the feedback. Just letting you know 1.0 is now released, which has “blitz” speed, meaning “as quick as possible”. For player’s time, it’s there for reference purpose only, no penalty by time spent. ### 5/5 — The only app to have for chess *2023-12-29, version 0.2.5* Real good, Just chess without endless popups adds of machine gun games and slot machines flashing in your face and cockblocking the function controls ### 5/5 — Exposing kids to chess doesn’t have to expose them to ads *2023-09-15, version 0.2.5* This is a great app to not microtransaction chess to death. Works well, has analysis aids if desired as well as not. Plays close enough to humans at various elos to not be a bad mismatch. ### 5/5 — Very Good! *2023-09-08, version 0.2.5* I like how it rates your play and you improve over time. There are no replays to change the outcomes. Also no ads. Just pure Chess to help your brain and analyze and solve problems. ### 5/5 — No nonsense *2023-03-30* Best free chess app if you don’t want advertising! ### 5/5 — Great little app *2023-03-14, version 0.2.5* Which chess engine are you playing against? Fun simple and small ### 5/5 — One of my favorites *2023-02-09, version 0.2.5* I have tried a lot of chess apps this one is one of my favorites. ### 5/5 — Review *2022-11-21, version 0.2.5* The the Simplicity is genius! My go to Chess Game ! --- *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 2026-06-10.*