# Chess42 - Chess for iMessage > iMessage-based chess game for two players with move assistance. (iPhone/iPad app by Handheld Designer, LLC.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess42-chess-for-imessage/id1148201346 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Handheld Designer, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/459252416) - Category: Games, Board - Price: $0.99 - Rating: 1.90/5 from 8 App Store ratings · 12 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 10.0 · 2 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2016-09-13 - Data updated: 2026-06-10 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess42-chess-for-imessage/id1148201346/reviews.md ## What is Chess42? Chess, For Two. Play chess with a friend, right in iMessage on your iPhone or iPad. No setup, no account, no sign-on, no ads. One tap and you're playing. Features: ‣ Challenge a friend to a new game, right from an existing conversation. ‣ Play without leaving iMessage. ‣ Continue your conversation between each move. Send messages, emoji, and stickers. Talk smack! ‣ Chess42 highlights legal moves for each piece, helping beginner players. ‣ VoiceOver support to assist vision-impaired players. ‣ Fast, easy and fun. ‣ No signup, no setup, no ads, no additional purchases required. ‣ Both iPhone and iPad supported with same download. Buy once and play on all of your devices. Start playing chess with your friends today! ## Key features - Play directly in iMessage - No account or setup required - Highlights legal moves - Supports VoiceOver - Continue conversation between moves - iPhone and iPad support ## Recent user reviews (10 of 12) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess42-chess-for-imessage/id1148201346/reviews.md ### 1/5 — 2 Bad *2020-09-28, version 1.9* Great idea. It works 2 moves then nothing. ### 1/5 — Don’t get tricked by Face ID purchasing. *2019-08-20, version 1.9* A sneaky get you for a dollar app. Smh and had time to find to cancel subscription. We will see how this plays out. Smh **Developer response:** Hi, Bob. Sorry you didn't have a great experience purchasing Chess42. Chess42 doesn't require (or offer) a subscription to use the app; it's a one-time purchase. However, if you're unhappy with your purchase, please contact Apple for a refund as described here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204084 Best regards. ### 1/5 — Requires 2 purchases *2018-05-11, version 1.7* Be aware that your friend also needs to purchase this app for it to work! This should really be clearly laid out upfront. I’m going to ask for a refund as a result. ### 4/5 — Good but needs resign option *2016-11-22, version 1.4* See title ### 2/5 — Sometimes game just disappears. *2016-09-27, version 1.2* It has happened for at least 4-5 times now. I make a move the other person doesn't see the game at all. We both are on latest version. ### 1/5 — I have the app already! *2016-09-24, version 1.1* My friend tries to start a game with me and it sends me a link to download the game but I have the game already!!! Stupid ### 5/5 — Win Notification *2016-09-24, version 1.1* I put my friend in check mate. The app does not let me know I won. It lets my fiend know I won. There should be feedback letting me know i won. Revised.. took a little time but eventually let me know I won ### 3/5 — Good but needs work *2016-09-21, version 1.0* I actually really like this format. There are a few things lacking. There is no checkmate or even anything to signify when somebody has one. The game just sort of stops. Also it'd be nice to see the pieces I've taken throughout the game. ### 2/5 — Needs fixing. *2016-09-16, version 1.0* You need to fix the game. Won't allow checkmate to end the game. ### 5/5 — Suggestion for improvement *2016-09-15, version 1.0* I actually like this app better than the other all on the message store right now. I like how it tells you the last move you made by board position, it really helps you learn the system. It would be nice if there was a way to play the game by calling board positions and have the computer act as a moderator for moves. So if I called D1-H5 as the first move for white, it would tell me "you can't do that because there's a pawn in the way!" The computer could also act as an aid by letting you "cheat" persay and look at the board when you get lost. For the second idea, I love chess, but I would like a way to pick up from a physical game where I left off. There needs to be a way to set up a board from scratch. This would also allow people to make 'thought problems' for friends to solve like "see if you can checkmate in two" kind of things. ## Frequently asked questions about Chess42 ### How do I start a game of Chess42? You can challenge a friend to a new game of Chess42 directly from an existing iMessage conversation. No separate setup or account is needed to begin playing. ### Does Chess42 have ads? No, Chess42 is advertised as having no ads. The description explicitly states 'no ads' and 'no additional purchases required'. ### Can I play Chess42 offline? Chess42 is designed for playing with a friend, implying an online connection is necessary to send moves and receive your opponent's. It does not appear to support offline play against an AI. ### What devices does Chess42 support? Chess42 supports both iPhone and iPad devices. You can buy it once and play on all your Apple devices. ### Is Chess42 suitable for beginners? Yes, Chess42 highlights legal moves for each piece, which is a feature designed to help beginner players learn and enjoy the game. ### What is the age rating for Chess42? Chess42 has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for young players and families. ### How often is Chess42 updated? The latest version of Chess42 is 1.9, which was last updated on November 12, 2018. This indicates infrequent updates. ### What are the main advantages of Chess42? Users appreciate Chess42 for its seamless integration with iMessage, lack of setup, and helpful move highlighting feature for beginners. It offers a fast, easy, and fun way to play chess with friends. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.9 — 2018-11-12 ‣ Improved chess piece design on iOS 12.1 and later. ### 1.8 — 2018-11-01 ‣ Corrected issue that caused white pawns to appear black beginning in iOS 12.1. ### 1.7 — 2017-01-06 ‣ Fixed detection of stalemate in some cases. (Thanks, Vladimir M.) ### 1.6 — 2016-12-15 ‣ Players can now resign a game, and challenge opponents to a rematch. ‣ Corrected a problem with pawn promotion for certain players. (Thanks, JoAnn T.) ### 1.5 — 2016-11-21 ‣ Eight new localizations: Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, German, French, Russian, Korean, and Italian. ## Apps similar to Chess42 | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Chess Pro.](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-pro/id561435724) | 4.7 (1,968) | $3.99 | Games | | [Another Tic-Tac-Toe](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/another-tic-tac-toe/id6448396229) | 5.0 (4) | Free | Games | | [Chess Tablebase for Stockfish](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tablebase-for-stockfish/id1183121054) | 4.8 (21) | Free | Games | | [Field Invasion](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/field-invasion/id1562571494) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Games | | [Mahko - Relaxing Tiles](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mahko-relaxing-tiles/id1622127661) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Games | | [Chess-Studio](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-studio/id684224545) | 4.7 (110) | $3.99 | Games | ## More apps by Handheld Designer, LLC - [BigNight: Dinner Party Planner](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bignight-dinner-party-planner/id980998747) All apps by Handheld Designer, LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/459252416 --- *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.*