# Really Bad Chess+ — Chess minus memorization

> Chess with randomly assigned pieces, offering a fresh strategic challenge. (iPhone/iPad app by Zach Gage.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/really-bad-chess-plus/id1551670264 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Zach Gage](https://appshunter.io/developer/294263418)
- Category: Games, Board
- Price: Free
- Rating: 3.40/5 from 164 App Store ratings · 100 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 86 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2021-04-02
- Data updated: 2026-09-02
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/really-bad-chess-plus/id1551670264/reviews.md

## What is Really Bad Chess+?

Really Bad Chess is just like chess, but with totally random pieces. Try 8 Knights, 4 Bishops, and 3 pawns — why not?

Whether you play chess daily, or quit just after learning the rules, this small twist will open the door to an entire new world of chess.

Compete vs. an AI in Ranked, Daily, or Weekly Challenges. Improve your skills using the included Freeplay mode. Compete against your friends locally in versus mode!
Warm up every day with our new daily chess puzzle — Knight Hike!

------A WORD FROM THE DEVELOPER	
Chess is one of those games I always wished I enjoyed, but its commitment to beauty, elegance, and perfect balance always turned me away. Really Bad Chess removes these boring restrictions and flips chess on its head.

As much as random pieces change the game in some ways, I was really surprised to notice how much the game remains the same, and how powerful some pieces are — you've never truly struggled against a pawn until you've struggled against a pawn in the back row.

For chess pros, Really Bad Chess will give you a new type of challenge — the pieces & the moves are the same, but you'll have to throw out your openings and your understanding of normal patterns of play. 

For novice chess players (like most of us), Really Bad Chess greatly opens up the game. Instead of starting by studying openings, in your first games you'll get to discover the joy (and challenge!) of learning how to checkmate.

-zach

## Key features

- Random piece assignments
- AI challenges (Ranked, Daily, Weekly)
- Freeplay mode
- Local versus mode
- Daily chess puzzles
- New strategic challenges

## What do users think of Really Bad Chess+?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 💡 Innovative concept
- 🤩 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Easy to learn
- 🧠 Improves chess skills
- ✨ Clean UI
- 🚀 Fast gameplay
- 🤔 Challenging AI
- 🎨 Customizable themes
- 🔄 Undo move available
- 🎮 Fun for all levels

**Cons**

- 😠 Unfair AI starting positions
- ⚖️ AI too lucky/strong
- 🚫 No draws (stalemate/repetition)
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 📱 UI scaling issues
- 📉 Frustrating difficulty spikes
- 🤔 Repetitive AI moves
- ❌ Some moves not allowed
- 📊 Imbalanced piece distribution
- 👎 Poor tutorial

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App zoomed in, parts of board/UI cut off (recent update)
- Cannot make legal moves
- Game won't allow moves out of check
- AI gets stuck in infinite loops
- Incorrect checkmate detection
- Pieces glitching
- Cannot undo after checkmate
- App not fitting on iPhone screen
- Menu options cut off

**Most requested features**

- Add draws by repetition/stalemate
- Option for mirrored pieces
- Tutorial for beginners
- Ability to play online multiplayer
- Option to see solution for daily challenges
- Mac app availability
- Option to keep board on screen after game
- Adjustable AI difficulty
- More board/theme options
- Animations for piece movement

## Recent user reviews (10 of 100)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/really-bad-chess-plus/id1551670264/reviews.md

### 1/5 — WORST GAME EVER

*2026-08-13, version 1.6.1*

I HATE IT WAY TO HARD THIS GAME SHOULD HAVE NEVER EVER CAME OUT

### 1/5 — It’s really bad chess ♟️

*2026-07-24, version 1.6.1*

Worst game ever
😁 really can’t understand it. So I deleting this right now after I’m done bye

### 5/5 — So much cavalry

*2026-07-08, version 1.6.1*

A fun game in an incredibly frustrating way. One wish, it would be great to see the board after victory or defeat. A second look at a surprise ending would be nice.

### 2/5 — The ai is way too lucky

*2026-05-14, version 1.6.1*

The games usually start out with impossible to defend attacks, the ai doesn’t even go for checkmate strategically, it just wants pieces, and on top of that, the boards are usually very unfair, I’ve started multiple times where a piece that I need is under attack and I defendable in the very first move, not to mention that most of the time, the ai gets undefendable lines that take half your pieces.

### 1/5 — Latest update broke the game

*2026-03-23, version 1.6.1*

A recent update added some new game modes but completely broke the game. On my iPhone 17 Pro the entire app is now “magnified” such that I can’t see the entire board (the left and right-most columns aren’t on screen!)

It broke the menu UI as well I can’t read the options because they’re all cut off.

I had a 50+ day streak which I lost because of this. Most games when they break something that destroys user progress (streaks, dailies, etc) there’s some sort apology or fix made. I guarantee Apple Arcade won’t bother.

Update: they fixed it today 3/23 but guess what, they fixed the other version of the game (the one not via Apple Arcade) TWO DAYS EARLIER! That’s right, the subscription service version you pay for gets updated slower than the regular version.

### 1/5 — Last update ruined the game

*2026-03-23, version 1.6*

I sent an email, and didn’t get a reply. :(

### 1/5 — Zoomed in

*2026-03-23, version 1.6*

they released an update a few days ago that made the whole screen zoomed in too much to see everything love playing this but its broken right now

### 2/5 — Recent upgrade issues

*2026-03-22, version 1.6*

Recent upgrades have caused the play forked to be larger than the phone screen, th entire outer edges of the board are off the screen, also the top of the menus are off the top of the screen

### 1/5 — Aspect ratio is messed up

*2026-03-22, version 1.6*

After update the app doesn’t fit on the iPhone screen any more - too big. Needs a fix

### 1/5 — Update broke the game

*2026-03-22, version 1.6*

Same scaling problem as other commenters. Please fix!

## Frequently asked questions about Really Bad Chess+

### What is Really Bad Chess+?

Really Bad Chess+ is a unique take on the classic game of chess where each game features a completely random assortment of pieces on the board. This twist eliminates the need for memorizing openings and provides a fresh strategic challenge for all skill levels.

### How does this app differ from traditional chess?

The core difference is the random assignment of pieces at the start of each game. Instead of the standard setup, you might face an army of knights or a board full of pawns. This forces players to adapt their strategies on the fly and discover new tactical possibilities.

### What are the game modes available?

The app offers several modes, including AI challenges like Ranked, Daily, and Weekly Challenges. You can also practice your skills in Freeplay mode, compete against friends locally in versus mode, and solve daily chess puzzles called Knight Hike.

### Is this app suitable for beginners?

Yes, this app is excellent for beginners. By removing the emphasis on memorizing openings, it allows new players to focus on the fundamental goal of checkmating and discover the joy of chess in a more accessible and less intimidating way.

### What are the system requirements for this app?

The provided data does not specify the exact system requirements for this app. However, it is a mobile application, implying compatibility with modern iOS and Android devices.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.6.1 — 2026-03-23

Bug fix to the new update:

- Game should now display properly on iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

### 1.6 — 2026-03-19

Our first of several major update for Really Bad Chess!

- Knight Hike: A brand new puzzle where you must move a knight to eliminate squares.
- Prestige mode for ranked mode: after you get to rank 100, you can prestige. Compete on leaderboards for "Most prestiges", "Fastest prestige" and "Fewest games to prestige"
- Additional piece styles
- Tons of bug fixes.

### 1.4.6 — 2022-03-03

Fixes to streak code.

### 1.4.2 — 2021-04-19

Gamecenter leaderboards fixes

### 1.4.1 — 2021-04-13

infrastructural updates

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## More apps by Zach Gage

- [Pocket Run Pool](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-run-pool/id949982914)
- [Sage Solitaire](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sage-solitaire/id1004646445)
- [Typeshift](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/typeshift/id1084762137)
- [Really Bad Chess](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/really-bad-chess/id1109751921)
- [SpellTower Français](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelltower-francais/id1160360982)
- [SpellTower Nederlands](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelltower-nederlands/id1160360990)

All apps by Zach Gage: https://appshunter.io/developer/294263418

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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 2026-09-02.*