# SmallFish Chess for Stockfish — user reviews > 596 indexed App Store user reviews of SmallFish Chess for Stockfish by Ted Wong, rated 4.80/5 from 4,466 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smallfish-chess-for-stockfish/id675049147/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smallfish-chess-for-stockfish/id675049147.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 3,890 · 4★ 373 · 3★ 89 · 2★ 36 · 1★ 78 ## What do users think of SmallFish Chess for Stockfish? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 🚀 Powerful chess engine - 👍 Intuitive and clean interface - 💡 Customizable board and piece styles - 🚀 Fast move calculations - 👍 Helpful analysis and suggestions - 🚀 Efficient use of resources **Cons** - 🐛 Crashes and freezes - 🐛 Issues with board and coordinate display - 🐛 Inconsistencies in engine difficulty levels - 🐛 Problems with PGN file handling - 👎 Complicated user interface **Commonly reported bugs** - Crashes when setting up positions - Incorrect move suggestions and engine evaluations - Freezing and unresponsiveness during gameplay - Issues with board and coordinate display alignment **Most requested features** - Add support for variations and multiple analysis lines - Implement a two-player mode with piece flipping - Add PGN file sorting, searching, and folder support - Provide an option to hide the board and show captured pieces - Integrate with chess.com and other platforms ## Newest reviews (18 of 596) ### 4/5 — Gelungene App *2026-08-18* Deutsche Sprache funktioniert nicht Die App gefällt mir grundsätzlich und die Schachanalyse ist interessant. Im App Store wird Deutsch als unterstützte Sprache angegeben. Mein iPhone ist auf Deutsch eingestellt, trotzdem erscheint SmallFish ausschließlich auf Englisch und in den iOS-Einstellungen gibt es keine Möglichkeit, die App-Sprache auf Deutsch umzustellen. Bitte beheben. ### 3/5 — bugs… *2026-06-21, version 19.1.0* it’s a great app, best of its kind. but after the last update there is bug that app opening in half-screen mode and there is nothing i can do to change it ### 3/5 — Archive *2026-05-17, version 19.0.0* I really like this app, but storing and organising games feels tedious and overly complicated. I would really appreciate improvements to the archive and game management system, as it currently feels quite cumbersome to use. ### 5/5 — Fantastic chess software,plz add calculation depth and time control. *2026-05-04* This is a fantastic chess software, but I can't find an option to control Stockfish's calculation depth. The time control in game mode seems to force the AI to think for the exact set duration before making a move. However, the standard practice is to control the AI's calculation depth while setting a maximum time limit; if the AI's calculation exceeds this maximum time limit, it will abort the calculation and move immediately. The most crucial AI settings are calculation depth, time control, playing strength, hash table size, and the number of threads. I hope the developers can add specific options for both calculation depth and time control. ### 5/5 — Your own private Tutor *2026-05-01* I dont always follow its advice but its gets more right than it gets wrong. Chess is 90% tactics I knew a priori but had happily confirmed and a massive opening repertoire not only largely superfluous (but ya mad if ya think ignorance is bliss, you’ll have to guess whats in the coo-laid ) This app can curtail the necessity for the encyclopedic opening array of the learned but not necessarily talent nerd very quickly; because what works is principles and tactical superiority and it always works. If you let this do its Analysis but really think about what its telling you and why, this app will improve your chess by eroding the erodible fallacies that stand as dogma. Like Lichess, to my mind, its a must have if you love chess. Its excellent. ### 5/5 — Now I can start Cagefight with my iPhone! *2026-04-19* Plays smoothly and is a blast to play. Awesome to see one of the greatest games brought to life on iOS! ### 5/5 — 好评 *2026-04-17* 很好用 ### 5/5 — Excellent App *2026-04-11, version 19.0.0* Billxv ### 5/5 — Ez elo *2026-04-11* Just free Elo in chess.com ### 3/5 — Wann wird Scan Foto? *2026-04-09, version 19.0.0* Alle App schon can einfach Foto analysieren aber diese App leider nicht ### 5/5 — Powerful with a friendly interface *2026-04-03* I love it. I hope the developer will add support to chess 960 (Fischer Random, freestyle chess, you name it) in future updates. ### 4/5 — Keyboard and blunder check critique *2026-04-01, version 19.0.0* Really useful app for deep offline stockfish analysis. The blunder check feature is similar to chess.com game review. However id wish for the option of selecting analysis depth settings for blunder check, eg. To provide a 30 move depth analysis for a game (m4 16gb user here :) after some waiting time. Also move navigation doesnt work with the arrow keys, my reason for „only“ four stars. ### 5/5 — Simply The Best *2026-04-01, version 19.0.0* Excellent chess game for iPhone, better than all other free apps I have tried; able to use independently of Internet connection. Some other games only work in sideways “landscape” mode (3-D is pretty but not for me) and/or bombard the user with stupid annoying advertisements; Smallfish is very clean and honest. Another app I tried prompted (after the first Book opening) to “Upgrade to Pro to play against the engine”. How dumb is that? Moves are created in PGN format; game may be repositioned to any prior move at any time. Some other chess apps do not show previous moves. Moves may be exported (copied) to clipboard and pasted to Notes app; from there may be imported to any other chess engine. May also be saved to in-app game files library. Play against SmallFish engine with 19 levels of difficulty or 2 player with full engine analysis available. Solve any chess puzzle; use blunder checking feature to learn and improve your game. Reset board to original starting for any game or puzzle while not deleting the moves. Auto-play the game for review. Insert comments in the PGN moves at any point for any move. Analysis graph allows you to touch the graph and reposition the game to where you sank the boat. Big thanks to Ted for recent update to import PGN files without headers. Some improvements/fixes should be considered: 1. There is no Resign or offer to Draw feature to end the game. Also engine should offer to resign if checkmate is imminent; 2 or 3 moves to mate? Engine will Draw if same position repeats 3 times. Take back move to before the draw to consider alternate moves. 2. The game board for Setup position is missing row/column coordinates labels. Default position is White at the bottom. (This was fixed early in 2024, thanks Ted! 3. Blunder checking feature inserts line feed for every move after standard book opening resulting in lengthy text file; suggest (user option?) a line feed only after maybe every 10 full moves to visually be more appealing? 3a. Option to “cleanup” all comments and annotations inserted by Blunder Check? Yes there is! Start Blunder Check and immediately hit “X” to stop; all Blunder Check comments are removed. 4. The ••• dots to access Comments, Auto-Play and Blunder checking features menu could be placed in a different area other than directly nearly over-laying the right side of the PGN moves. 5. Other Cosmetic Visual improvements: 5a. Allow chess board to be sized a bit smaller and have the row/column coordinates labels to be outside the board squares, or a choice between overlapping board or outside of board (?) 5b. Time controls are annoying; can they be turned off completely? Clock does not affect who wins or loses; some other apps rudely end and lock the game when clock expires. 5c. Most playing difficulty levels have duplicate descriptions without the corresponding ELO rating levels indicated in the exported PGN files; not that it is important but would be nice not to have to edit these descriptions so I know what level range I constantly lose to. 6. Some clarification could be provided to further explain the settings for Shorten Analysis, Analysis Time and Threads in the Options for the impact on battery drain and engine strength. I have experimented with most of the free apps available and Smallfish is by far the best. Free, no ads, no crashes, import/export any PGN file. In summary this is a top notch awesome game. ### 5/5 — Awesome chess program!!! *2026-03-28, version 19.0.0* You’re going to love it! ### 5/5 — Awesome *2026-03-20, version 19.0.0* Among the few chess apps that do exactly what you need them to do. Very user friendly. ### 5/5 — Great Chess App & Recommendation *2026-03-18* small fish Chess World Champion is unbeatable unless I access with the assistance from the app. I would highly recommend for the app to explain the reason why I made a blunder or mistake. Thank you for creating chess App. This app helped me to improve my chess ability. ### 5/5 — No Full Screen Mode *2026-03-15, version 18.10.0* Can’t find an easy way to make the chess board full screen. ### 5/5 — game chess đỉnh nhất trên app store *2026-03-10, version 18.10.0* game ko có chỗ nào để chê, thật sự cảm ơn nhà phát hành rất nhiều, game rất tuyệt 😍😍😍 ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Trash *2026-08-09, version 19.3.4* Don’t waste money. I regret buying this. Interface is horrible in the first place. There is no accuracy indicator, and not very helpful in analysis. Chessigma is free and far better than this. ### 1/5 — Problems to start. *2026-04-05, version 19.0.0* I cannot open SmallFish at the moment. It starts and disappears immediately. ### 1/5 — help me however Ted ignores me *2026-02-17* I think it’s probably a bug in Smallfish. When I saved a game with comments written in Japanese, the text suddenly changed into some strange language that looked like Arabic. Then, when I saved another game, all of my previous games disappeared. I’m honestly in shock right now. I really need my Smallfish data to be restored or a backup if possible. Please help me however Ted ignores me **Developer response:** Sorry for the delay. I'm going to take a look today with your in emails. There might have been some Japanese language issues. ### 1/5 — berbayar *2026-01-07, version 18.10.0* tiba tiba ada billing keluar. padahal diawal tinggal pake doang, gaada pemberitahuan aplikasinnya berbayar ### 1/5 — totally unintuitive *2025-12-31, version 18.10.0* Maybe this is a good app, people seem to like it. However, its functionality is completely obscured by a hideous, unintuitive interface. Spend your $4.99 on a milkshake. ### 1/5 — ¿Donde se encuentra la opción cambiar de idioma? *2025-11-11, version 18.9.2* Según la aplicación, tiene la opción de 32 idiomas pero a mi solo me sale en inglés. Es un error en la descripción? Me encuentro engañado ### 1/5 — It’s is very bad *2025-10-04* Small fish is very stupid ### 1/5 — Terrible *2025-03-07* Even at the lowest beginner setting, the engine is either in Magnus Carlsen mode (impossible to beat) or in Patrick Star mode (barely knows how to move pieces). Absolutely awful. I would rate this zero stars if I could. Absolutely nothing has been done to address this in months. This app is fine for people who use it to cheat while playing online, but if you’re trying to learn, this app is useless. **Developer response:** I'm aware of it. Working on an improvement. ### 1/5 — Dificultad *2025-02-22, version 18.5.0* La dificultad para poder desplazarse por su interfaz es gigantesca, no es posible que sea tan difícil poder analizar una simple partida con esta aplicación. La aplicación solo empieza a evaluar la posición a partir de que la jugada sea mala o termine la teoría. ### 1/5 — Chess monotony *2024-12-23, version 18.4.0* Practicing is nothing like online games. The system is set up to win no matter what fancy system u use or you beat the clock Are we on branz hatch ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — 评价 *2026-08-22* 非常好，不是托，应用是免费的，然后里面的AI还是挺强的，最高的水准大概有个职业的可能吧，如果设备好的话，然后副盘的话也可以实时有那个标记，然后江沙的话也会有提示，非常不错 ### 5/5 — su *2026-08-16* what a wonderful way ### 5/5 — Top Engine und keine Werbung *2026-08-10* . ### 5/5 — So fun *2026-07-27* I think it’s a very nice game. First, you can learn tactics. Also, you can get dopamine. 졸라쩌는 게임 ### 5/5 — Why does it take sooo long *2026-07-20, version 19.3.4* I play with small fish and for the first few turns it moves instantly but after a little it takes FOREVER to make each move. Is there a way to shorten this wait? ### 5/5 — Good strongest app in chess *2026-07-20* strongest app in chess ### 5/5 — Chess revealed *2026-06-29, version 19.3.4* Keep up the great work ### 5/5 — Simples e bom *2026-05-16* Fácil de usar, Ajuda nos estudos, ### 5/5 — Good *2026-05-14* just good ### 5/5 — Great! *2026-05-11, version 19.0.0* Really impressed so far! I will always support a developer who respects user privacy. --- *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 2026-09-16.*