Really Bad Chess vs dublplay
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Really Bad Chess
This app reimagines chess with completely randomized pieces, offering a fresh strategic challenge. It's perfect for both seasoned players seeking a new puzzle and beginners looking to learn the fundamentals in a fun, accessible way.
- Randomized chess piece sets
- AI opponent challenges
- Ranked, Daily, and Weekly modes
- Freeplay practice mode
- Local multiplayer (with IAP)
- Alternate color palettes (with IAP)
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Really Bad Chess is just like chess, but with totally random pieces. Try 8 Knights, 4 Bishops, and 3 pawns — why not? As heard on NPR's Weekend Edition 5 out of 5 Stars "An essential puzzle experience for anyone even remotely interested in strategy games" - TouchArcade 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. ------WHATS IN THE “BOX”? The free version of Really Bad Chess lets you compete vs. an AI in Ranked, Daily, or Weekly Challenges. Improve your skills using the included Freeplay mode. A single in-app purchase unlocks Versus Mode so you can compete against your friends locally! It also removes ads, displays captured pieces, and adds soothing alternate color-palettes to choose from. ------REALLY BAD PRESS "Makes chess fun even if you’re really bad" - The Verge "Feels more modern than chess has ever felt" - Applenapps "Really Bad Chess takes a really bad idea and somehow manages to make it a lot of fun." - Pocket Gamer "Really good fun" - MacLife ------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. I hope you have as much fun with Really Bad Chess as much as I did making it. -zach
dublplay
Compete with friends in skill-based games and friendly wagers. The app tracks results and facilitates peer-to-peer settlement via Venmo. An optional Pro subscription offers AI-powered sports analysis for major leagues.
- Challenge friends to skill-based games
- Set and track friendly wagers
- Peer-to-peer settlement via Venmo
- AI-powered sports analysis (Pro)
- Multiple game genres available
- Trivia across various categories
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Dublplay is AI-powered sports analysis plus a social layer: follow the friends whose calls actually land, and get a full breakdown and AI analysis of every game before it tips off. AI-POWERED SPORTS ANALYSIS (PRO) Subscribe to Pro ($7.99/month) and get Google Gemini–powered analysis for every NBA, NHL, MLB, and college basketball game: FOLLOW YOUR FRIENDS Follow the friends whose calls are actually landing. Every profile carries a full record — win rate, current streak, and how they've done over the last 30 days — so you can see who's hot and who's just loud. - Follow their picks, so when they win - you win! - Game analysis with confidence ratings - Live win probabilities (DUBL Scores) AI sports analysis is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not gambling, financial, or investment advice. Free to preview live lines. Pro unlocks Follow and AI sports analysis for $7.99/month. dublplay requires a monthly subscription service under the standard Apple Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/steula
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: dublplay at 100% against Really Bad Chess's 46%. dublplay also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.8) and ads (none vs shown). Really Bad Chess's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (1.6K vs 2). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Really Bad Chess sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and dublplay sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
dublplay holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Really Bad Chess has 1.6K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Really Bad Chess's written reviews are positive against 100% of dublplay's.
Really Bad Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, dublplay every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Really Bad Chess | dublplay |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.8 (1.6K ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 46.3% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 125 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Zach Gage | dubllabs, inc. |
Customer experience
Really Bad Chess
dublplay
Bugs and requests
Really Bad Chess
Reported bugs
3 issues- Pieces unable to move as per chess rules
- Game freezes and crashes
- Incorrect checkmate detection
Requested features
5 requests- Add draw conditions and stalemate rules
- Implement online/multiplayer mode
- Provide more difficulty settings
- Allow custom piece arrangements
- Sync progress across devices
dublplay
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Really Bad Chess
- 100 Undos$0.99
- Full Game Unlock$3.99
dublplay
- dublplay VIP$7.991 Month
Questions
Is Really Bad Chess free?
Is dublplay free?
Which has better reviews, Really Bad Chess or dublplay?
Do Really Bad Chess or dublplay have ads?
Which is updated more often, Really Bad Chess or dublplay?
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