Comparison

Shatar vs ChessThread

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Shatar

Experience Shatar, a historical chess variant played for centuries in Mongolia. This game features unique piece movements, including a queen with combined Ferz and Rook abilities. It offers a glimpse into a different chess evolution.

Highlights
  • Historical chess variant
  • Unique queen movement
  • Medieval Arabic chess offspring
  • Cultural gameplay
  • Tournament history
Features
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Shatar was the variant of chess, played for many centuries in Mongolia, before it was replaced by FIDE chess by pressure of the former CCCP. This game is a direct offspring of the medieval Arabic chess, evolving in a different direction as chess did in Western Europe and Russia. The movement of the queen is particularly interesting, as it has the combined moves of a Ferz (general) and Rook. In 1993, AISE organized a `Grand Prix’ tournament (played by postal mail) on Shatar. In later years, more Shatar tournaments were held in this game.

About

ChessThread

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ChessThread is the dedicated social platform for the global chess community. Upload and customize your games, share lessons and puzzles, and connect with players and coaches around the world. Discover an interactive feed filled with chess content created by the community. Scroll through positions, try out your own moves on the board, and learn directly from others. Whether you’re studying openings, solving puzzles, or just enjoying the creativity of other players, ChessThread gives you the tools to engage with others over the digital chessboard. Key features: Game Sharing – Upload your own games, add commentary, and invite discussion. Puzzles & Training – Create puzzles, test your ideas, and learn from others. Interactive Feed – Explore chess content where every post has a playable board. Community Engagement – Comment, analyze, and connect with players of all levels. ChessThread brings the chess conversation into one place — a social experience built entirely around the board.

Screenshots

Shatar1 screens
ChessThread4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: ChessThread at every 4 days against Shatar's every 6 months. Shatar's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 14.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shatar ships an update every 6 months, ChessThread every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Shatar versus ChessThread: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShatarChessThread
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supported—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB27 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperNora KyCHRISTOPHER JOSEPH POLONIATO

In-app purchases

None

Shatar

No in-app purchases

None

ChessThread

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Shatar free?
Shatar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ChessThread free?
ChessThread is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Shatar or ChessThread have ads?
Both Shatar and ChessThread show ads.
Which is updated more often, Shatar or ChessThread?
Shatar ships an update every 6 months, and ChessThread every 4 days. Most recently, Shatar was updated on October 14, 2026 and ChessThread on October 3, 2026.

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