Comparison

Chess vs FirstMove

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

Head to head
About

Chess

Enjoy a classic chess experience on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. This app offers a clean interface, beautiful graphics, and intuitive gameplay perfect for casual players. Play against a computer opponent, review game history, and track your progress.

Highlights
  • 1- or 2-player games on one device
  • Tap-to-move piece selection
  • Highlights legal moves
  • Full game history and move list
  • Built-in chess clock
  • Get hint feature
  • Undo moves
Features
Read full description

tChess Lite is the popular chess game designed just for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. tChess is like a virtual chess board on your device. It's fun and easy to use--perfect for the casual player! This game features a very clean UI design and beautiful graphics. tChess is a fast and stable program. Pick up a game in your free time... and there's no problem listening to your music while you play. (tChess Lite is a fully-functional version of tChess for casual chess players. If you're an active player and want enthusiast-level features, take a look at tChess Pro, which is over 1000 ELO stronger and has received rave reviews from Grandmaster Susan Polgar, PE's Chess Cast, and iPhone app critics.) tChess Lite Features: - Perfect for 1- or 2-player games (on the same device, no network connection required) - Tap-tap to move pieces - Highlights legal moves - View full game history in the Move List - Go back or forward move by move and replay completed games - Built-in chess clock - "Get hint" feature to improve your game - Easy to undo moves - Saves your game automatically if you exit the program or take a call - Play against any ELO rating from 500 to 1200 - Computer opponent is the most fun and realistic for beginners and casual players - Use the Profile feature to play rated games and track your progress - Over 15,000 openings for fresh, varied games tChess Lite is developed by Tom Kerrigan, author of the TSCP and Stobor chess engines.

About

FirstMove

Features
Read full description

FirstMove : Maîtrisez les ouvertures d'échecs L'application essentielle pour apprendre et perfectionner les ouvertures d'échecs ! FirstMove transforme l'apprentissage en une expérience visuelle et interactive. POUR TOUS LES NIVEAUX Débutant ou expert, FirstMove propose des ouvertures adaptées à votre niveau avec trois catégories : Débutant, Intermédiaire et Maître. FONCTIONNALITÉS - Échiquier interactif avec animations Visualisez chaque coup sur un échiquier élégant avec des animations qui montrent clairement les mouvements. - Navigation intuitive Parcourez les ouvertures coup par coup. Contrôlez la progression avec des boutons simples : précédent, suivant, premier coup, dernier coup. - Catalogue complet d'ouvertures Accédez à des dizaines d'ouvertures classiques, toutes avec leurs codes ECO (Encyclopédie des ouvertures d'échecs). - Descriptions détaillées Chaque ouverture inclut une explication complète de sa stratégie, de son histoire et de ses principes. - Interface moderne Profitez d'une interface élégante et épurée, optimisée pour l'apprentissage. POURQUOI CHOISIR FIRSTMOVE ? Les ouvertures déterminent souvent l'issue d'une partie d'échecs. FirstMove rend cet apprentissage accessible et visuel, que vous prépariez un tournoi ou que vous souhaitiez simplement améliorer votre jeu. Téléchargez FirstMove et donnez-vous les meilleures chances de gagner dès le premier coup !

Screenshots

Chess4 screens
FirstMove2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: FirstMove at Free against Chess's $0.99. FirstMove also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). On 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

FirstMove is free to download; Chess costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess ships an update every 5 months, FirstMove every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Chess versus FirstMove: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChessFirstMove
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.6 (77 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews85.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings77 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS26.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTom KerriganRedInnov

Bugs and requests

Chess

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inconsistent pawn movement rules
  • Stalemate issues and computer refusing to resign
  • Connectivity problems with Game Center

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to set up custom board positions
  • More difficulty levels and ELO ratings
  • Online/multiplayer functionality
  • Notification options for opponent moves
  • Chess puzzle/training mode

FirstMove

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Chess

No in-app purchases

None

FirstMove

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chess free?
Chess costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is FirstMove free?
FirstMove is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Chess or FirstMove have ads?
Neither Chess nor FirstMove shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chess or FirstMove?
Chess ships an update every 5 months, and FirstMove every 3 days. Most recently, Chess was updated on October 14, 2026 and FirstMove on October 2, 2026.

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