Comparison

Chess Premium HD vs Chess Tactics and Lessons

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

Head to head
About

Chess Premium HD

Experience visually stunning chess gameplay with strategic challenges. Play against friends or a sophisticated AI, with features like configurable difficulty, undo, and automatic saving. Enjoy a premium chess experience on your device.

Highlights
  • High-quality graphics and sound effects
  • 1 and 2 player modes
  • Challenging AI opponent
  • Configurable difficulty levels
  • Undo function
  • Automatic game saving
Features
Read full description

Are you tired of playing chess games that look like they were designed for a Commodore 64 instead of an iPad? We've got the antidote for you. Chess Premium HD is the best looking chess game for the iPad. Chess Premium HD supports both 1 player and 2 player gameplay, so you can play against friends or test your skills against a challenging computer opponent. Chess Premium HD includes a host of exciting features, including: * Great graphics and exciting sound effects * Configurable player names and score tracking * Outstanding AI engine with configurable difficulty level * Undo function if you accidentally hit the wrong square * Automatically saves your game when you exit the application If you're looking for a killer chess application for your iPad, check out Chess Premium HD today!

About

Chess Tactics and Lessons

Master chess strategy and openings with this app. Practice unlimited tactics, follow detailed lessons, and save your favorite openings. Create your own content and learn from a supportive community.

Highlights
  • Unlimited tactics practice
  • Detailed chess lessons
  • Opening practice and saving
  • Create custom tactics and lessons
  • Learn from mistakes with explanations
  • Community comments and discussion
  • Customizable board design
Features
Read full description

“Chess is 99% tactics” (R. Teichmann.) From beginner to expert, practicing tactics is hands-down the best way to master the game. Play 30,000+ tactics, lessons, and openings while the app adjusts to your ability as you play. Join thousands of users who improve their game with daily tactics. Beginner-friendly, even if you don't know the rules of chess yet. "This app is a must have for any chess player - student or master." -Tom Taylor, USA "This is easily the best purchase I've made since owning a smartphone." -Miles C. Samuels, USA "This app has improved my game tremendously!" - anonymous fandom on the App Store FEATURES - Tactics: Play as many tactics as you want, for free. - Lessons: Get deeper into strategy with detailed lessons including positions from Netflix's 'The Queen's Gambit' and the World Championship. - Openings: Practice makes perfect! Save and practice openings from the Grandmasters and more. - Create your own tactics, lessons, and openings for others to try. - Learn from your mistakes with solutions, explanations, and chess engine analysis. - Join the community: comment on tactics and learn from other users. New tactics are added every day, so you'll never run out. ------ Chess Tactics PRO subscriptions will be charged to your iTunes account upon purchase. Subscriptions will automatically renew unless canceled within 24-hours before the end of the current period. You can cancel anytime with your iTunes account settings. See Privacy Policy and Terms of Service for more information. Privacy Policy: https://chesstacticsapp.com/privacy.html Terms of Service: https://chesstacticsapp.com/terms.html Acknowledgements: Chess Pieces by jurgenwesterhof on WikiCommons (adapted from work of Cburnett) Icons by bezier master, Cutiecon, and Shawn Wong from the Noun Project.

Screenshots

Chess Tactics and Lessons4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Chess Tactics and Lessons at Free against Chess Premium HD's $1.99. Chess Tactics and Lessons also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 12 months). Chess Premium HD's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 26.0). On review sentiment 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

Chess Tactics and Lessons is free to download; Chess Premium HD costs $1.99 up front. Chess Tactics and Lessons sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Chess Premium HD asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Chess Tactics and Lessons holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Tactics and Lessons has 5.1K ratings behind it against 704, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Chess Premium HD's written reviews are positive against 85% of Chess Tactics and Lessons's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess Premium HD ships an update every 12 months, Chess Tactics and Lessons every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Chess Premium HD versus Chess Tactics and Lessons: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChess Premium HDChess Tactics and Lessons
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating4.5 (704 ratings)4.8 (5.1K ratings) — better
Positive reviews80.4% of reviews85.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings7045.1K — better
Update frequencyEvery 12 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS10.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size81 MB114 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOptime Software LLCLockwood Productions, LLC

Customer experience

Chess Premium HD

All ratings662 ratings
Positive90.6%
Neutral3.6%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews408 reviews
Positive80.4%
Neutral10.0%
Negative9.6%

Chess Tactics and Lessons

All ratings5,056 ratings
Positive95.2%
Neutral3.1%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews283 reviews
Positive85.2%
Neutral4.6%
Negative10.2%

User reviews

Chess Premium HD

From 704 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Simple and easy to use
  • 🚀 Smooth gameplay
  • 💡 Adjustable difficulty levels
  • 🎨 Good graphics and design
  • ⏱️ Fast computer opponent

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 🔀 No landscape mode
  • 🔍 Missing captured pieces display
  • ⚠️ Inconsistent move recognition
  • ⏳ Slow computer response time

Chess Tactics and Lessons

From 5.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 😃 Great for learning tactics
  • 👍 Enjoyable and addictive
  • 🚀 Excellent training tool
  • 🤗 Helpful for improving chess skills
  • 💯 Best tactics app

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy after updates
  • 💰 Subscription model too expensive
  • 🤔 Some tactics are questionable
  • 🙄 Too many queen sacrifices
  • 😣 Difficult to navigate

Bugs and requests

Chess Premium HD

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Pieces disappearing from the board
  • Incorrect checkmate detection
  • Inability to castle
  • Game freezes and crashes
  • Moves not registering properly

Requested features

5 requests
  • Online multiplayer mode
  • Ability to save and replay games
  • More customization options for boards and pieces
  • Hints and tips for beginners
  • Detailed win/loss tracking

Chess Tactics and Lessons

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Server connection issues
  • White screen after updates
  • Inability to delete account
  • Incorrect move explanations

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to save tactics
  • Offline mode
  • Difficulty filtering
  • Improved user interface
  • More comprehensive lessons

In-app purchases

None

Chess Premium HD

No in-app purchases

7 purchases

Chess Tactics and Lessons

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly PRO Subscription$3.991 Month
  • Annual Pro Subscription$29.991 Year
One-time5
  • Marble Chess Board$0.99
  • Orange Chess Board$0.99
  • Remove ads$0.99
Show 2 more
  • Green Chess Board$0.99
  • Enable Saved Puzzles$1.99

Questions

Is Chess Premium HD free?
Chess Premium HD costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chess Tactics and Lessons free?
Chess Tactics and Lessons is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Chess Premium HD or Chess Tactics and Lessons?
Chess Tactics and Lessons is rated higher. Chess Premium HD averages 4.5 out of 5 from 704 ratings, while Chess Tactics and Lessons averages 4.8 from 5.1K ratings.
Do Chess Premium HD or Chess Tactics and Lessons have ads?
Chess Premium HD shows ads; Chess Tactics and Lessons does not.
Which is updated more often, Chess Premium HD or Chess Tactics and Lessons?
Chess Premium HD ships an update every 12 months, and Chess Tactics and Lessons every 5 weeks. Most recently, Chess Premium HD was updated on November 6, 2026 and Chess Tactics and Lessons on November 8, 2026.

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