Chess Deluxe vs Chess Jester
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Chess Deluxe
Enjoy a classic chess experience with a beautiful interface and adaptive AI. Play against smart opponents, challenge friends locally or online, and track your progress with detailed game history. This app offers a distraction-free environment for pure chess enjoyment across multiple devices.
- Smart AI opponents (Easy, Medium, Hard)
- Local multiplayer (same device)
- Online matches via Game Center
- Unlimited undo/redo
- Move history in Standard Algebraic Notation
- Light and dark themes
- iCloud settings sync
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Experience the timeless game of chess with beautiful design and intelligent gameplay. Chess Deluxe brings the classic strategy game to life with a modern, elegant interface and responsive AI that adapts to your skill level. Whether you're learning your first moves or honing your tactics, enjoy chess exactly how you want to play it - with no ads, no distractions, just pure chess. Play Your Way: - Smart AI opponents with Easy, Medium, and Hard difficulties that provide quick, challenging gameplay - Local multiplayer for face-to-face games on the same device - Game Center integration for online matches with friends anywhere - Flexible move controls with unlimited undo/redo and move highlighting - Complete game tracking with move history in Standard Algebraic Notation Beautiful & Intuitive: - Clean, distraction-free interface designed for pure chess enjoyment - Smooth animations and satisfying piece movement - Board rotation for comfortable two-player games - Captured pieces display and game timer with customisable durations - Light and dark themes to match your preference - Crisp sounds that enhance gameplay without interruption Seamlessly Connected: - Settings sync across all your devices with iCloud - Navigate through your game history by selecting any completed move - No advertisements to interrupt your focus - Universal purchase includes iOS, iPadOS, and macOS versions Chess Deluxe is crafted for chess lovers who appreciate thoughtful design and straightforward gameplay. From quick casual games to focused strategy sessions, experience chess the way it should be - simple, beautiful, and always ready when you are.
Chess Jester
Engage in serious chess matches with a humorous twist. Features a witty AI commentator, multiple difficulty levels, and both local and online multiplayer options. Customize your game's appearance and share your matches.
- Hilarious AI commentary
- Play against powerful AI
- Local and online multiplayer
- Game import and export (PGN/FEN)
- Real-time browser monitoring
- External display support
- Full customization options
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Chess Jester (Chester) - Serious chess. Silly commentary. Stunning design. Step into the royal court of chess with Chess Jester, a beautifully crafted chess app for iPhone and iPad that mixes serious gameplay with a touch of humor. Whether you're a casual player, a chess enthusiast, or just someone looking to hear a jester mock your moves, Chester delivers a fun and engaging experience. Privacy First: - No data collection, No Tracking, No Accounts, No Ads Features: Hilarious AI Commentary: - Turn your chess games into a comedy act with funny, context-aware narration from Chester the Jester. The commentary can be toggled on or off at any time. Play vs. Powerful AI: - Challenge a robust chess engine with multiple difficulty levels. Whether you're learning the ropes or looking for a tough opponent, Chester adjusts to your skill level. Local Multiplayer (Same Device): - Play over the board with a friend right on your iPhone or iPad, no need for a physical board. Online Multiplayer: - Play online with a friend or a random opponent. Join a game instantly or host one with a unique code. * Hosting requires a one-time in-app purchase. Game Import & Export: - Load a game using a PGN or FEN string, and export completed games in PGN format to share or analyze later. Real-Time Game Monitoring in a Browser: - Spectators can watch your games live in any browser, perfect for events, parties, or classrooms. * Requires a one-time in-app purchase. External Display Support: - Mirror the game on a TV or projector using AirPlay or an HDMI dongle. Perfect for live viewing or teaching sessions. Full Customization: - Change the look and feel of your game with customizable board themes, piece styles, and background options. Supports both light and dark mode. - Choose your color (play as white or black), and fine-tune your experience with adjustable sound, haptic feedback, and AI commentary settings. Chester blends powerful gameplay with a unique personality. It’s elegant when it needs to be, silly when you want it to be, and always ready for a good match. Whether you're learning, competing, or just having fun, Chester makes every move memorable. Terms of Use: - https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: - https://chester.justshare.me/privacy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess Jester at 100% against Chess Deluxe's 33%. Chess Jester also leads on price (Free vs $2.99). Chess Deluxe's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 3.7) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Chess Jester is free to download; Chess Deluxe costs $2.99 up front. Chess Jester sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Chess Deluxe asks for nothing beyond the download.
Chess Deluxe holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Deluxe has 188 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 33% of Chess Deluxe's written reviews are positive against 100% of Chess Jester's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Chess Deluxe ships an update every 2 months, Chess Jester every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Chess Deluxe | Chess Jester |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.6 (188 ratings) — better | 3.7 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 32.7% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 188 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Best chart rank | #199 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 87 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nicholas Cooke | Erfan Reed |
Customer experience
Chess Deluxe
Chess Jester
Bugs and requests
Chess Deluxe
Reported bugs
28 issues- Computer won't let you win
- Computer moves king to white king
- Game says won when losing
- All pieces are black
- Cannot castle king and rook
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- Hard version is easy to beat
- Movements don't feel good
- Sound isn't good
- Cannot play online without crashing
- No way to start a game
- No play button
- Unable to use program
- Doesn't work on iPad
- Doesn't seem to work on IOS 9
- Unable to go past add player name screen
- Game ends with incorrect checkmate
- Rook unable to move to corner piece
- Check counted as checkmate
- Stalemate called incorrectly
- Computer castles illegally
- Computer throws pieces away
- Internet mode doesn't work
- Cannot find users online
- King turns into opponent's queen
- Valid moves blocked
- Cannot play online without redoing moves
- Castling doesn't work
- Cannot resign or remove game
Requested features
8 requests- How to record a game
- Intermediate difficulty level
- Option to turn off timer
- See board labels (g column cut off)
- Board labels visible with pieces
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- Cross-platform compatibility (iPhone/Mac)
- Sound effects for piece movements
- Online play beyond Wi-Fi proximity
Chess Jester
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Chess Deluxe
No in-app purchases
Chess Jester
- Online Game Play$0.99
- Monitor Game on Web$0.99
Questions
Is Chess Deluxe free?
Is Chess Jester free?
Which has better reviews, Chess Deluxe or Chess Jester?
Do Chess Deluxe or Chess Jester have ads?
Which is updated more often, Chess Deluxe or Chess Jester?
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