Comparison

棋藝研究所 Chess Academy vs Marshal Chess

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

Head to head
About

棋藝研究所 Chess Academy

Features
Read full description

Chess Academy brings together the world's most beloved board games in one beautiful app. Whether you're a beginner learning the basics or a seasoned player looking to sharpen your skills, our intelligent AI opponents adapt to your level. Features: • 5 Classic Board Games - International Chess, Chinese Chess (Xiangqi), Go (Weiqi/Baduk), Gomoku (Five in a Row), and Animal Chess (Jungle/Dou Shou Qi) • Smart AI Opponents - Multiple difficulty levels from beginner to expert • Beautiful Interface - Elegant, intuitive design optimized for all screen sizes • Learn & Improve - Practice anytime, anywhere without an internet connection • Undo & Hints - Perfect for learning new strategies • Sound Effects - Immersive audio enhances your gameplay experience Perfect for players of all ages and skill levels. Download now and start your chess journey!

About

Marshal Chess

This app offers a focused Chinese Chess (Xiangqi) experience with multiple game modes including adaptive AI coaching, traditional AI matches, and unique puzzle challenges. It features local multiplayer options and tools for studying real-world games, all within a clean, ad-free interface.

Highlights
  • Adaptive AI coaching
  • AI matches with difficulty levels
  • Jieqi (Hidden Chess) mode
  • Endgame Puzzles
  • Nearby Duel (local multiplayer)
  • Game Study with board recognition
Features
Read full description

Marshal Chess is a clean, focused Chinese Chess (Xiangqi) app for iPhone and iPad. No social noise — open it and play. Six modes: · Adaptive Coaching — the AI silently reads your level and stays just one step ahead, easing off when you are far ahead and pushing harder when you are behind. On your turn it lifts the piece for the strongest move to show you. No difficulty picker, no tests, no prompts · AI Match — five difficulty levels (Beginner to Master), save and resume any game, take back moves · Jieqi (Hidden Chess) — every piece except the generals starts face-down in a shuffled position and is revealed after its first move; revealed advisors and elephants may leave the palace and cross the river. The computer never peeks at hidden pieces · Endgame Puzzles — 90 classical compositions from the Ming-dynasty collection "Shi Qing Ya Qu", each with its source and original number; all 1,416 moves of the reference lines verified for legality and checkmate. Search by name or number, filter to unfinished · Nearby Duel — play someone next to you over a direct device-to-device connection. No data usage, no server, no shared network needed; just turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both devices. Game clocks with a per-move countdown, take-backs, Jieqi and automatic reconnection; a player who leaves can return to the same game from the lobby, and an optional password keeps strangers out · Game Study — when you face a real opponent over a physical board, enter both sides' moves and get the strongest move on your turn. Start from the opening position or use the board editor. Live camera and photo recognition run on-device, with a review step to correct or complete the position; optional cloud enhancement is available Design notes: · Calm, modern Chinese look: warm paper background, clerical-script glyphs and nine board themes to choose from (Warm Ivory, Kaya Wood, Pale Celadon, Ebony and more), switchable even mid-game; a bundled Kai typeface works offline and dark mode is supported · Just the board: no title bar or status line during play — Menu at the top left, More at the bottom right, in Liquid Glass · Background music, a full sound set and Mandarin move announcements, adjustable in-game or silenced to let your own music play · Move and capture animations play in sequence for a clear rhythm · No ads, no in-app purchases, no account required. Recognition runs on-device by default. If you choose cloud enhancement and consent, the selected photo is sent through Cloudflare to Anthropic; see our privacy policy Xiangqi is interesting enough on its own. We just built a good board for it.

Screenshots

棋藝研究所 Chess Academy4 screens
Marshal Chess3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Marshal Chess at none against 棋藝研究所 Chess Academy's 10. Marshal Chess also leads on ads (none vs shown). 棋藝研究所 Chess Academy's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence 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. 棋藝研究所 Chess Academy sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Marshal Chess asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

棋藝研究所 Chess Academy ships an update every 5 days, Marshal Chess every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
棋藝研究所 Chess Academy versus Marshal Chess: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter棋藝研究所 Chess AcademyMarshal Chess
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size157 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOuTech LimitedSANOINV INC

In-app purchases

10 purchases

棋藝研究所 Chess Academy

Subscriptions3
  • VIP Bronze Membership$2.991 Month
  • VIP Platinum Membership$19.991 Month
  • VIP Annual Membership$29.991 Year
One-time7
  • Starry Night Theme$1.99
  • Wood Grain Theme$1.99
  • Chinese Classic Theme$1.99
Show 4 more
  • Theme - Jade Palace$1.99
  • Theme - Cyberpunk$1.99
  • Theme - Golden Palace$1.99
  • Lifetime VIP Membership$99.99
None

Marshal Chess

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is 棋藝研究所 Chess Academy free?
棋藝研究所 Chess Academy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Marshal Chess free?
Marshal Chess is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do 棋藝研究所 Chess Academy or Marshal Chess have ads?
棋藝研究所 Chess Academy shows ads; Marshal Chess does not.
Which is updated more often, 棋藝研究所 Chess Academy or Marshal Chess?
棋藝研究所 Chess Academy ships an update every 5 days, and Marshal Chess every 3 days. Most recently, 棋藝研究所 Chess Academy was updated on October 9, 2026 and Marshal Chess on October 8, 2026.

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