e+Chess Mobile App!

Has anyone used this app, "e+Chess Books"?  have you heard of it?!  YOU NEED IT!

It's an impressive tool that is FREE.  It's an enhanced Chess Book reader that includes a chess "engine" that allows you to walk through every move in the book, Undo moves, jump ahead, etc - without having to setup a real board and rearrange pieces.  It is NOT a chess "book", nor is it just a database of openings, GM games, etc.  Here is how it works:

• Download the app - it's FREE
• Inside are "books" you can download
• One book is included (Chess Fundamentals, Jose Capablanca)
• Eight other books are currently available for prices ranging from $9.99 to $17.99
• Once you access a book, you can read along, click on any chess board and follow along, backup, undo moves, follow alternate lines and move sequences, as well as follow/analyze any full game listed in the book.

In essence it's as if you were reading the book, and the author was there with you setting up the chess board for you, making the moves, taking back moves and showing you variations, all at the click of your finger.

Current Books Available:

• Chess Fundamentals, Jose Capablanca (Included free)
• Improve Your Chess Tactics, Yakov Neishtadt
• Silman's Complete Endgame Course, Jeremy Silman
• Lessons in Chess Strategy, Valeri Beim
• Streetfighting Chess, Andrew Burnett / Streetfighter
• Exploration in Chess Beauty, Andras Toth
• The Art of Chess I, II, and III, Lev Aptekar

Why am I advertising this app?  I have nothing to do with it, but I am disappointed that more books aren't included.  So I'm hoping more people will get interested in it, use it, so more interest means more authors will contribute.

The app can be found on iTunes here:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/e+chess-books/id475177331?mt=8

I feel the same way as you. I really want this to succeed so that more and more books become available. However, it's worth emphasizing that as long as you consider the book prices to be reasonable -- and I think they are -- you have nothing to lose by getting this app. It's not like you're buying into an obsolescent technology - at least, not as long as there is hardware to run apps.

Got it. Love it!

Here's a great example of what I'm talking about....

I bought "The Amateur's Mind", by Silman (paperback).  GREAT BOOK.  BUT...

I have to use a separate "Analysis" board to setup every position in the book (either on a real chess board, or I use "Chess Openings" app to setup the boards (and learn the openings at the same time!).  But it's still cumbersome.  AND....

The Reti-Carls, Baden-Baden 1925 match on page 93 STARTS at move 27 (and move "1. Nc3!" is mislabeled, it should be "27. Nc3!").  So, in most chess boards apps, I can't just setup the position, I had to go find the game on the internet, follow all 26 initial moves, 1 by 1, to get to move 27.  With e+ Chess Books, I simple CLICK on the board, and voila! it's there.

Master Silman, if you have any influence, or if you are planning on putting your other books on this platform, I have to say it's fantastic.

I also love these application its realy shame that there is so few books availible for these app, hope there would be more in the future.

Mr. Silman informed me via email that his Reasses Your Chess book will be coming to e+Chess app in approx 6-8 months. Hopefully sooner

I can guarantee you I will be purchasing the Reassess book via this method when it is available.  Bravo!

I just came across this app today.  Sweet!  I got the book of Morphy's games that goes for $40 in the only paper edition, hardcover.  In this app it was only $12.99 I think? It is this book:

http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review845.pdf

407 games and it includes all the pictures...nice format!

Meanwhile SmartChess (http://www.playsmartchess.com/index.html) is scheduled to release an iPad 3-compatible version (and has been for some time now - I do hope it's not languishing).

I received an email from Smartchess! app developer and their app just had an update. It now works for the ipad 3 and it has a more polished look to it with new boards and pieces to choose from (just make sure you select a board or the app will not work once you come to the first diagram).

It seems like a nice update, lets hope they get some more books available

So I noticed - hurrah! 

A few minor niggles with SmartChess!, which I expect will be fixed in the next release (especially if Andres or the developers are reading this, or I find out the proper way to send feedback):

1) The docs say the font can be changed in Book Settings using the gear icon on the Home screen, but that doesn't appear to be an option.

2) It's great that the font size can be changed so easily while reading, but it would be nice if it would remember the selected size rather than reverting to the default size every time a different book is opened.

3) Being able to move pieces on the board is great, but there doesn't appear to be any way to undo individual moves; hitting the back arrow icon undoes everything.

4) It would be nice if the current move was highlighted in the text, and if tapping on a move in the text jumped to the corresponding position (as in other chess programs). As it is, one has to do an awful lot of tapping to get through a page of moves just to get to the next page. (For example, the 1st page of the adh2050-kokings game in the free book Setting Up Tactical Combinations by Andres.) 

5) The piece sets are all a bit odd looking to my eyes, apart from Lundquist (which is obviously the one I will use). How about offering some of the ones that users of scid, ChessBase, etc. are used to? Merida is a good one.

6) The engine is easily beatable at the maximum difficulty (100), which seems a little inconsistent with the 'seriousness' of the rest of the app. Ok, so I can use another dedicated app for that, but still...

ETA: I guess this should be in a separate thread because we're meant to be discussing e+Chess not SmartChess!

No, I think it's good to look at alternative systems!  Maybe I should change the thread title to "Interactive Mobile Chess Apps!", or something like that.

I'll be honest, though...I don't care for SmartChess.  I tried it, and although it *is* nicer looking as an App, it's not nearly as functional. And let's face it, I think Chess players would prefer substance over looks.  All the problems you're describing, above, don't exist in e+Chess. They did a good job making it exactly what it is supposed to be...an interactive chess board that you can play along with the book.

I recently added Silman's "End Game" book, and it also includes audio clips from the author. Most are "words of encouragement" type quotes, but there are some that are technical in nature, further explaining a principle (Opposition, for example) that supplements the text.

Bronco70 indicated, above, that Silman's Reassess book (arguably one of the best chess training books in a long time) will become available in e+Chess soon.

@fburton

It looks like you can choose the font color to only be black or white at the gear icon and choose three different text sizes on the pages.

In the info button there is an email link for support, Andres is very quick to respond. You should send him your thoughts. He seems very open to ideas and feedback

Okay, I will. Thanks, Bronco70.

I don't think you are missing anything.

ForwardChess appears to be making the running these days in terms of features and regular new books, although I wouldn't write off the e+ app by any means.

The SmartChess! app seems to be moribund. It hasn't been updated for ages, and the server is still not working.

That app is just a pgn reader.. and thest best pgn reader for android is pgn master.. yup eltectronic e book are the best that is the only thing i read these days.. if its not pgn available. No thanx

The best chess apps for android os droid fish its free

Tried many of the iOS and Android apps for reading chess books but can't recomend any of them. They generally make you a lazy player and you lose your visualisation abilities. The chapters are hard to navigate as you don't have any 3D reference as in a normal chess book. Also the pricing of the books seem way too expensive for something which is only software that has no tangible value, i.e you cant onsell an eBook version to another random buyer. In my world the books should be sold for the same price as a cup of coffee just like the iTunes store sells songs. I think the app developers and book authors would make more money by adopting the sell 30 books @ $1.00 than sell 1 book for $30.

I came across this e+Chess app a few days ago while searching for something else. It sounds really good. But I can't find it either on the Apple Store here in the UK or in the USA Apple Store - when I search for it I am told it is not available. This also happens from the "App Download" link  on the e+Books website.

Is it still available? Does anyone know please? Is my failure to find it because I am looking for it on a MacBook Pro I wonder?