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I just downloaded the new version - available now in the App Store. Here's what's new: - New "Database" feature: download and view PGN files!! - Replaced the computer's difficulty levels with ratings: play against any Elo rating from 500 to 2500 - Replaced the Statistics feature with new "Profile" feature: play against the computer for rating points, and track your progress with the rating history feature The new stuff looks fantastic (although I guess I'll never achieve my goal of beating Level 8 now...). Most vital I guess is the database feature, adding a capability that until now was exclusive to Chess Genius (which hasn't seen an update in some time now). You can upload PGN from an entered Internet address, and the game includes a small Bobby Fischer database file for you to try out. You can view the PGN before loading it into the game screen as well. If you want to look at other games, there are already bookmarks to a "Gary Kasparov collection" and a "World Championship 2008" file (hosted on tchess.com) as well. Nice! I like the new ratings and profile-related feature as well. The one drawback I can see so far: the Resign and Offer Draw options (which were formerly very well hidden in the Statistics section of all places) now seem to have disappeared entirely. Maybe they'll make a come-back sometime soon. All in all, this seems like a small price to pay for all the new goodies. :-)

When iPhone users are online does the little blinking beacon appear beside their name indicating they are online? I'm guessing maybe it doesn't.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=329218549&mt=8 don't forget to give us a good review!

Download here: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=329218549&mt=8 Please let us know if you find bugs! We have really focused on stability - hopefully we've made improvements!!

"Email Chess" by SpryBytes (URL opens iTunes) is a new application in the AppStore. You can check out the developers site that includes some screenshots. From the developers web site: ------ Email Chess is a beautifully designed chess game for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Email Chess provides a fun way to play chess with friends, one turn at time, whenever you have a free moment. Got a minute? Play a turn of Email Chess! Features: Beautifully rendered graphics and piece move animations Two methods of moving pieces: Tap-to-Move and Drag-to-Move Available moves are highlighted for the selected piece Animated movement assistance for precise selection of the destination tile In-app email composition (iPhone OS 3.0) Undo last move, with animation Show opponent's last move, with animation Simultaneous games with one or more opponents Automatic start of app by tapping link in email Offer draw and/or resign from game Requirements: iPhone or iPod Touch, OS 3.0 or higher Email account, accessible from the iPhone OS Mail application ------ If anyone gets this app, you can post your thoughts and experiences here!

When I flip the board view using Shredder iPhone app it also decides to switch the side it's playing and make the next move! Has anyone else noticed this? Any way to just flip the view without changing sides? Does Hiarcs allow you to reverse the view?

I notice in the Chess.com iPhone App v1.00 Online Analysis mode that I can't step backwards from the current position. This might be a nice feature, to help one firgure out where one went wrong in the current game.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/05/study-paints-iphone-users_n_346644.html lol

This one was cheap ($0.99), so I grabbed it the other night just to check it out. It's pretty basic & has all the usual stuff; it's neither the best nor worst looking chess app out there. (Check out the app's uquery page.) Apparently, its engine is a relative of Gromit, and it's got a 23000-move opening book. One thing about the app kind of blew me away though--or almost blew me away... let's go with "would blow me away" if I can figure out how this works... Apparently, the app seems (potentially? one day?) capable of handling variant lines and annotation. In particular, see this screen-shot that shows options to include comments and lines: The only trouble is... how to get them in there. This screen is not (as far as I can tell) editable in any way. Moreover, taking back moves and playing different moves on the actual chessboard does *not* seem to create sub-lines in this view either. So either I've completely missed the train, or else this feature has only been partially implemented in the current version. I'll be watching for updates because if this thing really does (will) support variations & commentary, it will be an iPhone/Touch first. Of course, if it already does fully support variations & commentary, will someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong! (I've left a question in the Mastersoft support forums, so we'll see what they say...) Cheers

tChess Pro has long been one of my preferred chess apps--which maybe isn't such a big deal because I have five or six that I truly love. But still, it's a good one. It's slick looking and obviously comes from an author/developer who cares about chess and wants to help people improve their game. It's got a unique system for showing main-line options from book openings as you play, and you can even pick your desired opening before you start. It's also the only app on the market that allows you to play blindfold chess. The UI is deceptively simple but benefits from several zones that respond to taps or swipes and provide access to some cool and useful features. The analysis view is nicely implemented. As of today, there's a new version out that adds the following: - Captured Pieces display Always a plus! - Added "Copy & Paste Game" feature This is pretty cool. Opens a text window that includes the PGN for the current game (if any), so you can copy it to your clipboard. You can also paste PGN into this window to load a game direct from text. - Added "Flip Top Pieces" feature (an option) A bit of a strange one. Flips the top pieces upside down. I guess the idea is that you can play a two-(human) player game without having to pass the phone or flip the board every time: Two players just sit on opposite sides of the phone and learn to deal with the fact that the 'bad guys' are always upside down from your point of view. It's creative, anyway. :) This shot highlights the flip feature and the new display of captured pieces: - Corrected toolbar icon size in OS 3.x - Improved engine strength by 30 Elo Lean & mean, and $7.99.. Very much in active development, this one's a keeper. Cheers!

http://www.uquery.com/ Hurrah. Here's a quality search tool that doesn't require opening iTunes. You can even initiate a purchase from uquery (but that will definitely open iTunes). Cheers

Looks like a new Chess related iPhone app is on the market. It's PsyGames's "Chess Problems" (URL will open iTunes). You can go to the game's web site for more info: http://chess-problems.com/ (not a bad domain name). I haven't purchased it yet, but maybe if someone else does we could get a few reviews posted here.

I'm looking for 20 people interested in beta testing the upcoming chess.com iphone app. First 20 to post here (and who have iphone/ipod touch) get it. :)

Chess Quizz (URL opens iTunes) by Lionel Goldgewicht has been released to the App Store for $1.99 USD. The developer's web site simply says "OPENING ON 21 SEPTEMBER 2009". Keep an eye out tomorrow for the site. The parent domain, ChessQuizz.com, seems interesting. From the App's description: ChessQuizz is a collection of 360 chess problems form the best games of chess history. ChessQuizz lets you improve your chess level with fun and keep track of your progression. Features: 360 Chess problems to solve 5 difficulty levels best move help statistics (performance and graph) If anyone gets, it please post your thought here!

Animal Chess (link opens iTunes) by Richard Burgess has been released to the App Store. There is also Animal Chess lite. It's not traditional chess, but looks to be a fun challenge. The full version is sold for $0.99 USD From the developer's web site: Animal Chess or "Dou Shou Qi" is the ancient Chinese game of fighting animals. Westerners may be more familiar with its modern descendant, Stratego. Dou Shou Qi is simpler and faster to play, but no less of a challenge! Fun for adults and children alike! Play against your friends with either Pass N' Play on one iPhone or over your wireless network, or challenge yourself against the computer on one of four difficulty levels: Easy, Medium, Hard, or, if you dare, Sun Tzu! Easy to pick up and learn, hard to master, perfect for a quick gaming session.

The end of our long wait is near! http://www.hiarcs.com/iHiarcsChess.htm The link has some lovely screenshots.

Hello all! I'd like to see two of our members create a chess match using two different engines cranked to their highest level of competence. As per the Chess.com rules, engines can be used in correspondence games as long as both parties agree to it and the game is unrated. Having said that: Who would like to be the two members who would handle this match? What two engines would be the most exciting to match up? Unfortunately, not being a terribly adept chess player, I don't find chess engines to be of much use to me and thus don't have any on my iPhone -- so I can't be much of a help in this endeavor. I think this opens up some other exciting opportunites. For instance, a match between Fritz and Shredder both set at 2200 -- who's the "better" 2200? An older version of Fritz vs a newer version of Fritz. Equal versions of Fritz at equal strength. Fritz on a dektop machine vs. Fritz on the iPhone. Etc. etc. Substitute the word "Fritz" for any other worthy engine on the iPhone as well.

Reversi Online Tournament (URL opens iTunes) is on sale for FREE from $1.99 USD. No idea how long it's on sale for. Okay, so it's not chess, but sometimes you need some variety. From the developer's web site: Details Reversi Online Tournament is one of the first revolutionary online games that is designated to the iPhone/iPod Touch. Meet new people online or play against your friends. Gain points in a special online ranking system, one that rewards you for playing against stronger foes. Fight so that you can make the "Hall of Fame," a list of the top ten best players. You start off with a 1200 rating. How far will you get? Who will you challenge? You can play against players in countries around the world, including the US, Russia, Poland, and the UK. It does not matter where your opponents are from, as long as you rack up wins and have fun in the process. And once the game is over, you are more than free to chat with your opponents, many of whom live in countries all over the world! All this thanks to Reversi Online Tournament. Enjoy! NOTE: This game requires your iPhone/iPod to be constantly connected to the Internet! FEATURES: -Online game with opponents from the entire world -General chat, and a chat accessible in individual games -Ability to pick an opponent from a general list -Ability to watch other individuals playing -Most well-known rating system, known as "Elo" -Ability to see the rating of each opponent -Return to the game in case of a loss of Internet

Was just doing my periodic search of the app store and came accross the ChessDB app. Looks like it was just released last week. I was wondering if anyone here had already bought it and had an opinion. From the description and screenshots it sounds promising, but there are no reviews or rating in the app store for the first-hand perspective.

If you need a beta tester to test your app(s) just message me. I'll let you know what I think about the app and will have many suggestions of how to make your app better. I'll work for free! So if you need beta testers just message me!