I am worn out with using chessboard

I want to go through chernev's book. Also macdonald's, morphy's , pancolfini's (Russian chess), and others explaining move by move. But i am sick of using a small magnetic chess set. Someone invariably bumps into the table sending some pieces or pawns off the board. I have an iPad and lots of iPhone and iPad chess apps. can someone tell me which app allows you to move both sides? Piece by piece? As slowly as you wish to allow for reading book and studying in between moves. Thanks. Stwils.

Shredder (choose enter moves from the menu). Best app all round.

Shredder on the Ipad can do this(see chessboard in the main menu) and i agree about shredder, it is the best program imo for practicing vs the computer.

Make sure to shut the engine off if you want to enter moves without a reponse from the engine.  I've never used Shredder or any iPhone or iPad, but I'm sure there's an option that allows you to do that somewhere in the menus.

Stockfish on iphone \ ipod has an analysis mode that lets you move both sides. It does analysis on the best line as you go, which makes it fine for book study - but you can't use it for looking at a position you're actively playing.

Shutting off the engine is probably the easy method,  but, if it's possible, you can start a human vs. human game, and just use that mode to enter in moves for both players so you can have a board in front of you while you read your book.

I just use the Chess.com app. Go to computer, then board set up.  You can move the pieces all over the board any way you like.

stwils wrote: It is a great app but even though i choose enter moves, it responds. I want something that I move according to the book.

For shredder:

Hit the plus button

Hit new game white (board comes up)

Hit plus button Hit enter moves button .

Now you can enter moves for both sides at your own pace

Doesn't chess.com have an analyzer board that you can set up pieces & positions, or play both sides from the starting position?  You could use that, or when I'm reading my chess book, I use Chessmaster XI to study the moves.

Dear stwils

I have a similar problem to yours.  Time is not a luxury I have (job etc.) but I do want to improve my chess skills.

Tactics training is one thing, and I try and work through some puzzles when I have free time in the evenings.  But, for example, I bought Jeremy Silman's end game book, as well as his "Amateur's mind".  And more often than not, I find myself forgetting small variations from the end game book, or I want to review some ideas from his middle game book again.  Then it's back to setting up the position on the chess board and playing through the variations again.

So, for the last couple of weeks (OK, it might have been over 2 months now) I have been working (part-time) on a software application that enables me to literally copy & paste text from a chess book or tutorial (PDF or other format), and it will play out the variations for me.  The only requirement is that if you are not playing from a starting position, you will have to setup a board as per diagram from the book.

But that's about it.  The software recognizes algebraic notation moves between the written text, and you will be able to click on it, and see the moves being played on the board, as well as reading the text between the moves.

I will send you a "demo copy" once I'm done.

stwils wrote: I found an app that works! It is called Smart Chess and there are also books you can download to it. It is new. And I wrote support and they emailed me right back and were very helpful.

How do you download books to it? Is there a good selection of books available?  Keep us updated and tell us how you like/dislike it. I have an iPad also and would be interested in your opinions. Thanks!

I just downloaded it. It seems decent. It has some good books by pandolfini and heisman coming out soon. It's on sale this month (october) $2 off regular price.