Your pocket chess club

Cozy chess for every variant.

Chessnook is a charming, fully offline chess app for iPhone and iPad — with a friendly dog mascot to guide you from your very first move.

Chessnook app icon
Chessnook gameplay screenshot on iPhone

Made to be picked up — and put down.

Designed for beginners, casual players, and anyone who wants a calmer game.

A friendly mascot

A cheerful dog cheers you on, reacts to your moves, and softens losses with a wag of the tail.

100% offline

No accounts, no servers, no sign-ups. Play anywhere — on the train, on a plane, on the couch.

Adjustable AI

From gentle Easy to a tough Master, the AI scales with you. Practice openings or sharpen tactics.

Cute themes

Swap board and piece styles to match your mood. Earn or unlock new skins through in-app purchases.

Puzzles

Bite-sized puzzles teach checkmates, tactics, and piece values without ever feeling like homework.

Three languages

Traditional Chinese, English, and Japanese — switch any time from inside the app.

Two boards, more on the way.

Chessnook starts with Chinese chess (Xiangqi) — we're adding more variants over time.

XIANGQI · 象棋

Standard Chinese Chess (Xiangqi)

The full 9×10 board with River and Palace. Cross the river, ride the cannon, and corner the General.

BANQI · 暗棋

Dark Chess (Flip Chess)

A 4×8 flip-board variant where every move reveals a new piece. Quick games, surprising swings.

Coming next: Western chess (西洋棋) and more.

Get Chessnook

Free on the App Store. iPhone & iPad. iOS 17 and later.