Really Bad Chess

Name: Really Bad Chess
Rating: 3.8 (1624 reviews)
Author: Zach Gage

By: Zach Gage

Chess minus memorization

Features & Capabilities

Really Bad Chess is chess with totally random pieces, offering a fresh challenge even for seasoned players. Try 8 Knights, 4 Bishops, and 3 pawns — it’s chaotic yet familiar, and has earned coverage from NPR’s Weekend Edition and praise from outlets like The Verge and Pocket Gamer.

The app includes a Freeplay mode and AI-powered Ranked, Daily, and Weekly challenges. A single in-app purchase unlocks Versus Mode to play with friends locally, and also removes ads, shows captured pieces, and adds customizable color palettes.

User Growth & Download Statistics

App Games Entertainment

By:

Zach Gage

Rating:

3.80

(1,624) 1 new ratings

Version:

1.6.1 Last updated: 2026-03-21

Version code:

883593441

Creation date:

2016-10-13

Compatible devices:

Size:

116.39MB

URLs:

Website ,Privacy policy

Full description:

Source:

Apple Apps Store

Data ingested on:

2026-06-08

Compare stats and ranking:

Ranking

# 51,302 ▼ 9

For Developers

Monetize with App Pass Boost with Extension Booster

Contact the developer

Chrome-Stats does not own this Apple app. Please use these information below to contact the Apple app developer.

Developed by:

Zach Gage

Apple Apps Store

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/really-bad-chess/id1109751921

Website:

http://www.reallybadchess.com/presskit

User Reviews

Really Bad Chess is praised for its innovative daily-board concept and training value, with players noting skill improvements. However, recurring downsides include intrusive ads, compatibility and scaling issues on older devices, various bugs and AI quirks, potential loss of purchases after updates, and disruptive UI/animation changes. Overall sentiment centers on admiration for the concept and learning potential, tempered by persistent usability and stability problems.

Pros

Innovative daily/random-piece board that can teach and improve chess.
Fun, engaging gameplay with real training value that some players report improving their ELO.
Strong developer reputation and support, with praise like 'Absolute genius' and continued updates.
Good for beginners/intermediate players, offering teachable moments and practice.
Relaxing, accessible way to play chess and unwind.

Cons

Ads are excessive and intrusive, with complaints about frequent ads and paywall frustrations.
Compatibility and UI scaling problems after updates, especially on older devices (older iPhones/iPads) and screen sizing issues.
Bugs and AI behavior concerns, including pieces disappearing, endless loops, stalemate issues, and lag in ranked mode.
Progress and paid features can reset or require repurchase after updates.
UI changes/animations are distracting and users request a toggle option for animations.

Recent reviews

Ads lately have been more scam-y than usual. I am deleting.

by ve*****, 2026-05-07

I’ve been an avid player of this game for years, and have gotten lots of enjoyment from playing your game, Zach. You might have even seen me if you play the Weekly Challenge mode and check the leaderboards, (hi, I’m AmyRoseFan on the leaderboard!) and I’m making this as a PSA to anyone coming here because of the recent updates or for anyone who has not yet updated their game, and my message is simple: DO NOT UPDATE YOUR GAME. I play this game on an old iPhone 8 running a version of iOS that is beyond outdated, because I have paranoia about updating the iOS version and losing access to old apps I have because they’re no longer supported, and I found out the hard way that my version of iOS cannot run the newest version of this game at all. This is because that for all versions beyond 1.4.7, the version of iOS that I run is incompatible with this app. All it does is open and immediately crash. It’s a shame, because I wanted to try out the new game mode and see if I could finally hit rank 100 in ranked mode, (I’m at 96) but I guess I’ll have to do that when my current device bites the dust. If you have this issue as well, or you simply want to go back to the old version, look up a program called iMazing on your computer, set it up, hook up your device with it, and use the library tab in the “Manage Apps” option, found under Quick Actions once you’ve selected your device, and right click on the app to find the “Show Available Versions” option. Use that to roll back the game version to the version of your choice. Very useful program. This game is a ton of fun, and I will continue to enjoy it on the old version, but unfortunately, the newest versions are unplayable on old hardware.

by Am*****, 2026-04-09

I’ve been using this app for several years and I’ve enjoyed it. But ever since the recent update it will not open on my older iPads. It says it requires iOS 13 or later, but that is incorrect. Please fix the app so it works on the older devices!