Chess Academy for Kids by Geek Kids App Reviews

It teaches the kids how the pieces move but nothing else. The computer has one difficulty level that no 11 year could ever beat. Find a different chess app.

What We Liked: Chess Academy for Kids by Geek Kids has a great, sophisticated design for tweens who are just getting started with chess, but who don’t want to feel like they are being babied. Starting with the basics, the app takes children from moving the pieces right up into special rules and combinations that I – in all honesty – don’t know. This is a great, comprehensive resource that children can use independently to strike out into the world of chess. Parents can also use it as a guide for younger, ambitious children who want to learn chess. I love that the app lets you set-up profiles for multiple children, and the motivating statistics and progress bar are great for kids who are completion-driven. I also really like the chess game module because of the option to turn possible moves on and off – what a great visual to reinforce chess-piece movement (there are SO many different pieces after all, it can be confusing for beginners). My oldest and I have had some games together, and really enjoyed them – it’s still great to play with a more experienced player so you can see exactly why your child is now in checkmate (yep, I let my kids lose)! She has also been spending time with the tutorials and tasks (the beginning ones are pretty simple for her because we started with chess a few months ago), but there is a LOT of content that she hasn’t covered yet (and that I don’t even know – so I can’t teach it to her myself), so I really like that this app can take us beyond the bare basics that I’m personally familiar with. What We Didn’t Like: It would be nice to have a narrated option of the tutorials and tasks for children who are less confident readers. Overall: For far less than the cost of even an economy-model chessboard, you can give your child all the basics (and quite a bit more than that) needed to get started in chess with Chess Academy for Kids by Geek Kids. With sixty tutorials, eighty interactive learning activities, and a chess game mode ideally suited to beginners – everything your independent reader needs for a solid foundation is right here in one handy app.

Where are all the promised tutorials? After 46 of the 140 we couldnt access the rest.

This game is visually appealing and the tutorials are well designed. Unfortunately, once you complete the tutorials things start to go downhill. For children or those new to the game, the computer opponent is quite aggressive and very frustrating to play against, even at 0% difficulty. There is little in the way of in-game coaching, advice on strategy or even general help so I struggle with the academy moniker.

Why does it say "game over" and not "checkmate" when a player wins?

wost program. so sorry to buy. even its not working. Always trow away from program. Do not BUY. Waste of your money

Good value for money, lots of quality fun&learn time with my children.

Not only did I learn to play chess through this app, I also had loads of fun while at it

Программу купил, деньги со счета списаны, загрузить ни на iPhone, ни на iTunes не удается. Ive bought the app, Ive received the receipt, but I cant download the app.

Подборка обучающих задач хорошая, но доходит лишь до уровня "разобрался с правилами". Хотелось бы чуть дальше, может за отдельные деньги. Ориентируюсь на smartgo kifu. Сам я проскочил за полчаса, посмотрим как ребенок. Режим 1v1 нужно понимать буквально. ИИ нет и играть можно только против человека. Есть огрехи в примерах, где не нужно ходить, нарисованы несуществующие ходы. Примеры на двойную атаку фактически примеры вилки или я не разобрался. Не приведен пример под "съесть на проходе". Decent selection of intructables but gets you only to "understood rules" level. Id like to go slightly further; perhaps via a separate purchase. I refer to smart go kifu. I passed all levels in half an hour, I am going to see how long will it take a kid to pass. 1v1 mode should be understood as human vs human, there is no AI. There is a couple of mistakes in levels with instructions, where there is no test: improperly placed pieces. Double attack examples more suit the definition of the "fork". If I understand correctly. There is no description of a "passing pawn" attack ( I do not know the English term for this).

I wish it had more problems to solve. Some problems could use more correct answers.

I really loved the tutorials in this app. The interface was easy to use and understand for my kids. Im looking forward to upgrades with maybe some more challenges to pass off.

Ive played A LOT of chess games on iOS and this one turns out to be the best one available. It has great looks and design, the tutorials are preatty cool for new users (even kids). I love the rotation feature, so playing with another player on the other side of the table is much easier. Cant wait for the AI mode. Great buy!

One of the best games. But seriously lacks a vs. Computer mode, one of the key essentials of these types of games.

Im not much of a chess player (which is why I got this), but a couple of examples in the tutorials make me question their expertise. One early diagram shows a knight attacking like a pawn. And then, according to their own definition of "double attack" they dont then show any double attacks, only more forks (but from bishops and rooks instead of knights and pawns).

The interface works well but I have several quibbles. The first that there is just not enough practice with each concept. Kids need lots of repetition to master a concept and and each of these tutorials only offer one practice. I would also recommend some language changes, notably changing optimal to best. There was one tutorial that had a mistake. A checkmate lesson was supposed to have the knight attacking the queen but it was too close to do that. This program is a great start, but I would not recommend as a teaching tool until there are more practices available.

The new computer mode is great! I can quickly reference the tutorial and go back to my game. I hope this improves my game.

This is a great chess app but it is seriously hurt by the bugs in the vs mode. It seems as though every time Im about to win, the game shuts it self off. I look forward to the update that fixes this issue.

Best app I have ever bought.

This seems to be the best iOs has to offer. Scoring of the current position and other game playing hints would help.