Learning opening theory is a normal part of every chess player’s development. Any player would want to establish a good grasp of the principles and techniques of the opening phase.
However, with the thousands of opening variations available, it might be difficult to know where to start. Luckily, technology has provided us with several valuable aids for learning chess.
These resources come in different forms, including articles, blogs, software, or applications. And you can readily access them through your phone or computer.
So, I’ll discuss the top 5 best apps to learn chess openings in this post. I’ll also delve into the features and qualities that make them beneficial in your chess journey.
Top 5 Apps for Learning Chess Openings
There are numerous chess learning aids available on the market for different player levels. For newbies, here are five of the best chess-opening apps available for Android and iOS:
1. Chess Openings Pro by LR Studios
Chess Openings Pro is a tool banking on its vast index of chess openings. The app currently offers 10,000 opening variations users can learn and explore.
In addition to its opening database, the app recorded over 2 million Grandmaster games. It’s a great resource you can utilize for studying chess opening theories.
One highlighting feature of the app is the interactive guide while you play. The app’s integrated chess engine will analyze positions and suggest moves, which is extremely helpful for novices.
Here’s the best part, Chess Opening Pro will provide statistics on the winning rates of opening moves. It includes how many Grandmaster matches have been played with the same piece positions as the one you’re playing.
Finally, users can search for a specific opening by name or make a move and let the app identify it. You can access all these features by upgrading to the app’s pro version.
2. Opening Tree – Chess Openings by Michael Adams
Opening Tree – Chess Openings is an excellent tool for players looking for comprehensive chess opening software. It has an opening play database, analysis, and practice features.
Their extensive collection contains over 345,000 high-rated games from the last decade of chess tournaments. The app scans the chess positions and identifies the opening variation.
One notable part about this application is it uses the Stockfish engine for its game analysis. So, you can rest assured that you’re receiving high-quality tips from the software.
Like other top-notch chess opening software, Opening Tree – Chess Opening provides statistics on every move—showing the percentage of matches that have resulted in a win, loss or draw.
You can even save chess games in PGN format and load them inside the application. This way, you can review and analyze games from prolific chess figures and learn from them.
The most remarkable feature of this application is that it caters to visually impaired chess players. It has a voice-over function that narrates moves and in-app texts.
3. Chess Openings by FinoppAcc
FinoppAcc’s chess opening application provides a functional interface for beginner and expert players. It boasts over 600 chess openings for its users to review and learn.
With this app, you can examine opening plays by scanning the expansive database of chess openings with ECO codes. Or, play the moves and let the software identify them for you.
One key feature of Chess Openings I like is its accessibility, even without an internet connection. This way, users can enjoy the app’s services anytime and anywhere, like having a portable chess opening manual in their pocket.
Do you want to learn and master specific plays for your next match? The app allows you to save as many opening titles under its “favorites” option—talk about handy.
4. Chess Opening Lab by Chess King
Chess Opening Lab is another exceptional app for learning the intricacies of opening theory. It offers a holistic approach to learning opening plays and the principles at play in each of them.
I particularly enjoyed the app’s theory section. This portion of the software provides an overview and a detailed explanation of the ideas behind an opening variation.
In addition, the application teaches the users through an interactive hint. It uses classic matches from famous chess players throughout history as examples so you can learn from the best.
Want to try your knowledge of chess opening theories? Try the app’s training section with over 350 drills, covering 40 chess opening variations on different difficulty levels.
Chess Opening Lab even dives into the history of the plays—their origin and current status. Want to learn more about chess opening facts and tidbits? Try this app.
5. Liches: Free Online Chess by Lichess.org
Lichess: Free Online Chess is a platform for playing chess with millions of players from different parts of the world. It’s a free software offering countless chess learning services as well.
The application uses Stockfish as its main engine in analyzing piece positions. However, it utilizes other engine variations, including Maia and Leela, for human-optimized gameplay.
You can learn chess openings from the app’s study section. It provides an abundant supply of tutorials on several opening variations, such as the Sicilian defense and attacks.
The high-quality game analysis feature lets you review gameplay openings. It’s an exceptional resource for studying high-rated matches and building your opening arsenal.
The elements I like most about Liches study are the annotation and commentary options for moves. This feat makes for easier studying, which is missing in other chess-opening apps.
The only downside to Lichess is the lack of a detailed discussion of opening theory principles. But it does offer coaching services and collaboration with other players.
Final Thoughts
The complexity of chess openings made it one of the most studied elements of the game. With thousands of variations and evolving theories, players invest considerable time honing their opening tactics and approaches.
That said, regardless of where you are on the chess skill ladder, a good chess opening aid goes a long way. These five applications offer the best resources to improve your opening game!
