Sometimes there is no board in the bag, but there is an iPad on the table. ChessWOW turns your iPad, iPhone or Mac into a board for two players, with a chess clock and the pieces facing each player. No account, no connection, no ads. After the game, both of you can look at the report and see where it was decided.
How to start a game in four steps
- Step 1
Open "Play" and choose "Two players".
- Step 2
Enter both names, so the game is easy to find in your library later.
- Step 3
Choose the time. Play without a clock, or with 5, 10, 15 or 30 minutes per player. Add 0, 2, 3, 5 or 10 seconds per move if you like.
- Step 4
Choose how the board turns, see below, and start.
Three ways to sit
- Sit opposite. The iPad lies flat between you. Pieces and clock at the top are turned upside down, exactly like a real board on a table, so both players see their own pieces upright.
- Turn after every move. The device is passed back and forth or both sit on the same side. The board turns so the player to move always has their pieces at the bottom.
- Keep the board fixed. White stays at the bottom. Useful when you show a game to someone or play both sides yourself.
- Sit opposite
- Turn after every move
- Keep the board fixed
Why an iPad works well for this
On an iPad the board is large enough for two people to see every square from across a table, and the clock is part of the screen, so there is nothing else to set up. On an iPhone, "turn after every move" is often more comfortable than sitting opposite. On a Mac, the board fills the window and you can play at a desk. All three use the same rules and the same game format.
Fair rules for both players
A two-player game runs without engine, hints or blunder warning, so the result is decided by the two of you. You can offer a draw, which the other player accepts or declines on the same screen, or resign. If time runs out and the opponent has no material left to mate with, the game is a draw, as in the official rules.
Teaching someone to play
One shared screen is a good way to teach chess to a child or a friend who is just starting. Choose "Sit opposite", play slowly without a clock, and talk through the moves as you go. After the game, open the report together: the evaluation graph shows in one picture where the game changed, which is easier to understand for a beginner than a list of moves. When the new player is ready for more, the Beginner level of Stockfish makes deliberate mistakes and is a patient first opponent.
After the game: settle the discussion
Every two-player game is saved in the library. Open the game report to see accuracy for both sides, the evaluation graph and the critical moments in words. That usually settles the question "was it winning at move 20?" quickly. You can also replay any position against Stockfish or set up a new starting position in the board editor to practise a specific endgame together.
Questions and answers
Does two-player mode need the internet?
No. It works fully offline on iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Can we play with a chess clock?
Yes. Choose 5, 10, 15 or 30 minutes per player, with 0 to 10 seconds added per move, or play without a clock.
Can we sit opposite each other?
Yes. In "Sit opposite", pieces and clock at the top are turned upside down, like a real board on a table.
Does the engine help either player?
No. Two-player games run without engine, hints or blunder warning. Report and analysis are available afterwards.
Are the games saved?
Yes, with both names in your library on the device. You can share a game as PGN.
Continue with
Your next board is already on the table.
ChessWOW for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Offline, no account.
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