Chessbook review: scores and evidence
Chessbook builds an opening repertoire from the player’s Lichess and Chess.com games and from Lichess database statistics, with spaced-repetition training and automatic detection of gaps. It covers neither tactics, nor endgames, nor full game analysis.
Read on August 30, 2026 from the service’s public pages — every score cites the page read.
Overall score
3.8/ 10
Rank
16/ 128
Free-only score
3.7/ 10
quotas counted
Languages
1
Listed price
$79.99/yr (annual price shown on the App Store listing; $7.99/mo) ≈ €73.59
What the service is
Chessbook is published by Chess Book, Inc., the seller named on the App Store, where the listing carries the line “© 2026 ChessBook, Inc.”. The service exists to build an opening repertoire: you create your lines, review them by spaced repetition, and let the app find the gaps from your Lichess and Chess.com games. It runs on the web and as an iOS and Android app; the App Store listing shows 4.9/5 from more than 2,000 ratings. The business model is a single-tier freemium: free up to 400 repertoire moves, then Chessbook Pro at $7.99 a month or $79.99 a year, billed as an in-app purchase. The site at chessbook.com is rendered entirely in JavaScript and serves no text at all, which leaves the App Store listing as the only public page readable without a browser.
Activity history
- 2026-0828 August 2026: iOS version 1.3.42, the sixth update that month (from 1.3.34 on 11 August to 1.3.42 on 28 August).
- 2026-06June 2026: seven versions shipped between the 2nd and the 19th (1.3.12 to 1.3.31), the fastest run in the public version history.
- 2026-025 February 2026: version 1.3.2, the first of the 1.3 branch after eighteen months of 1.2 releases.
- 2025-122 December 2025: version 1.2.164, the only update between August 2025 and January 2026.
- 2025-0614 June 2025: version 1.2.156, the oldest entry the App Store’s public version history keeps.
The scores, evidence by evidence
Every score points to the page read and the fact found there. A fact documented nowhere is not credited: document it, then write to us.
APersonalized diagnosis
2.1A1 :2Importing your games (Chess.com, Lichess, PGN files)free
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: “Integration with Lichess and Chess.com for game analysis”; no PGN import of over-the-board games observed
A2 :1Automatic engine analysis of every gamefree
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: “engine evaluation” position by position; no analysis of each game as a whole
A3 :1Recurring mistakes identified across all your gamesfree
https://www.chessbook.com/: “game statistics… automatic gap detection” — gaps in the repertoire, with no error named and counted
A4 :1Types of mistakes covered (tactics, strategy, endgame, time…)free
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: a single axis, the openings
A5 :0Written explanation of each mistake
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: evaluations and statistics, no written explanation
A6 :0Stated verification of the diagnoses (procedure, rates)
https://www.chessbook.com/: a JavaScript site that serves no readable text; no information on reliability
A7 :0Tracking each weakness over time
https://www.chessbook.com/: no history observed
A8 :0Comparison with players of the same rating
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: the rating-band statistics describe the moves, not the player; the player is never compared
BOpenings
7.8B1 :3Building a personal repertoirequota
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: “custom repertoire creation” plus moves suggested from rating-band statistics and from imported games
B2 :2Training the repertoire (drills, games)free
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: interactive drilling plus spaced repetition; no full games against the repertoire
B3 :2Spotting where you left your repertoire in your gamesfree
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: Lichess and Chess.com import to spot repertoire gaps in your own games; no conversion into exercises observed
B4 :2Verification of the lines taught (engine, practice)free
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: “engine evaluation and statistics from master games”; no published protocol
B5 :3Opening explorer and statisticsfree
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: a master database, online statistics by rating band and the player’s own games, with engine evaluations
B6 :2Explanation of opening plans and ideasfree
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: “middlegame planning insights”; no traps and no annotated model games observed
CTargeted training
1.9C1 :0Exercises drawn from your own games
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: no exercises drawn from your own games outside the openings
C2 :0Bank of tactical exercises (size, themes, rating)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: no tactics bank
C3 :0Endgame training
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: nothing on endgames
C4 :1Strategic and positional trainingfree
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: “Learn middlegame plans for any opening” — reading, with no exercise
C5 :0Training defense and alertness
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: no defensive exercise
C6 :0Training calculation and visualization
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: nothing
C7 :0Difficulty matched to your real level
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: the repertoire is chosen by hand
C8 :2Spaced repetition (named algorithm)free
https://www.chessbook.com/: “spaced repetition”; no algorithm named
C9 :2Personalized training planfree
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: reviews fall due through spaced repetition, the same mechanic for everyone; no time budget
DPrice and value
7.5D1 :2What the free plan actually lets you dofree
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: free up to 400 repertoire moves, enough for real use
D2 :2Annual price of the full planfree
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: $79.99/year, about €73.59 (the €31–75 band)
D3 :2Commercial transparency (price shown, trial, cancellation)free
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: price shown up front, a free tier, cancellation through the store; refunds not documented
D4 :3Number of paid tiers (how simple the offer is)free
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: free for 400 moves, then a single Pro tier ($7.99 a month or $79.99 a year)
EEvidence and transparency
2.5E1 :1Published evidence of effectivenessfree
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: testimonials (“My ELO has risen by 1000”) with no method
E2 :0Chess verification of the content (positions, lines)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: engine evaluations shown on the user’s own lines; no verification or review of the service’s own content announced, and no correction on report (in line with En Croissant and Chessalyz, I2=0).
E3 :1Transparency of the method (algorithms, code)free
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: “spaced repetition” and “engine”, with no parameters named
E4 :1Marketing claims that can be checked (no overselling)free
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: “fastest way to build a bulletproof opening repertoire” (a superlative)
FContent and method
0.7F1 :0Courses organized by rating level
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: no course
F2 :0Course authors named and titled
https://www.chessbook.com/: no authors and no team identified on the pages consulted
F3 :0Content formats (text, video, interactive)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: a tool, not content
F4 :0Published method of progression
https://www.chessbook.com/: no published method
F5 :1How often the content is updatedfree
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: store listing updated in 2025 and 2026; no dated changelog consulted
GPlaying and practice
0.0G1 :0Playing humans online (pool, anti-cheating)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: not possible
G2 :0Realistic artificial opponents
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: no opponent
G3 :0Replaying one specific position against the machine
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: not possible
G4 :0Tournaments and organized competition
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: none
HExperience and accessibility
4.7H1 :3Platforms available (web, iOS, Android, desktop)free
https://www.chessbook.com/: web, plus https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415 (iOS) and Android
H2 :3User ratings and reviews (stores, press)free
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: 4.9/5 from more than 2,000 ratings
H3 :0Interface languages available
one language observed — https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: English only
H4 :0Accessibility (keyboard, screen reader)
https://www.chessbook.com/: no accessibility page
H5 :1Offline use and known incidentsfree
https://www.chessbook.com/: depends on the server; no incident observed
IPreparation and study
0.0I1 :0Preparing for a named opponent
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: no opponent-preparation feature
I2 :0Annotating and sharing games (studies)
https://www.chessbook.com/ (page rendered in JavaScript, meta tags only): no annotation and no sharing observed
I3 :0Entering a game played at a club (photo, scoresheet)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: no way to key in or photograph a game
I4 :0Searching your games (filters, position)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: Lichess and Chess.com games are read back for the repertoire, but no listing and no search observed
JHuman coaching and community
2.5J1 :0Access to human coaches
https://www.chessbook.com/: no coach
J2 :0Size and activity of the community
https://www.chessbook.com/: no community observed
J3 :0Tools for trainers, clubs and schools
https://www.chessbook.com/: no coach workspace
J4 :3Engagement mechanics (streaks, virtual currency, reminders)free
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: no leaderboard and no streak
KPersonal data and interoperability
4.4K1 :2Exporting your data (games, repertoire)free
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: PGN export of the repertoire mentioned in the listing (the FAQ is unreadable, the site being JavaScript)
K2 :1Protection of personal data (GDPR, hosting)free
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: “no user data collected” declared; the policy and the hosting are not readable on https://www.chessbook.com/
K3 :1Public API and source codefree
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: PGN only
Also, outside the grid
Features found that no criterion measures. They do not count towards the score.
- repertoire coverage tracked per opening
- transpositions handled automatically
- moves filtered by frequency at your level
Sources consulted
Services with a similar profile
The three services whose category profile is closest — a distance over the eleven scores, computed, never chosen.