Chessbook review: scores and evidence

A1 :2Importing your games (Chess.com, Lichess, PGN files)

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 game

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 games

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…)

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

B1 :3Building a personal repertoire

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)

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 games

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)

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: “engine evaluation and statistics from master games”; no published protocol

B5 :3Opening explorer and statistics

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 ideas

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: “middlegame planning insights”; no traps and no annotated model games observed

C1 :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 training

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)

https://www.chessbook.com/: “spaced repetition”; no algorithm named

C9 :2Personalized training plan

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: reviews fall due through spaced repetition, the same mechanic for everyone; no time budget

D1 :2What the free plan actually lets you do

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 plan

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)

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)

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)

E1 :1Published evidence of effectiveness

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)

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)

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: “fastest way to build a bulletproof opening repertoire” (a superlative)

F1 :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 updated

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: store listing updated in 2025 and 2026; no dated changelog consulted

G1 :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

H1 :3Platforms available (web, iOS, Android, desktop)

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)

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 incidents

https://www.chessbook.com/: depends on the server; no incident observed

I1 :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

J1 :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)

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: no leaderboard and no streak

K1 :2Exporting your data (games, repertoire)

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)

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 code

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415: PGN only