ChessX review: scores and evidence
Free desktop software for managing PGN databases, annotating, searching positions, showing the move tree, consulting the Lichess masters book and analysing with Stockfish or Leela. It offers no exercises, courses, diagnosis or online play.
Read on August 30, 2026 from the service’s public pages — every score cites the page read.
Overall score
3.1/ 10
Rank
36/ 128
Languages
12
Listed price
free (free software GPL, chessx.sourceforge.io)
What the service is
ChessX is a free, open-source chess database program for Windows, macOS and Linux, released under the GPL-2.0 licence. The official site (chessx.sourceforge.io) names Jens Nissen as its author; the GitHub repository (github.com/Isarhamster/chessx) carries the copyright line "2024-2005, ChessX authors", which places the project’s origin in 2005, with no other founding date or publishing company published. The program loads and saves PGN files, opens several databases at once, merges and deduplicates databases, sorts games into categories, records moves, variations and comments, and searches games by position or text. It shows the move tree of a database, queries the Lichess masters opening book, reads and writes Lichess studies since version 1.6.6 of January 2026, analyses with UCI and Winboard engines of your choice (Stockfish, Leela) and consults Nalimov and Syzygy endgame tablebases up to 7 pieces. It is entirely free: nothing to pay and nothing to cancel, and translations ship in about a dozen languages including French. ChessX offers no exercises, no courses, no weakness diagnosis and no online play; the latest version, 1.6.10, is dated March 2026 in the repository changelog.
Activity history
- 2026-03Version 1.6.10 (changelog, March 2026; "Prepare version 1.6.10" commit of 12 March 2026): fix for opening SCID databases, progress indicator while reading tags, adaptation to the new Lichess API endpoint.
- 2026-01Versions 1.6.6 and 1.6.8 (January 2026): read/write of Lichess studies, extra columns in the opening tree, comment entry without a dialog, then fixes for opening files on Windows.
- 2024-09Version 1.6.4 (September 2024): fix for engine option serialisation under Qt6, following 1.6.2 of July 2024 (UTF-8 in annotations, repetition with en passant).
- 2023-01Version 1.5.8 (January 2023): ECO codes preserved, optional source tag when merging, support for the Lichess opening databases.
- 2020-12Version 1.5.6 (December 2020): reading of Scid binary databases (*.si4), variation arrows, access to online Chess.com/Lichess games.
- 2018-02Version 1.5.0 (February 2018): dark theme, multi-selection in the database list, FICS console with a command line.
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
1.3A1 :2Importing your games (Chess.com, Lichess, PGN files)
https://github.com/Isarhamster/chessx — loading of whole PGN files (batch import)
A2 :1Automatic engine analysis of every game
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — "Analyze with engines of your choice" on demand; no documented automatic pass
A3 :0Recurring mistakes identified across all your games
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — nothing aggregated
A4 :0Types of mistakes covered (tactics, strategy, endgame, time…)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — no typology
A5 :0Written explanation of each mistake
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — engine evaluation only
A6 :0Stated verification of the diagnoses (procedure, rates)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — not applicable
A7 :0Tracking each weakness over time
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — no history
A8 :0Comparison with players of the same rating
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — no comparison
BOpenings
3.3B1 :2Building a personal repertoire
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — PGN databases + "tree of variations": free-form building
B2 :1Training the repertoire (drills, games)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — replaying lines; no documented drill
B3 :0Spotting where you left your repertoire in your games
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — none
B4 :0Verification of the lines taught (engine, practice)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — not documented
B5 :2Opening explorer and statistics
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — "Lichess' master openings book" + tree of the database
B6 :1Explanation of opening plans and ideas
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — names and moves (ECO), no teaching
CTargeted training
0.0C1 :0Exercises drawn from your own games
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — no exercises
C2 :0Bank of tactical exercises (size, themes, rating)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — no bank
C3 :0Endgame training
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — Nalimov/Syzygy tablebases for analysis, not for training
C4 :0Strategic and positional training
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — no exercises
C5 :0Training defense and alertness
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — no exercises
C6 :0Training calculation and visualization
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — nothing
C7 :0Difficulty matched to your real level
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — not applicable
C8 :0Spaced repetition (named algorithm)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — none
C9 :0Personalized training plan
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — none
DPrice and value
10.0D1 :3What the free plan actually lets you do
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — "free and open source"
D2 :3Annual price of the full plan
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — EUR 0
D3 :3Commercial transparency (price shown, trial, cancellation)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — nothing to pay or cancel
D4 :3Number of paid tiers (how simple the offer is)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — GPL-2.0 free software, entirely free of charge
EEvidence and transparency
4.2E1 :0Published evidence of effectiveness
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — no data
E2 :0Chess verification of the content (positions, lines)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — no content to verify
E3 :3Transparency of the method (algorithms, code)
https://github.com/Isarhamster/chessx — GPL-2.0 source code
E4 :2Marketing claims that can be checked (no overselling)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — factual description
FContent and method
0.7F1 :0Courses organized by rating level
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — no courses
F2 :0Course authors named and titled
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — no content author
F3 :0Content formats (text, video, interactive)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — no content
F4 :0Published method of progression
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — none
F5 :1How often the content is updated
https://github.com/Isarhamster/chessx/commits/master — "Prepare version 1.6.10" 12 March 2026 (< 12 months, > 3 months)
GPlaying and practice
0.0G1 :0Playing humans online (pool, anti-cheating)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — no documented online play
G2 :0Realistic artificial opponents
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — "No play against the engine mentioned"
G3 :0Replaying one specific position against the machine
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — position analysis, not play
G4 :0Tournaments and organized competition
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — none
HExperience and accessibility
3.3H1 :0Platforms available (web, iOS, Android, desktop)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — desktop only
H2 :0User ratings and reviews (stores, press)
https://sourceforge.net/projects/chessx/files/ — 357 downloads/week; no rating
H3 :2Interface languages available
https://chessx.sourceforge.io: translations shipped in about a dozen languages (including FR)
H4 :0Accessibility (keyboard, screen reader)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — no mention
H5 :3Offline use and known incidents
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — local software, everything works offline
IPreparation and study
5.8I1 :2Preparing for a named opponent
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — "Prepare for your opponent with personalized game statistics"
I2 :1Annotating and sharing games (studies)
https://github.com/Isarhamster/chessx — "Enter moves, variations, and comments" saved in local PGN; no sharing by link
I3 :1Entering a game played at a club (photo, scoresheet)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — moves entered on the board; no photo/OCR
I4 :3Searching your games (filters, position)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — "Sort, filter and search games by position or text"
JHuman coaching and community
2.5J1 :0Access to human coaches
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — none
J2 :1Size and activity of the community
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — mailing list + tickets; 197 GitHub stars
J3 :0Tools for trainers, clubs and schools
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — none
J4 :2Engagement mechanics (streaks, virtual currency, reminders)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — no mechanic
KPersonal data and interoperability
5.6K1 :2Exporting your data (games, repertoire)
https://github.com/Isarhamster/chessx — PGN saving
K2 :0Protection of personal data (GDPR, hosting)
https://chessx.sourceforge.io/ — no policy (local software without an account)
K3 :3Public API and source code
https://github.com/Isarhamster/chessx — GPL-2.0
Also, outside the grid
Features found that no criterion measures. They do not count towards the score.
- Merging and deduplication of PGN databases
- Move reader for visually impaired users
Sources consulted
Services with a similar profile
The three services whose category profile is closest — a distance over the eleven scores, computed, never chosen.