Rival Chess
Free offline chess against a real opponent that fits in your pocket. 30 difficulty levels, full analysis, beautiful boards and pieces. No account. No internet needed.
A proper chess opponent anywhere.
From absolute beginner to club strength. Adjustable difficulty that actually scales, multiple play modes, and deep customisation without any friction.
100% offline. Your games stay on your device. Analysis, PGN, everything works without a connection.
Download Rival Chess. Play a game on the train. Analyse it later.
30 levels.
From tutor to challenger.
Start easy and work your way up. The engine plays proper chess at every rung — no artificial blunders at higher settings.
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01–10
Learning levels
Gentle opponents that teach basic tactics and avoid obvious traps. Perfect when you're just starting or want a relaxed game.
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11–20
Improving range
Solid club-level play. Good for training tactics and learning to punish mistakes.
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21–30
Strong opponents
Up to around 2100 Elo. Demanding, accurate play for when you want a real fight or serious training.
More than just you vs engine.
Four distinct modes for practice, teaching, fun and analysis.
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Classic
You vs Rival
The main mode. Choose your colour and difficulty. Undo, resign or offer draws supported.
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Teaching
Rival vs You
Watch the engine play first move as White or Black. Useful for seeing opening ideas and responses.
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Pass & play
Human vs Human
Two players on one device. Great for teaching kids, playing with friends, or quick games on the go.
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Spectate
Rival vs Rival
Set two different difficulties and watch the engines battle it out. Useful for studying styles.
20 piece sets.
30 board styles.
From classic Staunton on wood to neon high-contrast. Find the look that helps you see the board clearly.
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Visuals
Huge variety
20 different piece designs and 30 boards. High contrast options for accessibility and outdoor play.
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Helpers
Legal moves & highlights
Show legal moves on tap, last move highlight, optional coordinates, adjustable animation speed and haptics.
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Themes
Light, dark, system
Follows your device or pick manually. Clean, distraction-free interface focused on the game.
Learn from every game.
Full engine analysis, PGN round-tripping and multi-game support built in.
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Analysis
Engine evaluation
Step through any saved game with the engine showing evaluations and best moves. Spot where you went wrong or missed a tactic.
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PGN
Import & export
Export games as standard PGN to analyse on desktop or share. Import PGN files from other sources to review them here.
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Storage
Multiple games
Keep as many ongoing or finished games as you like. Resume any one instantly from the games list.
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Privacy
Yours alone
No cloud, no accounts, no data leaving your device. Delete or keep games as you wish.
Questions, answered.
For app-store searchers and curious humans.
- Is Rival Chess free?
- Yes. Rival Chess is free on Google Play, with no pop-up ads during play. No subscriptions, no accounts, no internet required after install.
- How strong is the engine?
- 30 difficulty levels from a gentle teacher for absolute beginners up to a strong opponent (around 2100 Elo at the top levels).
- Can I play without the engine?
- Yes. Modes include Human vs Human (pass-and-play), Rival vs Rival (watch the engines play), plus the standard You vs Rival and Rival vs You.
- Does it work completely offline?
- 100% offline. No sign-up, no tracking, no pop-up ads during play. Install and play anywhere.
- Can I analyse my games?
- Yes. Every saved game can be stepped through with engine evaluation at each move. Great for learning and spotting blunders.
- What customisation is available?
- 20 piece sets and 30 board styles (wood, marble, neon, high-contrast etc). Light, dark and system themes. Show legal moves, coordinates, animation speed, haptics.
- Can I import or export games?
- Full PGN support — export any game to share or analyse elsewhere, and import PGN from other apps or websites.
- Who makes Rival Chess?
- netAdapt Ltd, an independent UK software studio in Newbury, Berkshire. We have been building chess apps and platforms since 2001.