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.
§ 01 — Difficulty
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.
§ 02 — Play modes
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.
§ 03 — Customisation
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.
§ 04 — Analysis & tools
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.
§ 05 — Frequently asked
Questions, answered.
For app-store searchers and curious humans.
- Is Rival Chess free?
- Yes. Rival Chess is free on Google Play with optional one-time purchases that remove ads. 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.