Last updated on November 28th, 2025 at 12:37 am
Arkon: Chess Opening Explorer – Education Game Review
Arkon: Chess Opening Explorer is a Education/Strategy/Board game from Avniel Apps LLC, first launched in 9th March 2016.
It’s rated 4+ and currently has 214+ ratings on the App Store.
What Makes Arkon: Chess Opening Explorer Stand Out
Build an opening repertoire with uncharted variations using the power of the strongest chess engine and the wisdom of chess grandmasters
FEATURES
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Offline implementation — Arkon does not use cellular data
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Moves scored by powerful Stockfish chess engine in centipawns (cp)
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Move popularity from Chess Grand Master games (ELO 2600+)
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Game PGN chess position display and export via email
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Opening Lines from Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO)
SUPPLEMENTAL CONTENT
Arkon is free to download and use. However, should you desire to explore chess openings beyond the first 20 positions, you can unlock a full version as follows:
3-Month Unlimited Moves: USD 0.99
1-Year Unlimited Moves: USD 2.99
Lifetime Unlimited Moves: USD 8.99
All of these purchase items have unrestricted access to explore openings regardless of move depth
This Education game offers engaging gameplay and regular updates for mobile players.
Player Feedback
As a newer release, Arkon: Chess Opening Explorer is building its player community. Early feedback suggests .
Recent Updates & Development
Latest Update: 15th December 2018
Recent improvements include:
- minor updates & bug fixes
Download & Availability
Arkon: Chess Opening Explorer is available through the official App Store for iOS devices.
Get Arkon: Chess Opening Explorer on App Store
Requirements: Requires iPhone 5s / iPad Air / iPad Air (Cellular) / iPad Mini 2 (Retina) / iPad Mini 2 (Retina, Cellular) / iPhone 6 / iPhone 6 Plus / iPad Air 2 / iPad Air 2 (Cellular) / iPad Mini 3 or later.
Compatible with iPhone and iPad devices.
Player Experience Highlights
Community Insight:
We really like this. Is simple and is not complicarse to use. You can learn and practce in an easy mode.
And for that, we think its the best free option out there. We agree with other users that it would be nice to see cumulative vs individual cp scores, but otherwise we love building our own opening, seeing what its named, and practicing a few options before playing a real game. For a ~1500 player like us, 9 moves is plenty. After that, we can buy the upgrade or read a book.
Like many other older but great apps, there is a new bug under the latest iOS. Now we cant see the grandmaster games. It doesnt access the games database. But the Stockfish evaluation still works fine.
This is exactly what the app states it is, with all the ad-free, cost-free content you desire. This is amazing, especially for a free mobile app.
This app is incredible and one of the best ways to explore openings. The only thing we wish it had is the ability to see the cumulative position score as the opening proceeds. This could be calculated by summation of the centipawn values for each move, but we feel like this is something that could easily be calculated and displayed by the app itself. Otherwise, this app is near perfect (and free!).
100% worth it. Chess game has improved exponentially.
It definitely sharpens our openings.
Great app for studying openings with a quick list of best available moves. Improved our game.
The developers website disappeared. If you click on theHelp on the app (dont!), you get redirected to some sketchy website that will inform you that your iPhone has been hacked. This is very unfortunate, as the app is really useful and very well made.
Ive used this app with great success and joy when playing out some of the moves from older chess books from the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Every now and then the app helps us find a mistake in these old books. We do wish it had better game info, and we only give it four stars because it has encountered an error a few times near the end of a game, resulting in a need to reset (and lose) the game. Other than this, its a great app with a seriously deep engine. Has helped us improve leaps and bounds.
The engine score will be completely different in certain situations if you simply undo and repeat a move. Even more, the score will have completely different moves for a position if you undo a move rather than before you moved. If that sentence didnt make sense, let us explain: say its move ten. If you made a move, and then went back to move nine, the engine would score what it thinks you should do for move ten. It would be a completely different then if you hadnt already made a move and went back. (If you had just undone to move seven, and then played what move eight was.)we experienced this after plugging in some moves from a previous game we played on chess.com to have a second opinion so to speak on what the best move was. Theres some consistency if you go back and forth five-ten times. All Im trying to say is, you get a different answer most times.
App seems to crash often if it is left open for a bit. Otherwise its good.
Seems like this app has bugs. Two issues 1] The game resets after few hours( no save feature) 2] unexpected error shown towards the end of the game which is frustrating.
Expects you to pay to unlock the full app after the 10th move. False advertising.
CRAP… One word sums it all up.
As soon as theres almost a checkmate scenario an error appears that says Arkon encountered an unexpected error. Happens every time during the endgame. Also it shows like 50 different mate options that are just pointless moves instead of just showing the best move.
There isnt any information about GM games in the Game Info.
Very good chess database app. We like it.
Lol…when you try to click and drag a piece (you know, like to MOVE IT maybe), the whole screen scrolls with your finger. Unusable.
Quality app with good features, it works well.
This app lets you try a few moves to see its functionality, then a fair IAP buys you lifetime access to this learning tool. Very good idea, and quality app.
The main screen is minuscule and impossible to see.
We use this app and blitz games on lichess to solidify new opening lines. Its the only opening tree app Ive been happy with because it performs a quick analysis of all possible moves at once and its free without ads.
Update fixed the bugs. Back in business.
Very useful app to teach you the best move in certain scenarios. Possible improvement would be to be able to set up a game situation and review the best moves.
Great chess app for practising opening lines. Arkon shows the strengths and the weaknesses of different moves. All moves are calculates on each turn. Essential if you are not sure what opening lines are the best. Successfull opening is a major advantage in a game. Great app for practising alone.
One of our favorite chess game, we love it, will recommended to all our friends, Five star for this work.
It is good app for chess practice alone. We have a chess book but we wish we had a bot too. If not, we want to play games with others.
Great way to practice our skillzzzz.
We liked this game because it keeps track of every move and gives you the live output, great game for advanced chess players.
Professionally made game, easy to understand and play. We've been waiting for something like this game. Incredibly useful and well-designed game with great UI/UX! Thanks:).
Excellent, You must give it a try.
Nice app to improve your chess skills! Very good for people who really study chess.
Room for improvement exists in the graphics department. Love chess, and this app is very helpful.
Nice game…too good and so challenging! Highly recommend.
If you get bored and want a free mobile game for entertaining, you found the right application. But if you don't know anything about Chess, you will get confused little bit. It is challenging and fun:).
We made it through a whole six moves before it told us it wanted money. Thats not really enough to review it's features. It is an App we are deleting.
User feedback from Apple App Store
App Details
- Version: 3.0.3
- Size: 147.09 MB
- iOS: 8.0 or later
- Languages: EN
- Content Advisory:
- Developer: Avniel Apps LLC
Last updated: 15th December 2018 | Genre: Education, Strategy | Developer: Avniel Apps LLC