Last updated on January 4th, 2026 at 04:49 pm
Chess-Studio – Strategy Game Review
Chess-Studio is a Strategy/Entertainment/Board game from Giordano Vicoli, first launched in 12th August 2013.
It’s rated 4+ and currently has 108+ ratings on the App Store.
What Makes Chess-Studio Stand Out
Chess Studio is the first and only application for iPhone and iPad able to manage chess databases and games in PGN format in a complete and efficient way.
Chess Studio is an application designed and built for those players who really want to deepen their knowledge in the field of chess, studying chess regularly and participate in tournaments.
Chess Studio allows you to:
• Read database and games in PGN format (also with extended notation of moves).
• Create, delete and modify folders and databases.
• View games with annotations and textual comments and keep track of the displayed games.
• Use a double chessboard on the same screen for better game analysis.
• Visualize moves and variants in compact mode or indented mode.
• Modify existing games with move annotation and textual comments.
• Insert new games and positions.
• Insert, replay and analyze games in Chess 960 mode.
• Insert moves with annotations and textual comments.
• Insert variation, subvariations etc.
• Insert and visualize graphical annotation (colored arrows and highlighted squares).
• Share Databases and Games through Airdrop.
• Download chess database from internet.
• Download chess database directly from PGN Mentor site.
• Import games, database and Opening Books from other applications.
• Merge two or more databases.
• Copy/Paste games and positions.
• Analyze games with Stockfish 17.1 Engine with the support of the Neural Networks (up to 5 lines of analysis simultaneously) with the support of the Engine Evaluation Bar.
• Replay games automatically.
• Visualize Pawn structure.
• Manage Variations and sub-variatons: delete and promote variations.
• Read the weekly Magazine The New In Chess (TWIC) and download the games.
• Uploading and Downloading PGN Database to/from Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive.
• Three different modes for moving pieces.
• Analyze endgames with Endgame Tablebases.
• Analyze and study Chess Openings in the Chess Openings Section.
• Create and manage Opening Books in Polyglot format.
• Import and manage ChessBase Opening Books (ctg format).
• Automatically classify a database according to ECO code.
• Replay, enter and analyze Chess 960 games (Fischer Random Chess).
• Play against the engine both in standard mode and in Chess 960 mode.
• Play online through the LiChess platform
• Train by solving Puzzles
• ChessBase Database support.
• Diagram Recognition: this feature allows the user to take and/or upload photos of chess diagrams and convert them into PGN format positions.
Other features and technical details:
• Modify the board size.
• Professional chess fonts and figurines for moves notation and annotation.
• Preview of the game in the board tapping the Info button.
• Quick search feature.
• Advanced search feature.
• Complete management of Null Moves with Tutorial.
• Visualization of ECO code and Opening during game replay or game insertion.
• Visualization of Book Openings during game replay or game insertion.
• Portrait/Landscape mode for all devices.
• Support of Slide Over and Split View mode.
• Function to move up within variants and subvariants.
• iOS 26 compatible and optimized for all the devices.
• Sharing of databases across devices via iCloud Drive (also with Chess Studio for Mac OS).
• Sound option.
• Support for iPad Pro Keyboard or bluetooth keyboard.
• VoiceOver/Accessibility support.
• Direct contact via email with the developer to report problems, ask for explanation and suggestions (very quick answer!).
• Languages: English, Italian, Spanish and German.
Complete description at: https://chessstudio.wordpress.com/chess-studio/
The application is continuously updated with new features and improvements.
To view the terms of service visit https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
No registration!
No advertising!
No sharing of personal data!
This Strategy game offers engaging gameplay and regular updates for mobile players.
Player Feedback
As a newer release, Chess-Studio is building its player community. Early feedback suggests .
Recent Updates & Development
Latest Update: 17th December 2025
Recent improvements include:
- IN THIS RELEASE (4.7.2)
• Possibility to import multiple databases from the Files app.
• Improvements in the management of online tournaments: the games of each round can be viewed both as text and on the chessboard.
• Fixed a notation issue both in blindfold training and during move input.
• Fixed an issue that prevented Lichess videos from displaying correctly.
• Minor bug fixes, general improvements and optimizations.
- MAIN FEATURES INTRODUCED IN THE LATEST RELEASES
• A Unique online Database with over 11 million games is available. In addition to standard browsing, it is possible to perform targeted searches by data or position. The Unique Database will be updated regularly.
• Added the ability to perform searches in a Database based on PGN Tags (Event, Date, White, Black, ECO, Elo, etc.). This section can be accessed from the main menu.
• The new version of the Stockfish 17.1 engine with Neural Network (NNUE) support has been integrated. According to the authors, Stockfish 17.1 shows a consistent improvement in performance, with an Elo gain of up to 20 points and winning close to 2 times more game pairs than it loses.
• Diagram Recognition: this feature allows the user to take and/or upload photos of chess diagrams and convert them into PGN format positions. It is also possible to upload images containing multiple chess diagrams.
• From the Help section, you can download the updated full description of the application. The same description can be viewed at the following address: https://chessstudio.wordpress.com/chess-studio/
• Chess Studio is enhanced with a new feature: the ability to browse an Online Database of games organized by Year and Tournament since 1560. This extensive Online Database will be updated daily with new tournaments and games. Access to this database requires a symbolic Premium subscription.
• A new training feature has been added: the user can load a game from a database and decide whether to move for White or Black without seeing the moves to evaluate his skills. At the end a report will be produced that traces the entire training session. It is possible to use this functionality either by choosing the game to train with or by letting the application decide the game in random mode. To use this functionality, some settings are possible via an appropriate interface. There are various ways to access this functionality, for example from the menu at the top center of the chessboard screen.
• Chess Studio can now read databases in ChessBase format. It can import cbh, cbp, cbt, cbg, cba, cbs and cbc formats, thus it is able to interpret the moves of a game, the variations and comments.
• Possibility of playing online using the Lichess platform. For blind or visually impaired players this feature is fully supported by Voice Over.
• Automatic insertion of engine analysis into games. To enter the analysis, simply touch the engine analysis line. To use this feature you need to activate it in the application settings.
• The new function "Search games by material" has been added, through which it is possible to search for games in a database according to the material present on the chessboard.
• In the Chess Board screen, you can customize the colors of the top bar, bottom bar, buttons and background. The customization is done in the Settings section. In the opening section is the new functionality to explore the Lichess Master Opening Tree. It is now possible to activate the speech synthesizer to announce the moves made both when entering and when viewing a game.
• From the opening section of a database it is possible to save the games relating to a single ECO code or to a single opening variant in a new database. To do this, just swipe left on the opening variant you want to save and follow the directions.
Download & Availability
Chess-Studio is available through the official App Store for iOS devices.
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 wanted to view chess databases from our phone and this app is just what we need. There is a bit of a learning curve but we think we will figure it all out soon.
Purchased this hoping that a native Stockfish engine would allow us to analyze games on our iPad (recent updates seem to have broken lichess and chess.com analysis engines). Unfortunately, the engine stopped working after about 30 seconds, making the app worthless to us. There seems to be no way to reactivate it, we even rebooted our device.
Love your app would you kindly add a board flip button between the forward and backward buttons.
Outstanding app for database management, training, analysis, building a repertoire or just having a quick game with Stockfish. Not a big learning curve, and if youre familiar with chess database programs this should all be pretty easy to get around. Links directly to PGN Mentor & The Week In Chess for access to literally millions of games to build a database with, and you can import your own. Easy navigation of bases (player, year, event, ECO or combinations of those & other parameters) & a boat-load of various analysis & search functions including endgame tablebases. Also ability to create custom opening books for stockfish to use from databases is a big plus! If youre serious about chess, or want an easy to use, stable program for OTB prep, this is probably all youll ever need. Highly recommended.
While this may not be the most attractive app (full disclosure, Im an artist/designer and would love to redesign the icon and splash screen) whats offered here in this app is incredible. We can load databases of our repertoire, plus add databases of our chess books to make study so much easier when traveling. This app is in so many ways what ChessBase should have offered but failed in the mobile space. Its great that we dont have to lug our laptop with us on vacation, we have so much of what we need for constructive study right here. At home, if we want to relax on the sofa and study, this does the job. The app has made our chess books so much more useful. Congratulations to the developer: great job. Oh, and reach out if youd like to upgrade your visuals. ;) Thanks.
We absolutely love Chess Studio! It has so many wonderful features and support is fast and phenomenal! Give it a thousand stars.
What a wonderful and useful Chess app. One of the Best IOS Chess apps on the Apple Store. If you want to learn, have fun and play chess this is the app to get. Did we say it is Cheap? Too Cheap IMO, should cost much more. Also this is NOT an forgotten app left to rot as it is constantly updated and improved.
This is a powerful chess database, analysis, training, and online play tool. The developer is constantly improving it. He responded to a feature request we sent him and soon that feature was included. Buy it now.
Dear Dev.. Add dark mode, this copy & paste code is part of your Apple SDK that comes with your yearly payment into the program. (But you know this) Why havent you added? Its a simple add on. What about 3-4 hours of your time? Everybody else.. This is real good if you want to practice what youve learned from your study sources. On our iPad mini 6th gen.. Our triple threat, chess needs are satisfied (study, test, play) Chessable to study and learn (HIGHLY RECOMMEND) Chess Studio (THIS APP) try out moves w/ stockfish input Chess.com iOS app put every thing we learned to the test vs. Humans.
The description says, For serious chess players, and another review states If you get one chess app, make it this one. Both are true. Other chess apps have lots of eye candy. However, when it comes to what it takes to manage your repertoire, analyze your games, and other important functions you would expect from a chess app for anyone who is half-way serious about their games, then nothing on the App Store comes even close to Chess Studio: Manage your PGN databases, analyze, create opening tables, download from TWIC and PGN Mentor, Yes, it has its interface idiosyncrasies and its own way of doing things but one will easily get used to it and understand the rationale behind its presentation. We especially like how the analysis (now using Stockfish 16) shows immediate graphic feedback with labeled arrows with different transparent colors akin to Nibbler/Lc0. This is a fantastic app for importing games played on either iPad or iPhone and analyzing them. Easily move PGN databases between iCloud, DropBox and local storage. Create opening books from your games on mobile? Unheard of, but this app does it! The more we use it, the better it feels. We cannot thank the author enough for such a useful and functional chess app.
The best app to improve at chess by a mile. So many features only in this app and the developer is clearly listening to feedback and adding even more features. Its a crime this app isnt more well known.
After update iPhone 13 , chess application doesnt work. People dont waste money.
This is basically chessbase for your phone. App is incredible. Its packed full of features, and makes studying game collections a breeze. We really like how its got the opening book built right into it, and breaks each database you create/add down by eco code. This app is worth way more than the $3 they are charging for it. By the way, did we mention it also has the latest version of Stockfish. Split boards for studying variations. The list goes on and on. Just pay that man his money.
Chess Studio is an excellent app as others have stated. The developer is constantly updating and refining the app. We highly recommend it.
This was exactly what we were looking for! On our laptop, we use Scid vs. PC and Im glad to say on our phone we use this app. Thank you very much for creating this. (:.
Amazing for an iPhone/iPad app. Manage your PGN databases, analyze, create opening tables, download from TWICE and PGN Mentor, Has its own way of doing things and one will easily get used to it. We especially like how the analysis (using Stockfish 15.1) shows immediate graphic feedback with labeled arrows akin to Nibbler/Lc0. Fantastic app for importing games played on our iPad and iPhone and analyzing them. Easily move PGN databases between iCloud, DropBox and local storage. The more we use it, the better it feels. We cannot thank the author enough for such a useful and functional chess app.
Wow, the functionality of this app for chess analysis and database maintenance/merging is the best we have ever seen and its right on our phone. So cool! Thank you.
Very useful app. Just what we were looking for. Best database management tool for keeping track of games. Awesome! Thanks.
This app is frequently updated and developed by someone that is passionate about chess. Purchasing this app is a worthy investment! Thank you.
Id say 10 Stars or more. This is truly a One of a kind app. From beginner to advanced, this has it all. Its a great chess playing app with a Stockfish 15 chess engine. Save games on your iPhone or iCloud or Dropbox. Use iCloud to import thousands if not millions of games from PGN Mentor and other chess sites. Create your own databases, merge them and study the great masters. You can create variations, comments and move ratings. Use markup to create different color arrows and boxes, great for analyzing the great masters as well as your own games. You can also creat your own Opening Books. There are just too many things to mention here. Truly, this is well worth the money. We would pay 20x more and be very satisfied with the purchase. You have to use it to believe it. We would keep going but our finger is getting tired. GET THIS APP.
We find it even more convenient than Chessbase on a PC. It has everything you need to study and analyze games. Also, its constantly improving.
This app is amazing. It runs very smooth and has a good GUI for analyzing your games. We would recommend adding a few features. Namely adding a computer whole game analysis which annotates your games for you, telling you which moves are blunders, mistakes and so on. Also add coloring moves based on annotation. And add drawing arrows which are saved when you save.
We dont know what im doin half the time, because there's just an overwhelming amount of stuff available. Tried the lite version and within a few moves it prompted 'full unlock'. This was annoying, but we were curious how much… Freaking $2! Just get it. It's opening based, so we're not sure if there's any kind of coach training with it, but like one of the other comments said: if you're serious about improving, buy this. But you don't even have to be that serious. We'd say, if you're starting to get more comfortable with fundamentals and ready to explore more stuff like creating a record of your games to revisit or just taking it tothe next level, buy this. Great, great app. Thanks.
This chess app is phenomenal!!!! 10 STARS!!!! The author of this app has included things we have wished for in from different apps and chess software programs from the big boys. He could charge ten times as much and knowing what we know now we would gladly pay every penny of it. The author of this program is simply a genius. We cant give it high enough praises and accolades. You can edit, down load PGNs, transfer PGNs, annotate, and much more. Get the trial version if you want first to see it. Then buy it. You wont be disappointed.
Crash opening .pgn in landscape mode (iPad 6th gen., IOS 13.7).
We use Hiarcs for MacOS and Chess Studio. We often find ourselves coming to Chess Studio as opposed to Hiarcs for its ease of use.
We're still surprised to this day that even 99% of pc Softwares aren't capable of some of the things this app does, very helpful to our study and thanks for such a wonderful app.
We tried Lite but went ahead and purchased main app since we liked it. We would request developer to add private game feature to play with friends online with a code. Recently they added in Rummikub with the same request and you can also find in Ludo Club. Thanks.
If you're looking for chess database management + analysis of the games, this is the best app.
We love this app! Really great interface, pgn imports just work. To curl up in a chair on a rainy day and walk through great games – what a treat. Thank you.
A lot of great features built into this app. Incrementally increase/decease board size for better viewing of the analysis or chess engine analysis. We use it to read the annotated PGNs from the EveryMan Chess books. We wish they had a version for Mac OS. Easily 5 stars and worth more than the few bucks we paid for it.
How do we flip board so we can look from the black side.
We recently started using app and we love it. We thought there was a bug and contacted the developer. He replied almost immediately and helped us determine it was our error and not the app. Ive saved and analyzed a number of games since and it is a wonderful app! Five stars for the app and the developers quick response.
Great App for managing databases on an iOS device. Recommend it.
The app has a lot of features but lacks an elegant and intuitive UX. Investing in a UX designer can do wonders to this app.
Five stars for this app and great thanks and respect to the developer giordano for including bluetooth keyboard functioning allowing users to go from one game in a database to the next by using the keyboard & also for turning the stockfish engine on/off with the keyboard shortcut. It makes using the ipad as a laptop when going through these games even more enjoyable. It was already a great app for reviewing chess games, but now it is by far the best for that purpose of all the apps that we've seen thus far in the app store. Chess studio is to be highly recommended, and once again thanks to the developer for creating and upgrading the app for the latest iterations of ios.
- Cant select all to download many databases at once 2. We would have liked to have been able to play out moves from the start, and see which games have been played with certain positions rather than having to individually look them up by name. Not super helpful although if youre just looking to browse through thousands of random games with specific openings, its okay. 3. Annotations are not there in all the games like it shows in the picture. They need to be put in by the uploader.
Took PGN from Chess.com to analyze game. Its been stuck on downloading for hours. Using IPhone 6s Plus.
Best app for annotating and storing your games. Great feature set and works flawlessly.
We really enjoy this app its fairly easy to use, integrates with TWIC for building opening databases from GM games, and lets us build our own databases and search them in all the ways we want. We have one small problem. If we want to copy all the games from one database into another (like if Im building a database for each season of a league and want to add the seasons into one big league database), we have to individually check each game to add. A select all function would save a lot of time when Im dealing with hundreds of games.
The most useful and fluid chess PGN viewer/database in the AppStore.
This is a really great app. Has a lot of features and databases that can be really helpful and make your studies of chess more practical. We HIGHLY recommend it!!!! Great job Giordano.
Really like how it is put together and you can completely customize your pgn files.
Its astonishing that for a such a simple task like viewing PGN games we were not able to find a good app in the store until we found this app, It is awesome you can easily go through books and games with analysis from grand masters, unlike most of the other chess apps this is updated for iPhone X, keep up the good work.
Some Dropbox issues on earlier ios but there's a workaround, just contact developer–very responsive. Sounds like a fix is forthcoming also.
We highly recommend this wonderful app! We had been struggling for some time to use a chess database app (from a very well-known company) which is riddled with bugs and serious design flaws, and which is apparently not supported at all. This Chess Studio app is beautifully designed, with a rich combination of more features and functions than we would have ever dreamed possible. Thank you.
While the app indeed do what it advertises (store games, add variations for analysis, compare with master games), the UI for navigating the app is very confusing and unintuitive. The app is also rather unpolished, crashing of you select a cell with 0 games associated, and leaving the basic ability to remove a game from a set. Correction: we have since found how to delete a whole database of games, it was just hidden in the weird/bad UI.
Great for analyzing games, correspondence chess, reading through chess books or studying your own games. We can't imagine not having this app on our phone. If you're remotely serious about chess, you should get it now.
This is an app that fills the gap between having to use a complicated chess base program on your laptop and the ability to do formal chess base work on the go. Highly recommended ! Is a must buy.
It is the best training program for all chess player level since it's PGN has huge ability to involve any note. We surprised by it's cheep prise compared to other programs. It deserve more. Thanks a lot for such a great effort.
User feedback from Apple App Store
App Details
- Version: 4.7.2
- Size: 285.23 MB
- iOS: 15.0 or later
- Languages: EN, DE, IT, ES
- Content Advisory:
- Developer: Giordano Vicoli
Last updated: 17th December 2025 | Genre: Strategy, Entertainment | Developer: Giordano Vicoli