❓ Why build another chess app?
Because chess on one shared phone is a fun, novel way to play. No AI opponent to blame. No online rankings. Just two people, one device, real conversation. It's intimate and social in a way apps with netplay aren't.
✅ What's NotCHESS good at?
- • Local, social play: Perfect for two people playing together in person
- • No distractions: No ads, no accounts, no notifications
- • Works offline: Install as an app, play anywhere
- • Fair gameplay: Both players use identical interfaces; only the board flips
- • Full rules: Castling, en passant, pawn promotion, check/checkmate detection
⚠️ What it's NOT
- • Not for learning: No AI opponent to practice against
- • Not for competition: No ELO ratings or matchmaking
- • Not for analysis: No move history, no opening database
- • Not production chess: Built for casual fun, not tournament play
🎮 Who should play?
NotCHESS is for people who want a clean, distraction-free way to play a real game of chess with someone they're with. Friends, family, partner. Not strangers online.
🐛 How accurate is the chess engine?
Fully accurate. All standard FIDE rules are implemented: piece movement, castling (with validation), en passant, pawn promotion, check/checkmate/stalemate detection. The engine enforces legal moves and prevents impossible positions.
💡 Tips for good gameplay
- • Play slowly: Think about your moves; rushing kills the game
- • No takes-back: Agree before the game: do you allow move retractions? (NotCHESS doesn't, but you can restart)
- • Play regularly: Best with someone you know well
- • Mix it up: Try different openings, swap sides, play multiple games
🚫 Is this better than Chess.com?
No. Chess.com is better for online play, analysis, training, and finding opponents globally. NotCHESS is better for one specific thing: playing a game of chess with someone in the same room on one phone, with no friction or distractions.
📱 Can I play online with this?
Not directly. NotCHESS is designed for local play only. If you both have the app and take turns passing the phone, you could play asynchronously, but that's clunky. For online chess, use a dedicated service.
💚 Why is this free?
Because good things don't need to be monetized. NotCHESS is part of the orNot AI suite — tools that solve real problems without getting in your way. It runs on Cloudflare Pages (free static hosting) and uses zero backend resources. No ads. No tracking. No reason to charge.
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