Chess can often be intimidating to beginners, with its complex strategies and multiple pieces, each with their unique way of moving.
To ease this discomfort, the developers at Chess.com created an app called ‘Learn Chess with Dr. Wolf’.
In this blog post, I’ll be taking you through a detailed review of what this application has to offer.
I must say that I was quite impressed by the simplicity of the interface and the focus on teaching the fundamentals to newbies or improving gameplay for those already familiar with chess.
Getting Started with Dr. Wolf
The app sports a neat UI that gives a book-like feel and feels quite interactive right from the start.
Logging into the app, you’re greeted by the virtual chess coach, Dr. Wolf, who seems rather eager to teach.
You’re then provided with two options – to learn chess from the start or jump straight into a game.
I chose the first option to review how well it teaches the basics.
Learn the Chess Pieces with Practice
On picking the option to learn chess, the interactive tutorial begins with teaching about the pieces one by one.
Clicking on the individual pieces starts a practice session where you can get a hands-on understanding of how each specific piece moves.
For instance, while learning about the rook, the app explains, “The rook can move up, down, left, and right as many squares as you like.”
Simultaneously, visual cues guide you on the game board, such as moving your rook to a particular star.
This interactive method continues for each piece, bringing unique clarity to how each one operates on a chessboard.
It’s worth noting, however, that not all lessons are available for free. Some advanced lessons require an upgrade to the premium version.
The Fundamentals: Basic and Beyond
Once you have a good understanding of each piece, the app takes you through the fundamental rules and strategies of chess.
Under the basics, you learn about the concepts such as castling, check, and checkmate.
The app introduces more advanced concepts under the fundamentals section, like what moves to make in the opening and how to execute the checkmate using different pieces.
Upon selecting the ‘what to do in the opening’ option, the application introduces five principles and explains why they are important.
- Place a pawn in the center
- Develop your knight
- Develop your bishop
- Defend your pawn
- Castle
Like the previous section, the app uses arrows to guide you through these steps, making the learning process intuitive.
Play, Train, and Reflect – Mastery Through Practice
Beyond the lessons, Dr. Wolf also allows you to engage in chess games, using real-life scenarios to reinforce the lessons taught.
As you play, the game graciously guides your moves, emphasizing how and why you should make certain decisions.
One particularly interesting feature is the in-game commendations.
Once you achieve certain objectives like ‘Kingside Castle,’ the app provides on-screen encouragement.
An interesting feature that sets “Learn Chess with Dr. Wolf” apart is the post-game analysis.
It provides an opportunity to pinpoint both your good moves and the mistakes you made.
This feature allows for self-reflection and improvement in future rounds.
Worth the Investment?
Being a freemium app, ‘Learn Chess with Dr. Wolf’ offers a decent amount of features for free, including the ability to play games.
However, to unlock the full library of lessons, in-game coaching, and features like ‘hints’ and ‘undo,’ you’ll need to subscribe to the premium version.
The subscription is priced at $5.99 per month (monthly plan), or $39.99 per year (yearly plan), billed after a trial period.
Final Verdict
“Learn Chess with Dr. Wolf ” is an excellent tool for beginners and intermediate players looking to understand and master the basics of chess.
For advanced players, however, the lessons might seem overly familiar and not necessarily enriching.
Without any clutter and a plethora of features, the app brings a unique feel to the chess learning experience.
It’s engaging, interactive, and most importantly, educational, making it a valuable resource for new learners.
Conclusively, “Learn Chess with Dr. Wolf” holds its weight as a highly recommended app for chess learners seeking a focused, interactive way to boost their game.