How can you tell which is the best chess move calculator? Use this guide to the top 5 chess calculators to help you decide.
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First, what is a chess move calculator? These computer programs predict chess moves and help you plan your strategy.
There are many online chess move calculators to choose from, so how do you know which is best for you? It comes down to finding your perfect balance of performance, style and price.
#1: Next Chess Move
The premiere in chess move calculator online is NextChessMove.com. With an easy-to-use interface and fast processing speeds, this site is a dream to use. Of course, to enjoy it fully, you will need the paid version.
Anonymous and trial versions allow you to use the calculator, but at a significantly lower processing rate. That means that players who use the paid version get better moves and faster response times. Plus in the paid version, you can save your game boards. At $19.00 annually, Next Chess Move is a premium chess move calculator, capable of competing at the highest levels of human and computer play.
While it offers powerful chess move computing, the design and color choices are less than pleasant. If intermediate or advanced chess moves are your thing, maybe you can overlook the unpleasant pea soup greens of the chess board.
#2: Chesshub
ChessHub.com is a chess move calculator that gets points for an easy-to-use interface. The moves and options are visually presented at the top of the screen. Moves are visually marked with arrows to show a sequence, not just one move. Maybe the best feature is the menu of openings to begin play, saving you the work of setting them up each time on the board.
While it is a free online chess move calculator to use, of course there are trade-offs. No information is offered about what program is being used to calculate the chess moves, or who owns and moderates the site. ChessHub collects your email if you want to save games, but you do not know with whom you are sharing your information when you share it with this site. If you do not mind ads on the screen with the calculator and free sounds good, then this chess move calculator may be just the right one for you.
#3: Chess Suggest
If you are looking for a visually appealing, stylish presentation in your chess move calculator, try ChessSuggest.com.
An interesting background and well thought out layout make this site easy on the eyes. Many of the other chess move calculators are function over form, with little to no attention to visual presentation. ChessSuggest is the exception to this pattern!
Like many other chess calculators, this one is powered by Stockfish. And like other free chess move calculator sites, this one has ads too.
#4: Lichess
Lichess.org is a chess move calculator which offers powerful tools in a stylish atmosphere to broaden your game winning strategy. This comprehensive chess website is a totally free, open source chess server maintained by volunteers and contributions.
On Lichess, you can use a powerful chess move calculator with visual tools with tons of options. You can play a game, a tournament, or an exhibition; you can watch the computer play itself; participate in the forum; or learn more about chess and chess etiquette.
The chess move calculator itself is super easy to use. You can easily define how far you want to go with calculating with an easy visual interface. You can practice with the computer, and get a hint, which are a great tools for beginners. The dark site design makes this calculator easy on the eyes.
#5: Decode Chess
What sets DecodeChess.com apart from other chess move calculators is its ability to not just show you what the best move is, but to tell you why. Having this information makes you a better player and over time turns you into your own next move calculator!
On the downside, this chess analysis tool is not free. There is a very limited free version, more to give you an idea of how it works than to actually be a useful tool. The monthly subscription rate is $8.25, or $84.00 annually. If you really want to understand the why behind every next move suggestion, this chess move calculator can help you do that easily. Expand your understanding of consequences of each move.
Which chess move calculator is best?
Well, it depends. Do you have deep pockets? Maybe the in-depth explanations and analysis available at DecodeChess.com is for you. Or perhaps the bare bones visually but super powerful calculator at NextChessMove.com is the best fit.
Are you more interested in supporting an open source chess server? Then Lichess.org may be ideal, allowing you to contribute by writing and maintaining code, or financially.
Those seeking a good looking, intermediate and free chess move calculator will want to visit ChessHub.com and ChessSuggest.com. These free sites offer enough calculating power for intermediate chess players.
Looking for an easy entry game into chess? Check out Qwirkle, a puzzle game that offers plenty of practice calculating moves in a simpler format than chess.
No matter which chess move calculator you choose, enjoy the game! Happy playing!
