PlayChess

PlayChess is much more than just a simple client of the online chess server, it is actually a complete solution for any avid chess player as well as for chess beginners that want to improve their game.

It doesn’t only let you play chess, but also watch chess games, kibitz and analyze them and eventually improve your skill.

In my opinion, one of its most important advantages is that it can match you against an opponent of your own playing strength, therefore, you will be able to play truly enjoyable games. There are a lot of people already using this tool so finding the right opponent won’t take much time. The low ping servers ensure that the moves are transmitted instantly, that's the reason why you won’t have to deal with annoying lags or delays. Another remarkable feature is that it lets you enjoy most of its advantages without being required to register first. You can log in as a guest and still be able to play or watch games.

It also comes with unique features that you probably won’t find anywhere else, such as the possibility to participate in a simultaneous exhibition against a grandmaster. On the other hand, its interface might look a bit crowded and can overwhelm beginners with many options and features available right from the main windows. Anyway, it can’t require more than just a few minutes to get the hang, so this is not an important downside that could mitigate from the merits of this application. PlayChess is truly great, and the fact that it is also free makes me recommend it with all my heart.