The 800 or so year old game of chess is modernizing with the times. You can now play chess against enthusiastic opponents anywhere in the world. With Nexus Chess Online, a FREE, ad-free app for Android you can find and play with random opponents in real time.
It is also available as a web app, and just might provide the best online multiplayer chess experience.
You can choose form three kinds of timed games: 1, 5, and 15 minutes. What I like about Nexus is that no ranking information is available on you or your opponent, so it’s the equivalent of walking into a café or club and playing the first person with a chess board in front of them.
You could be playing the world chess champion, or a 10 year old just learning the game (although I notice that it is mostly experienced players that use the service).
Here’s why I like Nexus Chess:
- Random opponents: has a certain attractiveness to it. Anything is possible. The fact that no ranking data is kept keeps things fresh. Will show your name (optional) and your country.
- Timed games: you can take as much as you like to make your move, as long as all your moves are made within the overall time limit. I am now a fan of timed games in online chess, because games don’t end up taking weeks or months.
Note that there is a section for Chess problems offered in the app as well. However, I found these to be less than inspiring, and not as good as chess problems that can be found elsewhere on the web.
The Verdict
If you’re a chess fan definitely check this out. There is no signup required and you can simply pop in for a quick game that you know will be over within a reasonable time and that will not take forever.
The downside? Because there is no ranking data being compiled, people tend to give up as soon as they start losing, which takes a little bit of the fun out of it.
That said, I have tried many online chess apps, and this one is my favorite.
Check out Nexus Chess Online for Android, or on the web.
