Play Chess With a Grandmaster? There’s an App for That.

If you’re a chess fan and own an iPhone, odds are you have a copy of Chess Elite by 99Games. If not, you may want to re-think this after 99Games let us know that their online asynchronous game will soon have Natalia Pogonina amongst the number of people you can play against.

If you’re unsure as to who she is, Natalie Pogonina is a top world class Grandmaster with a FIDE rating of 2501 and she has chosen Chess Elite to try her hand at iPhone Chess. Effectively, this means that if you own a copy of this app and fancy trying your moves against a world class player, now you can.

Press release from 99Games

Chess Elite is a feature-rich correspondence Chess game that allows players to enjoy quality games with other Chess players spread all over the world. Players can view their career summary and check the details of their games against other players. The newly introduced chat feature allows them to discuss Chess tips and tricks.

The game also boasts of a strong Chess engine with adjustable strength, which makes it suitable for both beginners and professional Chess players.

Unique features of the game include:

• Play unlimited number of simultaneous games
• Elo rating system helps players find opponents who match their skill level
• Push notification instantly alerts players of moves made by opponents
• Analysis mode that lets a player plan and work out a winning strategy
• Chess Elite Clubs that categorize players based on Elo ratings, while Smart Groups include Most Active Players, Most Promising Players and Past Opponents

“As part of my activities aimed at promoting chess in the world, I am glad to cooperate with 99Games, creators of the state-of-the-art Chess Elite software. Our collaboration in the field of enhancing the game even further should be beneficial for all Chess Elite players”, said Natalia Pogonina, the 3rd most successful female chess player in the world.

“We are really happy to welcome Grandmaster Natalia Pogonina to Chess Elite online community”, said Anila Andrade of 99Games. “Chess Elite provides a convenient platform to play Chess on the go and Natalia’s involvement would provide an excellent opportunity to the players to play against and learn from the Grandmaster.” she added.

So if you think you’re up to the challenge, or just fancy giving it a go, be sure to pick up a copy now. The game is available in both a paid and a free ad-supported version.