Forward Chess - Book Reader is made and published by Forward Chess. AppBrain is an independent app data site and isn't affiliated with Forward Chess. The app name, icon, screenshots and description belong to Forward Chess and are shown as published on Google Play.

Summary

Forward Chess - Book Reader blends chess literature with interactive analysis, letting readers study chapters, test variations, and get engine-backed evaluations on the go. With an embedded Stockfish engine, notes, and bookmarks, it’s a comprehensive study tool for serious players. The app shows strong board-market presence with BOARD rankings in Poland (#36), Saudi Arabia (#40), and Southeast markets (#42), and 100,000+ total downloads with 930 in the last 30 days.

Pros & Cons

Combines a chess book, board, and engine analysis in a single app
Ergonomic navigation with quick move scrolling
Notes, bookmarks, and multi-book support for focused study
Vast publisher-backed library with dozens of titles

May lack explicit emphasis on online multiplayer or live game modes in the data
User features like PGN import/export or opening databases aren’t highlighted in the data

About Forward Chess - Book Reader

Forward Chess - Book Reader is a board app developed by Forward Chess.

Install Statistics

Forward Chess - Book Reader has been installed 120 thousand times. In the last 30 days, the app was installed 930 times. It is ranked #162 in board.

User Ratings

Forward Chess - Book Reader is rated 4.50 out of 5 stars. The rating is based on 1 thousand ratings.

App Information

Forward Chess - Book Reader is freely available from Google Play. The app size is 87.48 MB. The latest version available is 2.20.3. The last update was on September 22, 2026.

Technical Requirements

Forward Chess - Book Reader requires Android 5.0+ or higher. The app has a content rating of Everyone. The app has been available on Google Play since August 2013.

Description by Forward Chess (from Google Play)

Forward Chess is an interactive chess book reader. Read the book, play through book lines, AND try your OWN lines.

More data about Forward Chess - Book Reader

Price	Free
Total installs	120 thousand
Recent installs	930
Rating	4.50 based on 1 thousand ratings
Ranking	Medium ranked
Version	2.20.3
App size	87.5 MB
Number of libraries	50
Designed for Android	5.0+
Suitable for	Everyone
Ads	No ads

App Performance Report

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Screenshots

Forward Chess - Book Reader Screenshot 1 of 6

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Screenshots by Forward Chess, from the Google Play listing

Official page on Google Play

Alternatives to Forward Chess - Book Reader

Google Play Rating history and histogram

770

120

Installs over time

Forward Chess - Book Reader has been installed 120 thousand times. Over the past 30 days, it averaged 31 installs per day.

Changelog of Forward Chess - Book Reader

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Developer information for Forward Chess

Forward Chess

info@forwardchess.com

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Comments on Forward Chess - Book Reader for Android

★★★★★ Success From Chess · Dec 24, 2022

Nothing else quite like this app; having positions and variations preloaded while retaining the freedom to explore the original text and your own ideas/moves. I'd like to see how many pages the book has before buying (ideally), color options for pieces, prices visible automatically, and a bug fixed where I can't seem to enter notes according to the instructions given (just highlights text like normal when I long-press). Glad the diagrams finally display well on my device! Should save much time.

★★★★★ Benjamin Wiley · Apr 30, 2026

This app should be the future of how to study Chess books. It'amazing, featuring lots of customization and chess-specific functionality that has Kindle BEAT. I love the app, and I love the HUGE selection of books available at WAY better prices than anywhere else. My first book(s) is/are Volumes 1 & 2 of "Akiva Rubinstein: Uncrowned King", and I'm WAY happy I got this edition over the hard copies! Because it costs nothing to try, check it out, and use the free sample to explore all that it does!

★★★★★ Chien-ye Liu · Aug 21, 2021

The fact you can download the book on multiple devices you own (unlike Gambitś app that limits 1 download per purchase) makes this a 5-star app. Gambit needs to follow this example!

★☆☆☆☆ Yash Jayswal · Aug 18, 2023

I bought a book but whenever I try to download it, it's show null and saying contact developer. I want my money back or give the book

★☆☆☆☆ Karsten Keese · Oct 9, 2024

This is just a frontend for publishers to sell books. The software ONLY displays titles that were acquired via it, nothing else; products you bought over the years in common formats (azw, epub, lit, mobi, PDF, ...) are inaccessible. By the same token, titles you do buy via this app cannot be read with other programs on mobile or PC, because there is no conversion from/to their proprietary format. Better use a general reader and buy books in universally accessible formats elsewhere.

★☆☆☆☆ Great Angelo · Jan 10, 2024

The biggest problem with this app is you cannot use books that you already have on your phone. There is no option to go to a folder on your device. It is not a reader per se as much as it is an app specifically designed to sell books. Books that I have already purchased and are on my phone don't seem to show up anywhere within the app. If I'm wrong let me know. If I have to purchase it first before I have an opportunity to load in one of my own books then I think it's pretty dishonest of you.

Google Play Rankings for Forward Chess - Book Reader

Top rankings

Rank	Country	Category	List
162	Saudi Arabia	Board	Top Grossing
172	Indonesia	Board	Top Grossing
176	Mexico	Board	Top Grossing
176	Poland	Board	Top Grossing
177	India	Board	Top Grossing
179	Slovakia	Board	Top Grossing
180	Switzerland	Board	Top Grossing
180	Czech Republic	Board	Top Grossing
180	Finland	Board	Top Grossing
180	Norway	Board	Top Grossing

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Ranking history in Saudi Arabia

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Technologies used by Forward Chess - Book Reader

18 permissions · 50 libraries

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Trust & Safety: The app requests permissions typical for internet content delivery and device features, including internet access, network state, foreground service, push notifications, and storage access (read/write), plus ad-related IDs, enabling content delivery, offline access to books, and monetization while adhering to standard safety practices.

Frequently asked questions about Forward Chess - Book Reader

Is Forward Chess - Book Reader free?

Yes. Forward Chess - Book Reader is free on Google Play.

Is Forward Chess - Book Reader still available?

Yes. Forward Chess - Book Reader is on Google Play, and the last update we saw was on September 22, 2026.

Does Forward Chess - Book Reader contain ads?

No. Google Play does not list Forward Chess - Book Reader as containing ads.

What Android version does Forward Chess - Book Reader require?

Forward Chess - Book Reader runs on Android 5.0 and higher.

How large is Forward Chess - Book Reader?

Forward Chess - Book Reader is 87.48 MB.

Is Forward Chess - Book Reader suitable for children?

Google Play rates the content of Forward Chess - Book Reader as suitable for everyone.

How many times has Forward Chess - Book Reader been installed?

Google Play lists 100,000+ installs for Forward Chess - Book Reader.

How do people rate Forward Chess - Book Reader?

Forward Chess - Book Reader scores 4.50 out of 5 stars, from 1,008 ratings on Google Play.

Who made Forward Chess - Book Reader?

Forward Chess - Book Reader was developed by Forward Chess. It is listed in the board category on Google Play.

What are the best alternatives to Forward Chess - Book Reader?

People looking at Forward Chess - Book Reader also look at these board apps: Chess Openings Wizard, Chess Bot: Stockfish Engine, Chess for Android, Chess Studio, Acid Ape Chess.

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