FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about pricing, the free plan, and how BirdChess trains your openings. Can't find what you're looking for? Email me.
How much does BirdChess cost?
BirdChess is free to start — no account required. The free plan gives you 10 training moves, 1 engine analysis, and 3 game imports every day. Pro removes the daily limits for $7/month or $49/year.
Early birds: I'm looking for chess enthusiasts to test BirdChess and send honest feedback, and I'll give you a year of Pro, free in exchange — DM me on X.
Is there a free version?
Yes. You can train every day for free — 10 training moves, 1 Stockfish analysis, and 3 game imports per day — without signing up. Signing in saves your progress and syncs it across devices.
What is the most commonly played opening?
The Sicilian Defense (1.e4 c5) is the most-played opening in the world across every rating level, and the most common reply to 1.e4. BirdChess trains it deeply from both sides, along with the other popular families — the Italian Game, Ruy Lopez, Caro-Kann, French, Queen's Gambit, London System, and King's Indian.
How is BirdChess different from Chess.com or Lichess?
Chess.com and Lichess are places to play. BirdChess is a tutor built to train one thing well: your openings. It drills both sides of a line until the right move is automatic, turns your own mistakes into future drills, and BirdEngine explains the plan behind every move — not just that it's best.
The two work together. Import your Chess.com or Lichess games into BirdChess and it finds the moments worth practicing, then builds lessons from the positions you actually reach.
Do I need a Chess.com or Lichess account?
No — BirdChess works on its own. If you do play on Chess.com or Lichess, you can import your public games (or paste a PGN) so BirdChess can find your opening mistakes and turn them into drills.
What is BirdEngine?
BirdEngine is the stack that powers BirdChess: a world-class chess engine that calculates the best move in any position, fused with frontier AI models that explain the idea, the plan, and what to watch for. The engine decides what's correct; the AI only teaches it.
Can the AI coach ever tell me a wrong move?
No. A deterministic layer — the opening graph and a chess engine — decides which move is correct and grades your answer. The AI coach only explains that move in plain language. It can't choose or grade moves, so it can't teach you a bad one.
Does BirdChess work on mobile and offline?
Yes. BirdChess is mobile-first and installable — a portrait, one-handed layout that keeps working offline once loaded, so you can train without a connection.
How do I cancel or manage my subscription?
Manage or cancel any time from your account. Billing runs through Stripe; canceling stops future charges and keeps Pro until the end of the period you've already paid for.
Who makes BirdChess?
BirdChess is built by Ben Sigman and operated by Applied Quanta. Read the story behind it, or reach me at ben@birdchess.com.