A chess coach built from your own games.
Luftchess looks at the games you already play, finds the moment that mattered, and gives you one idea in plain words, checked against the engine and the tablebase.
In your browser Invite-only for now Lichess games first
| Move | White | Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | e4 | c5 |
| 2 | Nf3 | e6 |
| 3 | d4 | cxd4 |
| 4 | Nxd4 | Nc6 |
| 5 | Nc3 | a6 |
| 6 | Be2 | Bb4 |
| 7 | Nxc6 | bxc6 |
| 8 | Qd4 |
6…Bb4 lets 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Qd4 hit the bishop and g7 at once. …Qc7 first.
Checked with Stockfish.
What it does
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From your own games
Luftchess reads a player’s own games from Lichess. For each one it finds the moment that mattered and offers one better idea, in plain words. Those positions come back as short practice, just before they would be forgotten.
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Opening quiz: repeat the what, understand the why
Positions from real games where the game left the prepared lines. You play a move; the engine’s answer and the plan behind it follow every try. Each position comes back just before it would be forgotten.
Repetitio est mater studiorum.
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See why
Tap a move and the board plays the line that shows why it worked or did not, checked against Stockfish and the Lichess 7-piece tablebase.
Also: humanlike sparring with Maia, practice from the endings reached in real games, and a Notebook that keeps track of progress.
How it works
Sign in with Lichess
We only read your username. Nothing is posted to your account.
The games come in
Luftchess brings in the recent public games of the username it is set up with, and looks at them overnight.
The moment that mattered
Open Games and choose the newest game: the moment it turned, one better move, one reason.
Who it is for
Adults who play online, care about understanding more than about a number, and have limited time for chess. Beginners are welcome. It is not for children yet, and it is not a course library.
Nothing is sold and nothing is posted. No ads, no streaks, no scores on the front page. Luftchess is for after the game, never during one.
Questions
Q1What is Luftchess?
A chess coach in your browser, built from your own games. It reads a player’s own online games, finds the moment in each that mattered, and explains one better idea in plain words, checked against Stockfish.
Q2Do I need to install anything?
No. It runs in the browser on a phone or a computer. You can add it to your home screen if you like.
Q3Which games does it read?
Public games in standard chess, from the Lichess username Luftchess is set up with; it can also read public Chess.com games by username. Today that is one player’s games. Accounts that each bring in their own games are being built. Signing in with Chess.com is not available yet.
Q4Does it post to my Lichess account?
No. Signing in only tells Luftchess your Lichess username. The access Lichess grants is handed back at once, and nothing is ever posted.
Q5Is it free?
Free while friends test it. We will say so here before anything changes.
Q6When can I join?
Not yet. Today Luftchess is set up for one player’s games, so it would have nothing of yours to show. Accounts of your own are being built, and invitations open when they arrive.
To hear when, write to [email protected] with your Lichess username. We read every message.
Already have access? Sign in with Lichess.
Q7Is Luftchess the same as Luft?
No. Luftchess (luftchess.com) is a web app that coaches you from your own games. It is not connected with other chess products that use the name Luft.
Q8Where is my data kept?
On a server rented from Hetzner, reached through Cloudflare, with a backup copy kept offline by the owner. The privacy page lists what is kept and why.
Q9Does an AI write the coaching?
Stockfish, the Lichess tablebase and Maia do the chess. Most sentences are templates filled from the engine’s lines. Some opening plans were written with the help of a language model and checked against Stockfish before they were added. The about page says which is which.
Air for the king.
A luft is the square you give your king by pushing a pawn, so a back-rank check cannot mate.