Support
Something not working, or an idea? Write to support@skakmat.theill.com. Peter, who made Skakmat, reads every mail.
Tips
- A lesson won’t take your move? Read the task again: some ask for check or mate, not just a good move. The lightbulb shows which piece to move; tap it again for the whole move.
- The coach only speaks in games against a bot, and only when a move loses a piece or misses a mate. Turn it off in the game’s menu or in Settings.
- The curved arrow at the top of a game takes back your last move (and the bot’s answer).
- A puzzle level opens when half of the level before it is solved. Solved levels can be played again for more stars.
- Deleting a child removes their stars and progress from the iPhone. There’s no copy anywhere else.
Questions
Is it a subscription?
No. Skakmat costs $1.99, once. There’s no subscription, no in-app purchases and no ads, and no limit on how many puzzles your child solves.
Does it need the internet?
No. Lessons, puzzles, the bots and the coach all work offline. There’s no account to sign in to.
Which ages is it for?
Roughly 6 to 10, from a child who doesn’t know how the pieces move to one who beats their parents. Beginners of any age are welcome.
Can my child talk to other players?
No. There’s no online play and no chat. The bots live in the app, and the only person your child can play is the one sitting next to them, on the same iPhone.
How strong are the bots?
From the Mouse, which barely knows the rules, to the Dragon, which beats most children and plenty of grown-ups. Each one makes the kind of mistakes a player at that level makes.
Where do the puzzles come from?
They were made for Skakmat: the bots played over a thousand games against each other, and every position with one clearly right move became a puzzle, checked by the engine.
Which languages does Skakmat speak?
English, Danish, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese and Korean.