Support
Chess-related questions
- There's a bug in the game - the enemy pawn advanced to the last row and then a second black queen appeared!
- There is a bug in the game. I just moved my pawn two squares and then it disappeared!
- Why can't I castle? How do I castle?
- Your chess engine is too hard! Help!
- Your chess engine is too easy! Is that the best you can do?
Playing chess online
- I see both SparkChess and flashCHESS mentioned. What's the difference between them?
- Is playing the game online free?
- Why do you show ads?
Playing chess offline
- I want to play the game without opening the browser, like a normal program; is that possible?
- Can I take the game and play on another computer?
- What platforms does it work on?
- I'm on Linux - is Adobe AIR available for me?
- I bought the game, but I didn't receive an email or download link. What should I do?
- I downloaded the game but I can't find it. Do I need to buy it again?
Others
- Will it run on my device (mobile phone, console, etc)?
- How long did it take to make the game?
- What plans for improvements do you have?
Chess-related questions
Q: There's a bug in the game - the enemy pawn advanced to the last row and then a second black queen appeared!
A: That is a promotion; a pawn will be promoted to queen (or other piece) if it reaches the last rank. Please consult the official chess rules for details.
Q: There is a bug in the game. I just moved my pawn two squares and then it disappeared!
A: Most likely you were the victim of an en-passant take. Don't feel too bad, it's a bit obscure move. Please consult the official chess rules for details.
Q: Why can't I castle? How do I castle?
A: To castle, you move the king to the desired position - if castling is available; the rook will be moved automatically. Castling is not possible if - the king or the rook has moved; or if the king is in check; or if one of the squares the king must travel is controlled by an enemy piece.
Q: Your chess engine is too hard! Help!
A: Try playing on Beginner. If you download the standalone version, you have access to some help tools that will help you make better moves.
Q: Your chess engine is too easy! Is that the best you can do?
A: Congratulations! You must be an advanced player; most likey you've played in tournaments. Our Chess AI was created to be fun, not brutally strong. If you are an advanced player, you can still enjoy SparkChess (formerly known as flashCHESS) by using its Board Editor and the PGN/Replay features.
Playing chess online
Q: I see both SparkChess and flashCHESS mentioned. What's the difference between them?
A: They are the same product. When we created the first game engine in 2002, we called it flashCHESS. Later, in 2008 the third generation of the engine, rewritten from scatch in AS3 took the web by storm and we wanted to keep the name due to its heritage, naming it flashCHESS III. As we're improving yet again the engine, rather than call it flashCHESS IV in 2010, we decided for the name SparkChess.
Q: Is playing SparkChess/flashCHESS online free?
A: Yes. Online play is free, although we display unobtrusive ads from Google. If you prefer not seeing the ads, you can download the standalone version of the game.
A: The tools used to build the game are rather expensive - the Flex Builder Profiler, Projector Software, digital certificates... On top of that, there is the hosting and bandwidth that must be considered. At the time of writing, we have about 500,000 unique monthly visitors, consuming a total of 300 GB of bandwidth. We are using a CDN and a performance monitoring service to maintain a pleasant experience.
Playing chess offline
Q: I want to play the game without opening the browser, like a normal program; is that possible?
A: Yes. SparkChess (formerly known as flashCHESS) is available as a standalone application.
Q: What platforms does your chess game work on?
A: SparkChess (formerly known as flashCHESS) is available in three flavors:
- Windows 32/64 bit, which will work on any Windows 2000, XP, Vista or Windows 7.
- Mac OS X version - tested on Intel-based Macs.
- Adobe AIR format, which will work on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.
You must have the Adobe AIR framework installed.
Q: I'm on Linux - is Adobe AIR available for me?
A: Get the AIR version - you'll need to download the AIR framework. We've tested SparkChess (formerly known as flashCHESS) with Adobe AIR on Ubuntu. The Windows version of SparkChess (flashCHESS) should also run on WINE, but we haven't tested it.
Q: I bought the game, but I didn't receive an email or download link. What should I do?
A: Most likely the email sent to you was flagged as spam by your mail server or email application. Please check your Spam. If you can't find it, please contact us. We'll do our best to reply to you in 24-48 hours and will send you the game.
Q: Can I take the game and play on another computer?
A: Yes. The Windows and Mac versions don't require any installer, so you can simply copy the game to a USB (thumb) drive and play the game at work and home. There is no copy-protection mechanism or DRM inside the game.
Q: I downloaded the game but I can't find it. Do I need to buy it again?
A: No. If you can't find it or in the event you lost all the information on your computer, please contact us. We'll need just the email address used with Paypal for the purchase.
Others
Q: Will it run on my device (mobile phone, console, etc)?
A: If you wish to play the game on an embedded device like a mobile phone or console, please contact us before purchasing it.
Q: How long did it take to make the game?
A: The original version took about three months, not including the time spent studying algorithms. The game is continually improved.
Q: What plans for improvements do you have?
A: We'll be listening to feedback from all players and add the features they want the most. Our goal is to make people think 'chess=fun'.