Choose Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition
Choose Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition if you want an Indie game with Shared/Split Screen. Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition launched in 2016.
Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition vs Chess!
Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition and Chess! both land in Sports, Strategy, Simulation on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Sports, Strategy, Simulation on Steam. Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition (2016) is 7 years older than Chess! (2023). Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (73.5% positive) than Chess! (64.3% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Chess!
Choose Chess! if you want the Online PvP and PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 69% cheaper on the Steam Store. Chess! launched in 2023.
Both Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition and Chess! sit in Sports, Strategy, and Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition |  Chess! | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2023 |
| Genres | Sports, Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Casual | Sports, Strategy, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 15.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 73.5% positive (102 reviews) | 64.3% positive (28 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | Ripstone | Exeter Game Studios |
Side by side
- Both share Sports, Strategy, Simulation on Steam.
- Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition (2016) is 7 years older than Chess! (2023).
- Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (73.5% positive) than Chess! (64.3% positive).
- Chess! is currently ~69% cheaper on Steam than Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition (4.99 USD vs. 15.99 USD).
- Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Chess! has no Deck rating yet.
Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition vs Chess! — FAQ
- Should I play Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition or Chess! first?
- If you want chronology, Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition (2016) came out before Chess! (2023). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition and Chess! similar?
- They overlap on Sports, Strategy, Simulation on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Pure Chess Grandmaster Edition is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Chess! doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.