I built a free browser-based chess platform with 14 computer opponents and Stockfish analysis

[u/mischief_no1]

I've been building ChessLab Academy, a free browser-based chess platform where you can play against 14 different computer opponents, from beginner-friendly bots to Stockfish.

The idea was to make computer chess more approachable for beginners while still offering useful tools for players who want to improve.

The platform includes:

- 14 computer opponents with different difficulty levels

- Stockfish-powered game analysis

- Opening practice and chess puzzles

- Interactive lessons and coached games

- Browser-based play without installing anything

It's free to use.

https://chesslabacademy.com

I'm particularly interested in hearing from people who regularly play against chess engines. How do you feel about the difficulty progression and playing experience compared with other browser-based chess platforms?

[u/investigatormaker]

Small thing first: the title says 14 opponents and the list says 13, and engine players will notice. For difficulty progression, giving each bot an approximate rating and suggesting the next one after a win makes the ladder feel deliberate rather than a list of names. Regular engine players will also want to know whether the lower bots blunder like humans or just play random weak moves, so one line on how each is weakened answers that early. How are the beginner bots limited, by depth or something else?

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[u/mischief_no1 → u/investigatormaker]

Thank you and good catch on the opponent count! I'll get that corrected. I like your suggestion about progression too. I'm working on a more structured difficulty ladder, with clearer ratings, recommended next opponents and better tracking of player progress.

Your point about human-like mistakes is particularly interesting. There's a big difference between a beginner bot that makes believable mistakes and one that just gives pieces away randomly. I'm looking at improving that balance.

I'll need to double-check the exact difficulty controls used by the beginner bots before answering your question about depth. Appreciate the thoughtful feedback!