Forward Chess - Book Reader

Forward Chess is like having a book and a chessboard in the palm of your hand!

Forward Chess · com.forwardchess

Not rated yet 100K+ downloads v2.20.4 88.1 MB Android 5.0+ PEGI 3 · Everyone

Download APK 88.1 MB v2.20.3 · Google Play signature All versions

Signed differently from the Google Play version Details

Forward Chess - Book Reader screenshot 1

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Forward Chess - Book Reader screenshot 9

At a glance

Latest version: v2.20.4 (486)
Updated: Sep 24, 2026 (15 days ago)
APK size: 88.1 MB
Requires: Android 5.0+ (API 21)
CPU support: x86 32-bit, x86 64-bit, ARM 32-bit, ARM 64-bit
Category: Board (game)
Listed since: Feb 22, 2021 (at least)
Permissions: 18 (3 sensitive)
Website: ForwardChess.com
Developer contact: [email protected]
Privacy: Developer's privacy policy

About this APK

Forward Chess - Book Reader is a game by Forward Chess in the Board category, listed since at least February 2021. It includes native code for x86 32-bit, x86 64-bit, ARM 32-bit and ARM 64-bit, so it runs on practically every phone.

It asks for 18 permissions, 3 of them sensitive: read phone status and identity, read shared storage and modify shared storage. It asks for the same permissions as version 2.20.3. The game offers in-app purchases through Google Play and can read the advertising ID that ad and analytics services use.

What's new in v2.20.4

* Added animation to the pieces when they move on the board

Description

From the listing uploaded by “superpocket”.

Forward Chess is an interactive chess book reader. Read the book, play through book lines, AND try your OWN lines. The embedded Stockfish engine, one of the strongest chess playing engines on the planet, can be invoked at any time to provide an evaluation of the book’s moves or an evaluation of your own variations. Forward Chess is like having a book, a chessboard, and a powerful analysis tool together right in the palm of your hand! One of the best things about Forward Chess is its ergonomic design. Forward Chess engineers designed easy-to-reach “Previous” and “Next” buttons that allow the user to quickly scroll through moves, and a one-touch snap-to-position feature that allows the user to touch a move and snap to a position. The resizable diagrams are easy on the eyes. For large-scale navigation, Forward Chess allows the user to jump directly to specific chapters, scroll seamlessly through single chapters, and navigate long trees of variations with ease. Forward Chess now supports note taking: creation, editing, and deletion. The app also supports multiple bookmarks per book. Forward Chess currently features books published by the following fine chess publishers: Quality Chess, Chess Stars, Russell Enterprises, Chess Informant, New In Chess, and Mongoose Press. Dozens of recent titles from these publishers are available inside the Forward Chess bookstore for purchase. A number of free sample books are also available for an immediate “test drive.” Forward Chess promises to propel your chess training forward to the next level!

Version history

4 versions are listed, going back to v2.19.0.

v2.20.4 LATEST Sep 24, 2026 88.1 MB TRUSTED v2.20.3 Sep 24, 2026 87.5 MB TRUSTED v2.20.1 Sep 16, 2026 87.5 MB TRUSTED v2.19.0 Jan 20, 2026 85.7 MB TRUSTED

All 4 versions

Security & authenticity

Security rating: Trusted

Signing certificate

Certificate issued to “zph-mph” Not the developer's name (“Forward Chess”). Names in certificates can't be verified, so this alone proves nothing.
Signed differently from the Google Play version v2.20.3, v2.20.1 and v2.19.0, which match Google Play, use another certificate. Android normally won't update an installed Play Store copy with this file. v2.20.3 · v2.20.1 · v2.19.0

Store checks and file details

Developer signature under review Sep 24, 2026
Signed byCN=Jx Clarynx, O=zph-mph, OU=anon.org, L=Caraga, ST=Surigao Del Norte, C=8609
Signing certificate (SHA-1)7D:64:F9:C2:53:C7:EF:35:A0:72:0F:6F:8A:80:2B:D4:B9:20:AA:3A
File MD526bc149bd769f21f51c669f8de7eded2
Uploaded by “superpocket” Silver tier · 5,272 followers · uploading since 2016

Scans and ratings come from the source store; the certificate comparisons are AAPKs's own, made from the files' published signatures (3 other versions compared). AAPKs doesn't scan files itself — compare the MD5 and signer after downloading.

Permissions (18)

Forward Chess - Book Reader requests 18 permissions, 3 of them sensitive.

Modify shared storage Sensitive android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
Read phone status and identity Sensitive android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE
Read shared storage Sensitive android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
Access adservices ad id android.permission.ACCESS_ADSERVICES_AD_ID
Access adservices attribution android.permission.ACCESS_ADSERVICES_ATTRIBUTION
Advertising ID com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID
Control vibration android.permission.VIBRATE
Full network access android.permission.INTERNET
Google Play install referrer com.google.android.finsky.permission.BIND_GET_INSTALL_REFERRER_SERVICE
In-app purchases (Google Play Billing) com.android.vending.BILLING
Internal broadcast protection (app-defined) com.forwardchess.DYNAMIC_RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED_PERMISSION
Prevent the device from sleeping android.permission.WAKE_LOCK
Read Google service settings com.google.android.providers.gsf.permission.READ_GSERVICES
Receive push notifications com.google.android.c2dm.permission.RECEIVE
Run at startup android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED
Run foreground services android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE
Show notifications android.permission.POST_NOTIFICATIONS
View network connections android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE

Required hardware & features

Basic touch input android.hardware.faketouch

Forward Chess - Book Reader APK: questions and answers

Can I install this APK over the version I already have?

Probably not if you installed Forward Chess - Book Reader from Google Play: this file is signed with a different certificate, and Android normally refuses such an update. You would have to uninstall your copy first, which deletes its data unless it is backed up.

Is Forward Chess - Book Reader free?

The APK is free to download, but the game offers in-app purchases through Google Play.

Is the Forward Chess - Book Reader APK safe?

No one can promise that a file is safe, but some things can be checked. The source store rates this file Trusted. It is signed with a different certificate than the Google Play version. After downloading, check that the file's MD5 is 26bc149bd769f21f51c669f8de7eded2.