ChessLynx
◕ ChessLynx
A project by CMZen DigitalLaunching December 1, 2026 · iPhone, iPad & Android

Learn chess before you can read.

ChessLynx teaches children 5+ real chess — Lux guides them from pawn to king, tactics, puzzles, and bots, fully narrated.
No ads, no tracking, no subscription — unlock once, play forever. No reading — just thinking.

Follow the Lynx to become ChessLynx.
„Folge dem Luchs, um Schachluchs zu werden!" (German original)
No account needed — just your email, and we'll let you know personally.
Lux, the lynx mascot of ChessLynx, sitting curiously with a friendly look
🌲 Forest companion: Lux

The Concept

What makes ChessLynx different

Kids often want to play chess long before they can read. But rulebooks, instructions, and most apps assume they already can. In ChessLynx, Lux the Lynx says everything out loud.

🔤

No reading required

Lux explains, demonstrates, praises, and helps — all spoken. Your child plays on their own; you don't need to sit beside them.

🎯

Real chess

From the first pawn move to forks, pins, skewers, and mate in two — step by step, told as a story.

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Companions & Hall of Fame

Five forest companions each teach a real chess idea. Every companion won takes its place in the Hall of Fame.

Squirrel, a forest companion in ChessLynxSquirrel
Raven, a forest companion in ChessLynxRaven
Badger, a forest companion in ChessLynxBadger
Eagle, a forest companion in ChessLynxEagle
Wolf, a forest companion in ChessLynxWolf

The Story

The Journey Through the Forest

Every animal becomes a piece.

1

Six Animals, Six Pieces

A hedgehog, a bear, an owl, a horse, a swan, and a deer live in the forest. As soon as your child discovers how they move, they become the pawn, rook, bishop, knight, queen, and king, all the way to the first checkmate.

2

Five Companions

Beyond the mountain gate wait the squirrel, the raven, the badger, the eagle, and the wolf. Each teaches a real chess idea: piece value, protecting pieces, castling, forks, pins, skewers, and mate in two.

3

The Bison

At the end of the journey, it sets its challenges. Every companion won takes its place in the Hall of Fame.

4

Free Play

A first full game against the patient turtle, then animal opponents across 16 levels, hundreds of chess puzzles, and a gentle Puzzle Rush with thousands more.

The ChessLynx logo: Lux the Lynx embracing a transformed knight chess piece

Every forest animal permanently transforms into its real chess piece — Lux accompanies the journey throughout the whole app. This image is also the official ChessLynx logo.

How Lux guides

Lux shows. Your child finds.

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Show first, then practice

Lux demonstrates every new idea first, then your child practices.

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Hints in small steps

They point to where to look instead of giving the answer away.

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Stars instead of scores

Kind feedback instead of "wrong".

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Lux always finishes speaking

Nothing important can be tapped away by accident.

For Parents

Unlock once. Play forever.

ChessLynx is made by CMZen Digital, an independent studio from Munich — no ads, no tracking.

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Play first, then decide

The first three forest adventures are free. After that, you unlock the whole learning path once, $9.99 at launch (through January 31, 2027), no subscription.

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Purchases only in the parent area

Behind a parental gate, invisible to children.

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No ads, no tracking

No analytics tools, no third-party advertising or tracking SDKs.

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Data stored in the EU

Parent account with email confirmation, deletable in the app at any time.

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Progress overview

The parent area shows what your child has already learned.

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A daily time limit

When time is up, Lux ends the session gently.

Honestly speaking

Development status

🖥️ Screenshot, early stage Early development stage: ChessLynx onboarding screen with Lux in the forest

Launching December 1, 2026.

Most of the journey is built: the six animals, the five companions, the bison, and the free play modes. Until launch, we're testing, recording, and polishing.

If you're on the waitlist, you'll be the first to know.

Journey built English & German Munich 🇩🇪

The character illustrations shown are production-approved; the screenshot above shows an early stage of the app's interface.

Good illustration takes several passes. A small glimpse of how early sketches became today's finished art:

First draft Early logo composition: Lux and knight side by side Final ChessLynx logo: Lux embracing the knight Early Lux study in a flatter, less detailed style Final Lux master art in detailed, painted style Early hedgehog-pawn draft from the concept reference sheet Finished, painted hedgehog-pawn master art

Logo — first composition

So far, only the already-approved final version exists for the five forest companions, so this retrospective shows the logo, Lux, and the chess-piece animals.

Be there when Lux launches.

A short email is all it takes — we'll reach out personally once ChessLynx is ready.