Underplayed Gems

BOT.vinnik Chess: Opening Traps (2020)

BOT.vinnik Chess: Opening Traps cover
Developer
Deep Green Games
Publisher
Abyssal Studios
Platforms
Windows, macOS
Genres
Casual, Indie, Strategy
Rating
4.3 of 5, 68 player ratings
Typical playtime
about 1.5 hours
Where to get it
Steam

More by Deep Green Games

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More games like this

How it feels

Playing feels like studying chess openings with a quirky Soviet digital teacher, mixing precise puzzle solving with dry humor.

educationalunforgivingfunnyrelaxingpixel-graphicslogic-basedretrominimalist

What players say

Players are split: some find it a useful, cheap way to learn opening patterns through repeated puzzles, while others say the auto-play is too fast to follow and the interface lacks basics like pause or rewind. The game does not explain why a move is best until after you guess, which frustrates beginners.

Screenshots

BOT.vinnik Chess: Opening Traps screenshot 1BOT.vinnik Chess: Opening Traps screenshot 2BOT.vinnik Chess: Opening Traps screenshot 3BOT.vinnik Chess: Opening Traps screenshot 4BOT.vinnik Chess: Opening Traps screenshot 5

More games like this

More by Deep Green Games

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.