Chess 2026 changelog | Filip Höfer: Chess for PC

August 2026: Version 2026.3

Faster startup — by 10-20%.
Faster, smoother move animations.
Smoother fade-in and fade-out transitions when opening and closing dialogs.
Improved file associations including the support of file names with special characters.
Refined user interface texts.
Optimized user interface layout.
Updated third-party components.

Chess 2026 has been introduced as a new product in the Filip Höfer Chess software line. Main new features include:

New visual styles — Newspaper‑style pieces inspired by classic chess books. A new ochre chessboard that pairs well with both the Newspaper and Staunton styles. A new set of high‑resolution photographic backgrounds.
Streamlined menu structure — Smarter layout, clearer labels, and expanded options while keeping everything compact.
Comprehensive Undo/Redo — Goes far beyond taking back moves. Even if you accidentally start a new game or delete a position, simply use Edit → Undo (Ctrl+Z) and everything returns to the previous state. Up to 100 history entries.
Informative title bar — The current game level is always displayed.
True 4K support — Enjoy finer detail in chess pieces, the board, and background images.

Additional improvements include:

Improved game notation — The game result is now included as a standalone item.
Improved Go to move feature — You can jump to a move number by pressing the digits in sequence (e.g., for move 10, press 1 and then 0). After one second without input, any digit is treated as the start of a new number.
Any combination of Player/Computer/Coach assignments for White and Black is now possible, including Computer‑vs‑Computer and Coach‑vs‑Coach games.
Smoother animations and transitions.
Improved highlighting on the chessboard to clearly distinguish the selected piece from the previously moved piece.
Streamlined status bar messages with fewer parentheses.
Improved PGN compatibility.
Greater resilience against data loss during forced shutdowns.