Play Magnus (mobile app)
{{Short description|Mobile chess game}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Play Magnus
| logo= PlayMagnus.webp
| screenshot = Play Magnus.jpg
| caption =
| collapsible =
| author = Tord Romstad et al.{{cite web|url=http://www.playmagnus.com/team|title=Play Magnus|website=Play Magnus|access-date=18 September 2022|archive-date=30 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730231228/http://www.playmagnus.com/team|url-status=dead}}
| developer = Play Magnus AS
| released = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2014|01|01}}
| discontinued =
| latest release version =
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2016|11|04}}
| latest preview version =
| latest preview date =
| status =
| programming language =
| operating system =iOS, Android
| platform =
| size =
| language =
| genre = Computer chess
| license = Commercial software
| website = {{URL|playmagnus.com}}
}}
Play Magnus is a commercial computer chess mobile app available for the iOS and Android mobile operating systems.{{cite web|url=https://apps.apple.com/us/app/play-magnus-play-chess/id808138395|title=Play Magnus - Chess on the App Store|website=iTunes |date=10 January 2022 |publisher=}}{{cite web|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pl.mw.playmagnus|title=Chess Free - Play Magnus - Android Apps on Google Play|publisher=}} The software is named after former World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen and features adjustable difficulty levels for chess players of various skills.{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/28/5456176/play-magnus-iphone-chess-game-grandmaster-carlsen|title='Play Magnus' for iPhone pits you against a young chess grandmaster|date=28 February 2014|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gizbot.com/apps/play-magnus-iphone-let-s-you-play-against-chess-grandmaster-015906.html|title=Play Magnus for iPhone Let's You Play Against Chess Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen|date=1 March 2014|publisher=}} It has been available since 2014 and is developed by the Norwegian company Play Magnus AS, which was co-founded by Carlsen.
Description
The program is a chess engine tuned to play at 30 different skill levels based on Magnus Carlsen's ability at given ages.{{cite web|url =https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/may/11/magnus-carlsen-chess-world-championhip-match-sergey-karjakin|title =Magnus Carlsen: the cool grandmaster who cries when he loses to himself|first =Erica|last =Buist|website =The Guardian|date =11 May 2016}}
Users earn points by playing chess, or can purchase points for money. Points can be spent on querying the engine for move suggestions, and on the undo function (the cost of this is higher at the higher levels). With a large points balance, it used to be possible to win a chance of playing Magnus in person but this is no longer mentioned by the app.
After each game, the app gives the user a chance to "share" their result on Facebook or Twitter, or to save the game as PGN. It also includes various quotes from Magnus that are presented between games.
The first skill level ("age 5") plays moves predominantly at random.
History
The development of Play Magnus began after Carlsen founded Play Magnus AS and invested his own money and funds from investors into the company.{{cite web|url=http://www.livemint.com/Consumer/ZR3M6W8tX2mWfAJh8sjZfM/Magnus-Carlsen-parlays-chess-success-into-hot-tech-startup.html|title=Magnus Carlsen parlays chess success into hot tech start-up|last=Paul|first=Aniek|date=10 November 2014|website=livemint.com|publisher=|access-date=}} It was developed by a team including Tord Romstad, one of the creators of Stockfish,{{cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3065661/this-simulation-of-chess-champion-magnus-carlsen-is-ready-to-checkmate-you|title=This Simulation Of Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen Is Ready To Checkmate You - Fast Company|date=14 November 2016|publisher=}} who said he based the engine on his Stockfish predecessor "Glaurung" to avoid copyright issues with Stockfish itself.[http://www.talkchess.com/forum3/viewtopic.php?t=51408&start=5 Developer Tord Romstad's comments] Romstad also said they "intentionally made the progression up to about age 14 a bit more linear than it was in reality (in an attempt to make the progression not be too steep, but user feedback indicates that it might be too steep nevertheless)".[https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/7kkvpc/deos_anybody_know_what_rating_is_magnus_age_8_in/ Comment by developer Tord Romstad on Reddit]
Play Magnus was released in January 2014 for iOS and late 2014 for Android. It received close to one million downloads by November 2016. It had risen to 2.8 million downloads as of December 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.hegnar.no/Nyheter/Boers-finans/2017/12/Magnus-Carlsen-jakter-41-millioner-kroner|title=Magnus Carlsen jakter 41 millioner kroner|first=|date=15 December 2017|website=Hegnar|language=Norwegian|access-date=}}
In August 2022, the Play Magnus Group accepted an offer of acquisition from Chess.com, for nearly $83 million.{{Cite web |last=Team (CHESScom) |first=Chess com |title=Chess.com Makes Offer To Play Magnus Group |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/chesscom-playmagnus |access-date=2022-08-24 |website=Chess.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Robinson |first=Andrew Beaton and Joshua |date=2022-10-04 |title=Chess Investigation Finds That U.S. Grandmaster 'Likely Cheated' More Than 100 Times |language=en-US |work=Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/chess-cheating-hans-niemann-report-magnus-carlsen-11664911524 |access-date=2022-10-04 |issn=0099-9660}}{{Cite web |last=Poindexter |first=Owen |date=2022-08-25 |title=Top Chess Player, Platform Join Forces in $82.9M Deal |url=https://frontofficesports.com/top-chess-player-platform-join-forces-in-82-9m-deal/ |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=Front Office Sports |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official|https://www.playmagnus.com/}}
- {{YouTube|custom=PlayMagnusofficial|Play Magnus}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Play Magnus}}
Category:Android (operating system) games