I've developed the Pulsar Chess program since 1998 with the first release in 2003 and it's now free with Winboard as an add on engine when you get winboard 4.7. I've taken it a step further now and ported Pulsar to iOS for iPhone and iPad. App name is PulsarChess and iTunes preview link is https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pulsarchess/id839640447?ls=1&mt=8

I feel this post is on topic for the computer forum but because i'm the author I checked with GMTonyKosten first last night about posting about Pulsar and got approval this morning.

Pulsar is free and plays Chess, Crazyhouse, Loser's Chess and Atomic with levels from easy to hard. If the user is a die hard variant fan there is an in App purchase to add on the variants of 3 checks and giveaway which pulsar can be very strong at but if you just stick to chess, crazyhouse, atomic or loser's its all free(no adds) with no restrictions like having to use some credit system and no restrictions in any kind of use like being able to access hard levels, or being able to play as much as you want and do what you want.

From my research i think i'm the first mobile crazyhouse app Also the first Loser's chess program for iOS though i found one for Android.

Computer chess started for me on my 17th birthday when i purchased Fidelity Excellence which said on the box it was 2000 USCF which was a sensory chess board electronic board at Toys-R-Us.  I was skeptical at first that 2000 was strong enough( I was not rated then) so me and my brother drove to San Francisco to look at another item, Super Excellence that was like Excellence but had 2 processors and was touted to be 2100.  But i went with Excellence and when we got home that night i played it on its default level 6(15 seconds per move) and it beat me every single game!   I was depressed that night but the next morning i read the manual, set it to level 1 and maybe after a game or two got my first win. 

PulsarChess like Excellence I wanted to be kind of a toy that would bring variant chess to the public with levels to let people find a level they can beat the program at and then maybe work up There is a rules button to read the rules of all the variants so hopefully anyone 8 or 12 years old and up can start trying variants with nothing but the App.  Also while the variant games are what makes Pulsar unique, it also plays standard chess with levels and anyone looking for a new playing program might want to try it. 

While this post is about PulsarChess I know not everyone has an iPhone or iPad, so I want to open up comments to anything I've discussed from your first chess program, variant chess in general, what people like about chess programs(favorite features etc) and anything to do with the mobile chess world on both Android and iOS.

thanks
Mike