A chessboard that
lives in your menubar.
Open a chess book — a small board floats over the text and stays out of the way. Drag it aside, move pieces, keep reading.
Why it exists
Every chess reader hits the same wall. You’re following “19. Rxe6! and White wins after…” and you need to see it on a real board. Switching to Chess.com or Lichess means losing your place in the book. A physical board means reaching for pieces.
Chessbar Mini is the thing in between — always one keystroke away, never in your way.
What it does
- popoverClick the menubar icon.
- on topFloats over your PDF, browser, notes, or editor.
- paste fenCopy any position from anywhere and the board sets up instantly.
- flipRotate the board with one click.
- themesLight and dark. Matches your system.
- nativeApple Silicon build. Opens in under 100 ms. Only 2.5 MB.
- no dataNo account, no telemetry, no network calls.
What it isn’t
Not an engine. Not an opponent. Not a puzzle trainer. One board that does one thing well.
For
FAQ
Do I need an account?
No. Works without any account or sign-up.
Does it work offline?
Yes. Completely offline. No network calls, ever.
Can I paste FEN strings?
Yes. Copy any FEN from a book, article, or chat — the position appears instantly.
Does it run natively on Apple Silicon?
Yes. Native Apple Silicon build. Also runs on Intel Macs. Opens in under 100 ms.