We are thrilled to announce a feature many of you have been waiting for. At LearningChess.net, our mission has always been to make high-quality chess education accessible, engaging, and effective for everyone. Today, we take a big leap forward by introducing Text-to-Speech (TTS) functionality directly into our lessons!
Now, instead of reading the annotations and explanations, you can sit back and listen as the lesson unfolds.
Why Use Text-to-Speech in Your Lessons?
Adding audio to your chess study isn’t just a “nice-to-have” feature; it changes how you absorb information. Here are a few reasons why this will level up your game:
Better Focus on the Board: Instead of constantly shifting your eyes between the text description and the pieces, you can keep your gaze fixed on the board while the “coach” explains the move.
Enhanced Retention: Combining visual cues (the board) with auditory input (the speech) reinforces memory. This “dual coding” approach is a proven way to learn complex concepts faster.
Accessibility: TTS makes our platform more inclusive for users with visual impairments or reading difficulties, such as dyslexia, ensuring that the beauty of chess is open to all.
Immersive Learning: Hearing the logic behind a grandmaster’s move makes the lessons feel more like a one-on-one coaching session.
Current Status: Beta Phase
We are currently in the Beta phase of this rollout. This means we are still fine-tuning the speech patterns and ensuring everything runs smoothly across all platforms.
You may still encounter minor variations in voice quality depending on your specific browser version or operating system. We recommend keeping your browser updated for the best results.
Best Browsers & Devices for Audio
To enjoy the most natural-sounding voices and reliable playback, here is our guide to the best setup:
Microsoft Edge (Highly Recommended): Edge remains our top pick for desktop users. It offers the widest selection of high-quality “natural” voices that make the lessons feel like a real conversation.
Chrome & Safari: The feature works well on both Chrome and Safari for many major languages. If you are an Apple user, Safari provides a great experience.
Android & iOS (Mobile): We have excellent news for mobile learners! Both Android and iOS have fantastic built-in support for a huge variety of languages. Whether you’re on a phone or tablet, the TTS integration is smooth and highly responsive.
Other Browsers: You may encounter limited support or technical issues in other browsers at this time.
How to Get Started
Ready to hear your next lesson? Just look for the audio icon in your lesson interface to click or tap the text you want to hear. If you don’t see the audio icon next to the text, your operating system and browser do not support reading aloud. Try a different browser.
We can’t wait to hear what you think! Try it today and let us know how it changes your learning experience.
If you have technical issues, let us know what the problem is, which browser you are using, and your language. Please use our Contact Us form to send this information.
Future plans
We are using the beta version to guide development priorities. We plan to publish a recommended browser list for each language.
Additionally, we are developing an automatic reading system that allows users to listen to lessons without clicking on the text.
Happy Learning,
The LearningChess Team
