Updates
What's new
New features, improvements, and fixes in the app.
Sep 25, 2026
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Browse Chinese tournaments from May, June, and August
Explore lists ended 2026 events that have games. Opening a game brings that score into the library.
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China tournaments in the account menu
The account menu includes a link to China tournaments.
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China tournament games open in CBL first
Clicking a game on a China events list opens CBL Browser; use the row link for the game workspace.
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Less empty space below China event games
The game list for China tournaments sits closer to the page footer.
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Clearer settings and navigation polish
Profile play stats use folder tabs; About links sit in one row and open in a new tab; Engine actions have more spacing; Explore menu adds China tournaments; offline play shows red/black dots on your side.
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China tournament details in a clear panel
Event facts on a tournament game list sit in a raised box under the title so dates, format, and winner are easier to scan.
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Event details sit with the comments
A China event page lays the match details in pairs, and opening one of its games shows the event name and those details above the comments, with a button to every game in the event.
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Event rows show they are opening
Clicking a China event covers that row with a spinner and a short wait line while its game list loads.
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China events open by name
A tournament page uses the event name, shows the champion and match details, and a finished game keeps a link into CBL Browser on that row. From the game, you can return to the event's game list.
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More China tournaments are listed
The tournament list now includes ended events with games from the full archive, not only May, June, and August 2026.
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China tournaments are easier to browse
Filter by this month or a date range, then scan events and games in a clearer list on your phone or computer.
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Find Chinese tournaments from the command palette
Search for China tournaments to open the May, June, and August event list.
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China tournament lists keep row dividers while importing
Loading a game from a China event list no longer hides the line under the busy row.
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China tournament workspace opens the game page
After a China tournament game opens in CBL Browser, Open game workspace goes to the game page.
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China tournament date filters fit on phone
From/To date fields on Giải đấu Trung Quốc stack on small screens and show Gregorian dates like the event list.
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Opening a China game stays on the row
The game list no longer shows a dialog on its own. Opening a game shows the progress and the Open game button in the center of that row.
Sep 24, 2026
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Copy and download save the page
Right-click and the command palette now copy or download the page on screen. The separate board options are gone.
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Clearer when a general is in check
A pulsing red ring stays on the attacked general until you get out of check — in live games, replays, and the library board.
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Mystery and Shared show as badges
In your library, Mystery and Shared appear as badges next to the kind, instead of text on the filename.
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Kỳ Đài looks like a cafe stage
The cafe TV and your Kỳ Đài list sit on a dark lacquer stage, with the shop name and a gold ring on the hall.
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Related games follow your handle
Related archive games on a profile search your username, and that lookup uses the archive indexes.
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The engine seat shows when it is thinking
While the engine is choosing a move, its badge says it is thinking, in Mystery games and normal games.
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Steadier Fairy-Stockfish analysis
When Fairy-Stockfish has an update, you see what changed before it downloads. Quiet positions are searched with a limit, and repeated positions count toward a draw.
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Each offline game uses its own engine
Starting a Xiangqi or Mystery game loads that game's engine. Chess Engine settings show which game each engine is for.
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Copying the page finishes sooner
Copy or download now snapshots what is on screen, so the save finishes in a few seconds instead of spinning.
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The computer still moves after Open in CBL
A Mystery game opened from Play Offline keeps the live match, so the engine replies after a covered move.
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Mystery games stay covered in the Library
Mystery games in your Library show a badge, and the preview and board keep pieces face-down until they are revealed.
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Moves tab fills the row
When Cloud Book is hidden, the Moves tab stretches across the whole row.
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Mystery setup hides Xiangqi study tools
Choosing Mystery before you start no longer shows the analysis panel or Cloud Book. Those come back when you choose Xiangqi.
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Engine update stays on one line
While a chess engine updates, the spinner and the update message sit side by side under the site name.
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Mystery tab shows a Mystery board
Opening play vs computer with Mystery selected shows covered pieces. Start still shuffles and begins the game.
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Mystery games no longer show engine analysis
Opening a Mystery game in the browser, or playing one offline, no longer shows a Xiangqi-style analysis panel. You can still play against the engine.
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Keep each game on its own engine
Analysing a Mystery game asks for the Mystery engine, and a new Xiangqi game uses the Xiangqi engine again. Cloud Book stays off during Mystery, and those moves show in the list.
Sep 23, 2026
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Play Mystery against the computer
Play Offline can start a Mystery game, and the browser analyzes Mystery games with the matching engine.
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Chess engines update themselves
Installed engines update in the background when a newer version is published, and the line under the site name shows which one is updating.
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Repeated games now warn you first
Perpetual check, perpetual chase, quiet rounds, and plain repetition end computer and online games, with a red countdown before the last step.
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See when your general is in check
A red outline marks the general while it is under attack, and clears once you get out of check.
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Copy or download a picture of the page
Right-click or long-press the page, or open the command palette, to copy or save a picture of the page or the board.
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Scan photo types look like buttons
Auto, Real board, and Screenshot have rounded corners so each choice is easier to see.
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Revealed pieces match your piece style
In a live game, including Mystery, pieces now use the piece style and appearance you selected.
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Scan photo type stays readable
The selected Auto, Real board, or Screenshot label is visible on the scan board.
Sep 22, 2026
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Arrows for move statistics
Turn on Arrows in move statistics to draw those moves on the board. Hover an arrow for the score, or click it to play the move.
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Move statistics beside the move list
In CBL and Play vs computer, a statistics table sits with the moves. Choose a row to play that move.
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Cloud Book help explains replies
The ? next to Cloud Book says what 35–0 means: stored replies, then how many of them are good.
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The tab is now Cloud Book
Move statistics is named Cloud Book. The gear explains that pointing at a row draws that move, and the extra arrows stay off until you turn them on.
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A gear sets move arrows
The arrows control sits on the statistics header. The count starts at 3.
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Set move arrows in one place
Open the arrows popover on statistics, or the same control in Settings and the command palette. Hovering a row always draws that move.
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More reliable board scan from photos
Scan now lines up the board corners first, then reads the pieces—so positions come out cleaner, with tips and an easy way to fix unsure squares.
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Opening statistics list the full book
The starting position now lists every scored book move, not only the two pawn pushes.
Sep 21, 2026
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Mystery Game is in public Beta
Anyone who can open a table can start a Mystery Game. Look for the Beta badge, and your last Xiangqi or Mystery Game choice is remembered.
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Lobby quick-play uses tabs and a clearer layout
Xiangqi and Mystery Game are tabs above the seek panel; Rated and Casual sit side by side on desktop with preset tiles still in a row on phone.
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Moves list starts from the initial position
The canvas Moves list now has a start row that fits all boards, and captured pieces stay beside the board instead of in the list.
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CBL captured trays sit more neatly on board and phone
Desktop trays keep a small gap from the edges; phone Comments rows align the piece glyphs under matching labels.
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Captured pieces sit on both sides of the CBL board
On desktop they overlay left and right of the board; on a phone they appear in Comments, just above the comment text.
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History badges no longer overlap
Mystery and Win/Loss/Draw now stack in the recent-games list instead of covering each other.
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Captured pieces show without a refresh
On a phone, captured pieces now appear in the name row as soon as they are taken.
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Captured pieces without player names
On a phone, captured-piece rows show when a player is named, or when that side has actually captured something.
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Game progress now moves with every ply
The progress bar on classic games and share players advances after each move, not only after a Red-and-Black pair.
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Revealed Mystery advisors can leave the palace
A piece that turns out to be an Advisor away from the palace can now move; Elephants still cannot jump through a blocked square.
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Mystery boards stay in sync
After a hidden capture, both players’ boards and clocks keep updating together.
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Study board stays fully in frame
Captured pieces no longer push the board down on a phone. On the canvas they sit at the top-left and bottom-right of the board you open.
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Mystery tables can resign, draw, and time out
Resign and offer draw stay available, running out of time ends the game, the move list can switch notation, and captured pieces only show what you are allowed to see.
Sep 20, 2026
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Show captured pieces beside the board
Turn on captured and lost piece trays in Settings → Layout, or press C. They sit left of the board on desktop and above or below it on phone.
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Settings and search on the status page
On the status site you can open Settings, share a link, send feedback, and jump with ⌘K like the other apps.
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Captured pieces sit with the player who took them
Red pieces appear on Black’s side and black pieces on Red’s. On a phone they sit in the player name rows instead of extra strips beside the board.
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Board scan is staff-only for now
Photo-to-FEN stays available for @vietcotuong.com accounts while we finish quality work; other players will not see Scan board.
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Kỳ Đài is in staff preview
The cafe winner-stays desk is hidden except for VietCoTuong staff accounts. Join and watch links still work.
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Clearer progress on embedded games
The playback bar on share embeds is now amber so it stands out from the frame.
Sep 19, 2026
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Mystery Chinese Chess is in staff preview
Opening a new Cờ Úp table is limited while we finish the mode. You can still join or rematch a Mystery game.
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Better mobile replay controls
Narrow phones spread replay toolbar controls evenly; autoplay interval picker no longer crops; play toggles to stop instead of pause.
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Admin View as bar stays out of the way
When collapsed, the staff View as control is hidden in the top-left corner so it no longer blocks page headers.
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See replay progress while stepping through a game
The playback toolbar shows how far you are through the game, and the mobile Moves tab displays the current move number.
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Cleaner badge collection cards
Collection lists use full column width, a compact arrow instead of repeated open text, and even card height in multi-column grids.
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Mystery pieces stay covered until they move
Players who join a Cờ Úp table now see hidden pieces like everyone else, and a piece flips only once when it is revealed.
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Mystery pieces reveal when they first move
In Cờ Úp, your first moved piece now shows its identity, and the live board sits flush on the canvas without a grey padded card.
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Scan board dialog aligns on phone
The scan overlay now fills the screen correctly on iPhone instead of sitting half off to the left.
Sep 18, 2026
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Mystery Chinese Chess (Cờ Úp)
Play Cờ Úp online with covered pieces, house Advisor/Elephant rules, spectator settings, and a separate rating pool.
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Kỳ Đài cafe TV waits between games
The cafe screen shows the last result and join QR between matches, then jumps to the live table. Shop owners create a Kỳ Đài in a dialog, and Play New table and Chat stay off those pages.
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Listing page numbers stay on one row
Archive collections now show a compact page range that fits one row on phones and desktops, instead of wrapping every page or a separate mobile bar.
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Cleaner Play vs computer setup
Start and study actions stay hidden until they apply; rail buttons show hover feedback.
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Clearer Game and Moves vs the computer
Game and Moves sit under Hint and Undo, the board uses the full width, and Install engine swaps to the license step until you cancel.
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Clearer note to install the engine
When you open Play vs computer without an engine, a short note above Install engine explains that you need it to play.
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Play vs computer setup fills the phone screen
Before you start, the opponent picker stays open and uses the full width on phones. You cannot close it until the game begins.
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Larger board when you play the computer
Game and Moves tuck into buttons until you need them, so the board stays as large as the window allows. Opening Moves no longer squeezes the pieces.
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New game uses the full screen on mobile
On phones, the New game dialog now fills the viewport so presets and options have more room.
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Scan board shows your photo while reading
While a board photo is being read, the dialog keeps showing the image with a spinner and rotating status messages.
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Status now lives at status.vietcotuong.com
You can still check platform health when the main site is down. Old /service-status links redirect there.
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New game time controls stay on one row
Bank, per-move, and bonus seconds now stay side by side on mobile.
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Scan board fills the screen and reads photos more reliably
The scan overlay now uses the full screen, keeps the camera after a missed read, and is less likely to reject a usable board photo.
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Engine install links on one line
License text and Source code now sit side by side in the install confirm step.
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Move list shows when you play the computer
The right-hand list now records every ply as you play, in its own panel under the engine analysis.
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Computer board sits in the middle of the table
When you play vs the computer, your name bar sits at the bottom of the board and the board is centered in the space above it.
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Computer setup stays visible on phones
On narrow screens, the play-vs-computer setup panel no longer dismisses before you tap Start.
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Scan board result fits on phones
After scanning a board photo, the correction editor no longer clips off the side of the screen on mobile.
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Cleaner Play vs computer setup on mobile
The opponent picker no longer sits in a tight white box with double side spacing.
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Canvas study pages finish loading
Opening a game on the canvas no longer gets stuck on the loading spinner.
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Game and canvas pages open again
Opening a game or canvas workspace no longer stopped on a half-finished page.
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Pages load instead of failing at random
Home and Play no longer fail to open with a protocol error on some reloads.
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Home and Play stay open
Pages that sometimes failed to finish loading now complete reliably.
Sep 17, 2026
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Scan a board from a photo
Photograph or upload a Xiangqi position, correct it, then open it in CBL Browser or Play Offline. Free accounts get 10 scans a day; Pro gets 1,000.
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Kỳ Đài evenings stay with the shop
Each Kỳ Đài now has a public page with a play QR and past evenings. Guest games are saved there, not on the host’s personal rating.
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Watch the cafe Kỳ Đài table on a TV
Open the live page on a screen — it follows the current table and the next one when the host opens it.
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Join a cafe Kỳ Đài queue from your phone
Enter your name, wait to be called, then sit at the table — guests can play without an account.
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Open the Kỳ Đài table
After calling the next player, the host can open the board. Both players sit as guests; the shop owner watches, and rematch is off so winner-stays can continue.
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Host a cafe Kỳ Đài
Shop owners can create a venue and run a winner-stays evening: walk-in queue, call the next player, and keep matches in the shop archive.
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Easier Kỳ Đài evenings
Find Kỳ Đài in the Play menu, share a join QR from the host desk, and rejoin the queue after a game.
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More recent custom game presets by default
New accounts now keep up to five recent custom New game settings on the play lobby instead of one.
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Smoother hover on tabs and menus
Grouped controls keep a gliding highlight as you move across gaps instead of blinking off between items.
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Share dialog QR buttons match
Copy QR and Show QR code now share the same outline style and split the row evenly.
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More consistent table share and preset controls
Share buttons in Your table keep a minimum width and saved game presets fill the settings panel.
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Billing purchases are easier to scan
Staff billing now lists purchases in a table instead of stacked cards.
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Hosts can stop a Kỳ Đài table
If a cafe match has to stop, the host can void it. The champion stays on the stage and that game does not count.
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Kỳ Đài TV shows the champion streak
The live Kỳ Đài screen now shows who is champion and how many wins in a row, in larger type for a cafe TV.
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Home and Play load again
Pages that failed to open with a network error now finish loading.
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Play and home pages open again
Chrome no longer blocks those pages after the last update.
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Board photos are more likely to scan
Reading a Xiangqi position from a photo is less likely to fail or spend a free scan on a missed read.
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Markdown editor tabs look cleaner
Write and Preview tabs now align evenly with matching borders and a rounded corner on Write.
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Show QR button styling restored
Copy QR and Show QR still split evenly; Show QR is filled again instead of outline.
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Cleaner feedback editor tabs
The Write and Preview tabs in the feedback form now connect cleanly to the editor border without gaps or double lines.
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Kỳ Đài games stay in the archive
A finished cafe table is saved even if both players close the game. The host can still replay it later.
Sep 16, 2026
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Replay your last custom game settings
Custom New game setups are saved on this device—start again from the lobby, command palette, or Settings.
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Share links and QR codes from anywhere in the app
Copy a page link, show a QR code, or use your device's share sheet from the header, lobby, and live table flows — including fullscreen QR when you need it.
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Rehearse opponent replies and alternative lines
Branch play in rehearse mode, explore alternative continuations, and get acceptable-move feedback without the undo gate.
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Clearer checkout cancel page
If you cancel payment, you land on a proper store page with Back to store, Try again, and View pricing.
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Buy gifts straight from the store catalog
Buy as a gift on any store card opens the gift checkout dialog so you can send by email or share code without visiting the product page first.
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Clearer gift checkout on product pages
Buy as a gift opens a dialog that explains the flow—email the code to a friend or get a voucher to share yourself—with clearer next steps after payment.
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Easier to read What Pro includes
Hover a row in the Pro benefits table to highlight the matching feature and plan column.
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Store thank-you page updates smoothly
After checkout, the success page now shows a loader and tips while your invoice or gift email is finalized — no full-page refresh.
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Pick up where you left off after signing in
On Play, starting New game or challenging a friend before you log in opens that flow automatically when you return — no second click.
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Smoother checkout confirmation
After you pay, the success page now shows a loading indicator and helpful tips while your receipt and gift email finish processing — no more jarring page reloads.
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Profile bio supports Markdown
Write your public bio with basic Markdown in Settings; visitors see formatted text on your profile page.
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Expand the feedback editor while you write
Use the expand control on Details for a larger writing area when your feedback needs more room.
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Richer feedback with screenshots
The feedback form now supports markdown, image paste, and attachments. Screenshots upload when you send, not when you close the dialog.
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Easier-to-see join screen
When entering a room, the loading spinner and status text are larger on one row.
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Easier-to-see join screen
When entering a room, the loading spinner and status text are larger and stacked for mobile.
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Links and settings polish
Right-click links to copy or open them; the share dialog is cleaner; Settings About links to What's new and Roadmap.
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Your table opens when you create or click your lobby row
Creating a game or tapping your waiting table in the lobby opens Your table with share link and QR; Join on the row still enters the game directly.
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Service status incidents stay out of the way
The incidents list on Service status sits below the heatmap and stays collapsed until you pick a day or expand it yourself.
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Lobby tables sorted around your game
Your table stays pinned at the top; sort by time or type with Rated and Unrated grouped so the grid is easier to scan.
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Fewer accidental menus and text selection
The browser context menu is suppressed for an app-like feel; long-press still opens in-app menus, and selection stays limited to comments and game titles.
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Feedback expand and thank-you message work reliably
Expanding the feedback editor no longer closes the dialog, and a thank-you message appears after you send feedback.
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Feedback dialog closes and confirms properly again
Expanding the details editor no longer dismisses the dialog, and successful submissions show the success toast without blocking the page.
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Feedback details box works again
The Details editor in Send feedback is clickable and sized correctly on every page, including after you close and reopen the dialog.
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Feedback with multiple images sends again
Send feedback with two or more pasted images without a Turnstile upload error; if submit fails, solve verification again before resubmitting.
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Feedback form is easier to write and send
The feedback dialog stays open while sending, the details editor focuses reliably, and pasted screenshots preview before you submit.
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Profile bio saves when you leave the field
Editing your bio in Settings no longer jumps the cursor while you type; changes save when you click away or close Settings.
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Mobile play layout fixes
Details stays at the bottom, the board is wider, and Accept challenge opens in a centered dialog.
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New table chip clears the header icons
The Create table chip on live pages sits to the left of Share and profile so it no longer overlaps the top-right controls.
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Game-over messages in your language
When a live game ends, the reason appears in English, Vietnamese, or Chinese on its own line below the headline.
Sep 15, 2026
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Recorded games show Red vs Black
Play history, CloudDrive, CBL, and replay screens label matchups as Red vs Black.
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Lobby status updates when you sign out
Other players no longer see you as online in the lobby after you sign out.
Sep 7, 2026
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Help center organized by topic
Find answers faster with a searchable Q&A grouped by Start here, Study, Play, and Account.
Sep 6, 2026
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Navigation menu works on phone
The app menu no longer gets stuck behind the header on small screens.
Aug 4, 2026
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Buy premium books in the store
Purchase books with Stripe or SePay, use vouchers and gifts, and manage invoices in your account.
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Browse premium books in the library
Discover featured books in the Library Constellation layout with search and collection tools.
Last updated