Lichess

Did you know that the game of chess can help you with your memory, pattern recognition, and even critical thinking? Not too bad for a game that’s over a thousand years old.

And to start training in a fun way, there’s no better app than Lichess. Well, there might be better apps, but this one is completely free, which makes it fantastic.

The app gives you many ways to improve. You can play real games, solve tactics, study lessons, or practice against bots. The puzzles are especially useful if you want quick mental training without playing a full match.

Chess is also great if you like to see your improvement in real time. Sure, you’ll miss tactics at first, lose games, and make bad moves. Then, slowly, you start seeing patterns faster and understanding positions better.

Lichess is a strong choice if you want a skill-based challenge. Unlike some brain-training games, chess gives you a deep system to keep learning for years.