Connect CheesCoach to an AI provider to unlock intelligent chess coaching. Choose one provider and follow its setup guide.
An API key is a unique password that lets CheesCoach connect to an AI service to analyze your chess games. Think of it like a library card — it identifies you so the AI provider knows who is making the request.
You only need to set up ONE provider. Choose whichever suits you best. Your key is stored encrypted on your device and never shared.
Google's fast AI model. Very affordable — normal chess coaching costs just a few cents per month.
Anthropic's lightweight yet capable model. Excellent at producing clear, educational chess explanations with nuanced analysis.
Chinese AI lab offering extremely competitive pricing. Great value for high-volume analysis at the lowest cost per request.
The widely-known AI provider behind ChatGPT. Reliable and well-documented, with solid chess analysis capabilities.
It depends on your priorities:
| Provider | Price | Quality | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini | Very low | ★★★☆ | Getting started |
| Claude | Low | ★★★★ | Best explanations |
| DeepSeek | Lowest | ★★★☆ | Heavy usage |
| OpenAI | Low | ★★★☆ | Familiarity |
Yes. CheesCoach stores your API key encrypted on your device using Android's EncryptedSharedPreferences (AES-256-GCM). Your key is never sent to our servers — it goes directly from your device to the AI provider's API.
Very little. Each chess analysis request uses a small amount of tokens. With Gemini's free tier, you can analyze hundreds of positions per day at no cost. With paid providers, a typical game review costs less than $0.01.
Absolutely! You can change your AI provider at any time in the app's Settings screen. Just enter a new API key for the provider you want to use and select it from the dropdown.
Not entirely. You can play against Stockfish, solve puzzles, review games, and play online on Lichess without any API key. The API key is only needed for the AI Coach feature, which provides natural language explanations and educational commentary about your moves.