Is Chess Openings Wizard the right tool for you?

If you’ve been using Bookup or COW for decades then login here and download the latest version.

And for the new kids, back in the day when we said “booking up” we meant memorizing opening lines from books.

If you’re wondering if Chess Openings Wizard is going to work for you and your students, then take this very short quiz:

Quiz: Suppose there was a chess club where almost every player who attended became a master (2200+ rating). Assume you have the time and the money. Do you want to join this club? And would you enjoy doing the work?

If you would NOT want to join this club, then Chess Openings Wizard… is not for you because COW is the tool that allows you to prepare on your own. Not everyone enjoys doing the work it takes to become a better player and that’s okay.

Hi, I’m Mike Leahy.

Two things to know about me: First, I suck at marketing, In the paragraph above I tried to talk you out of Chess Openings Wizard.

So if you kept reading and you passed the quiz then you should get started by choosing between the Express or Professional version (Windows or Mac) using the links below. Or start with the iPhone, iPad, or Android version.

Second thing about me. I’ve been designing opening apps for serious tournament players for 44 years. Way back before Windows and Macintosh. I published Bookup for DOS in 1982.

Yes, that was before ChessBase existed.

And if you are a fan of ChessBase and Fritz but you’re looking for the core functions and game collections at a fraction of the price then I also make a poor man’s PGN database and playing opponent called MasterChess 9000 for Windows and Macintosh.

But most players start with preparing their openings…

…so did you pass the quiz?

Then I would like to invite you to work with my tools for the next ten years.

If you just need more information, add your email address in the form at the end of this page.

Epic Analysis is coming in August 2026

Your job is to prepare your opening and that’s what you’ll be doing with COW the moment you install it.

You can obviously buy ready-to-learn opening repertoires which is a great short cut to prepare for a tournement.

But your coach has probably screamed in your ear you that you must choose openings and defenses that “fit your style.” That’s where COW comes in.

The work you’ll be doing is expanding the openings you already play until it is downright scary how deeply your opening preparation is.

And when it comes time to master more than one opening for White or Black? You will have an easy time – while your opponents will find it even more difficult to prepare for you.

You’ll save time on the clock. You’ll avoid traps and other errors. You’ll have a plan for the middlegame because you understand your opening.

COW users also study endgames and puzzles with it, but as we know, that’s not nearly as sexy as opening prep. 🙂

If you are playing online (or preparing against someone who plays online) then this Foley function is practically cheating. It allows you to compare your repertoire to someone’s recent games in under thirty seconds.

All of the top correspondence players use COW because when the slightest inaccuracy in the opening means suffering through the rest of the game for a year or more, only the best tool will do.

The app is rock solid. It has to be because when a player has any difficulty with it, that player gets Mike on the phone and gets things fixed pronto. (Do any app developers actually answer their phones these days?)

So unless you are okay with having the same rating and playing strength next year that you did last year, it’s time to pick up a power tool.

Get the Professional version for Windows.

Get the Professional version for Macintosh.

Get the Express version for Windows.

Get the Express version for Macintosh.

P.S. And if you still want a super powerful PGN game database like ChessBase but only the most important features and games – at a fraction of the price – then consider the game collection app also by me, Mike. .