Our story
Built from the tournament sidelines
ChessZCam grew from a practical family need: record and share real OTB games without turning every tournament into an expensive technical project.
The beginning
A problem discovered through a child’s chess journey
zonChess was founded by a parent supporting a young player through classes, tournaments and the everyday work of learning chess. Recording an important game, rebuilding it as PGN and preparing a clear digital board for analysis often required more time and equipment than a family or small organizer could reasonably provide.
Modern Android phones already offer capable cameras and local processing. That observation led to a practical question: could a normal tournament board, a stable phone camera and carefully designed software produce a useful digital game record and live overlay?
Keep OTB chess human
Technology should make physical games easier to record and share without replacing the friendships, resilience and community built in tournament halls.
Build an accessible bridge
Electronic boards remain an excellent professional standard. ChessZCam focuses on clubs, creators and families that need a lighter phone-camera workflow.
Test before selling widely
The product is being validated through real tournaments, controlled testers and documented limitations before a broader public release.
A sustainable project
Product sales support continued development and a young player’s tournament journey.
Chess coaching, entry fees, travel and accommodation create real costs for families. Revenue from ChessZCam is intended to support the software’s development and help fund the founder’s child as the young player progresses through competitive chess.
Users receive a practical tool and direct support from its developer. The project gains the time and resources needed for testing, documentation and future improvements.
Product commitments
What users can expect from a small, focused team.
ChessZCam is developed by a solo founder, with priorities set by real testing and user feedback.
Personal support
Setup and beta support are handled directly through the contact system, with published response expectations.
Stability before expansion
Android and Windows remain the first priority. Additional platforms will follow only when demand and development capacity are clear.
Visible progress
The project journey, compatibility page and limitations page document how the product is being tested and improved.