User:Oldcpu/chess

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Applicable from openSUSE-10.x to 11.3


Chess

Linux chess software generally is separated into a "front end" application and a "chess engine". There are also "chess databases". While only gnuchess and phalanx "chess engines", and xboard & knights chess "front ends", and scid "chess database" come with openSUSE, there are many "chess engines" that run under openSUSE. This openSUSE chess game guide provides a list of some of these chess applications.

A number of these applications are available on the Packman repositories (for openSUSE-11.x). In which case one can go to the appropriate Packman web page and install them via the one click install, or one can add the Packman repository to one's PC's repository list and then install the applications via zypper or YaST.

Front End Application

A front end application:

  • Arena is a freeware MS-Windows GUI front end that works under wine. Useful for playing freeware MS-Windows chess engines Typically to run, just navigate to Arena directory and type "wine Arena.exe"
  • decaf is a Java based chess client for FICS (not yet reported as being tested by any wiki writer under openSUSE)
  • eboard is a chess interface for Unix-like systems (GNU/Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, etc.) based on the GTK+ GUI toolkit. It provides a chess board interface to ICS (Internet Chess Servers) like FICS and to chess engines like GNU Chess, Sjeng and Crafty. It does not come with openSUSE, but there is an rpm on the eboard web site for download that works on openSUSE. Eboard is also packaged for openSUSE-11.x on the Packman repository.
  • Gnome-chess is a chess client for Gnome
  • Jin is a Java based graphical client for internet chess servers. Worked on FICS after simply unpacking under openSUSE 11.2 and running the "jin" bash script. Has resizeable board with multiple sets and a seek graph, but lacks pre-move.
  • Knights is a chess client for KDE - rpm available SUSE 10.x and 11.x
  • Polyglot is a a "UCI adapter". It connects a UCI chess engine to an xboard interface such as WinBoard or xboard itself. The Packman repository has Polyglot packaged for openSUSE-11.x.
  • PyChess is a Gnome chess client written in Python (not yet reported as being tested by any wiki writer under openSUSE)
  • Slibo is a chess interface for KDE. Designed to be usable as a replacement for the xboard chess interface, can be used with common chess engines like crafty or gnuchess, but it provides its own chess engine too. This is difficult for the average user to compile, as it requires QT knowledge. According to this URL, the project is "dead" and it does not compile against KDE-3.5 http://en.linuxreviews.org/Chess_games
  • XBoard runs in any X window environment - rpm is packaged with SUSE 10.x and 11.1 and can be installed via zypper via the command
 zypper install xboard

There is also a version of xboard packaged on the Packman repository for openSUSE-11.x. Various examples of how to use xboard are given through out this wiki.

Chess Engine

Chess Engine Overview

A chess engine of which there are many, including some commercial that can interact with the above front ends as they use the Xboard or UCI protocol.

  • Amundsen not provided with openSUSE but there is a tarball available for download. (not yet reported as being tested by any wiki writer under openSUSE)
  • Arasan not provided with openSUSE, but there is Linux source code and Windows compiled versions on web.
  • Crafty The rpm was packaged with openSUSE 10.2. For openSUSE-10.3 and 11.x the rpm is however packaged in the openSUSE Education and for openSUSE-11.x also in the Packman repository. There is also Linux source code (see below "Crafty" section for installation details).
  • DeepLearningToga not provided with openSUSE. For openSUSE-11.x the rpm is however packaged in the Packman repository. This version of TogaII is derived from 1.4.1 and aimed at multi processor machines and has a learning mode implemented. It will work with the XBoard/PolyGlot.
  • Faile not provided with openSUSE, but there are Linux and Windows compiled versions on web.
  • Fruit not provided with openSUSE. For openSUSE-11.x the rpm Fruit21 is however packaged in the Packman repository. There are Linux and Windows compiled versions on web. It will work with the XBoard/Polyglot combination.
  • Glaurung not provided with openSUSE. For openSUSE-11.x the rpms glaurung121 and glaurung22 are however packaged in the Packman repository. It will work with the XBoard/PolyGlot combination.
  • GNUChess rpm packaged with openSUSE 10.x & 11.x. There is also a Packman packaged version for openSUSE-11.x.
  • Houdini Chess not provided with openSUSE, but rather is a strong MS-Windows chess program that runs under wine, if called from the Arena chess front end.
  • Phalanx XXII rpm packaged with openSUSE 10.x & 1l.x
  • pouet Chess not provided with openSUSE, but there is Linux source code and binaries
  • Pro Deo not provided with openSUSE, but there is a free Windows version that runs under Wine on the web.
  • RobboLito0085 not provided with openSUSE, however RobboLito is packaged in the Packman repository. It will work with the XBoard/Polyglot combination.
  • Rybkanot provided with openSUSE but there is a (older) free Windows version that runs under Wine on the web.
  • Scorpio not provided with openSUSE but source code is available from http://wbec-ridderkerk.nl/html/details1/Scorpio.html . Also, for openSUSE-11.x the rpms scorpio22 and scorpio23 are packaged in the Packman repository.
  • sjeng not provided with openSUSE, but there is Linux source code on the web.
  • Sloppynot provided with openSUSE but it is however packaged by the Packman packagers for openSUSE-11.x.
  • Spike not provided with openSUSE, but easy to download and install Linux version from web.
  • Stockfish Based on glaurung 2.1, it is not provided with openSUSE. However for openSUSE-11.x the rpm stockfish14 and stockfish16 are packaged in the Packman repository. It will work with the XBoard/PolyGlot combination.
  • Toga not provided with openSUSE, but there is Linux source code and Windows compiled version on the web. For openSUSE-11.x the rpms TogaII 131,134, 141 are also packaged in the Packman repository. It will work with the XBoard/PolyGlot combination.
  • Zappa not provided with openSUSE, but there is a free Windows version that runs under Wine on the web.

For more detail on the above engines, read the following.

Amundsen

Amundsen is an XBoard compatible chess playing program. It is not provided with openSUSE but there is a tarball available for download. Not yet reported as being tested by any wiki writer under openSUSE.

.

Arasan

A chess program for Linux and Windows. The Linux version comes as source code. The Windows versions runs with the "arena" GUI frontend and wine. The "MS-Windows" executable has been successfully tested with "wine" on openSUSE-10.3 and 11.0. The licence usage terms are set out in the README file in the "doc directory" distributed with the application.

Arasan-11.5 compiles ok (in the src directory with make, make install and checkinstall) under x86_64 openSUSE-11.1, playing with xboard. Arasan-11.5 can then be run with: 

 xboard -size medium -fcp /PATH_TO_arasanx_FILE/arasanx

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Crafty

Crafty is packaged and available for openSUSE-11.x as an rpm by the Packman packagers . Either install from the Packman repository using zypper or YaST, or install from the Packman web site using the one-click install, or follow these instructions to custom compile it:

Copy the crafty zip file to /home/username/chess, and unzip it there. The respective zip files can be downloaded from here:

To compile crafty on a 32-bit openSUSE PC, one needs to type: "make linux". For a 64-bit openSUSE, instead use "make linux-amd64". This will create a crafty executable. Now copy this executable to the path on your openSUSE.

Note that crafty is included in the openSUSE Education and also Packman repository and if either repository is already added via zypper (see above) this program can be installed via the command 

 zypper install crafty

In addition, with that openSUSE Education or Packman repository packaged version of crafty installed, and with xboard installed, crafty can then be run by the command 

 xcrafty

or alternatively with xboard installed, run in the more traditional manner with 

 xboard -size medium -fcp crafty

Some more guidance on Crafty use is given here

.

DeepLearningToga

This version of TogaII is derived from 1.4.1 and aimed at multi processor machines and has a learning mode implemented. It can be installed with zypper or YaST from the Packman repository or by using the Packman one click install. The general linux download site for DeepLearningToga is here:

If the Packman repository is already added via zypper (see above) this program can be installed via the command 

 zypper install DeepLearningToga-1.5.21a

DeepLearningToga runs with the front end combination polyglot/xboard installed to run (see above Front End section in this wiki). With polyglot/xboard front ends installed, the Packman packaged version of DeepLearningToga can be run with the command: 

 xDeepLearningToga-1.5.21a

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Faile

A purported master level (approx 2200 to 2250 ELO) program. Successfully tested/compiled under openSUSE-11.0 (follow the readme.txt instructions) with the command "makefile.gcc" It is not as strong as some of the other programs.

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Fruit

Fruit is available as freeware in Linux and Windows versions. The Windows versions runs with the "arena" GUI frontend and wine. The "MS-Windows" executable has been successfully tested with "wine" on openSUSE-10.3 and 11.0. A Packman packaged version of Fruit21 for openSUSE-11.x can be installed from zypper or YaST with the Packman repository in place or via the one click install from the Packman web site.

If the Packman repository is already (see above) then fruit21 can be installed via the command 

zypper install fruit21

Fruit needs the front end combination polyglot/xboard installed to run (see above Front End section in this wiki). With those two front ends installed, the Packman packaged version of fruit can be run with the command: 

xfruit21

or alternatively with polyglot/xboard run with the more traditional method to create a polyglot-compatible ini-File and run: 

xboard -size medium -fd '/PATH_TO_INI_FILE/' -fcp 'polyglot NAME_OF_INI_FILE.ini'

for example: 

xboard -size medium -fd '/usr/share/fruit21' -fcp 'polyglot fruit21.ini'

.

Glaurung

Glaurung is a chess program for Mac OS/X which can be made to run under Linux with XBoard and PolyGlot. It is not not provided with openSUSE but it is packaged by Packman packagers, with version-2.2 and version-1.2.1 available for installation either via the one click install or by installing using zypper or YaST with the package from the Packman repository.

Glaurung needs the front end combination polyglot/xboard installed to run (see above Front End section in this wiki).

If the Packman chess program repository is already added via zypper (see above) this program can be installed via the command 

 zypper install glaurung22

Glaurung needs the front end combination polyglot/xboard installed to run (see above Front End section in this wiki). With those two front ends installed, the Packman repository version of Glaurung can be run with the command: 

 xglaurung22

or alternatively with polyglot/xboard installed run with the more traditional method: 

 xboard -size medium -fd '/PATH_TO_INI_FILE/' -fcp 'polyglot NAME_OF_INI_FILE.ini'

ie for example 

 xboard -size medium -fd '/usr/share/glaurung22' -fcp 'polyglot glaurung22.ini'

.

GNUChess

GNUChess is packaged with openSUSE-10.x/11.x. Simply install the openSUSE provided rpm from OSS repository or one's installation DVD:

A modified version of GNUChess is packaged by the Packman Packagers, where this Packman packaged version includes some enhancements by Michel Vandenbergh (and hence it is not an official release from the GNU project). ... this Packman packaged version also contains a few bug fixes:

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Houdini Chess

Houdini is not packaged with openSUSE. It is an MS-Windows program that runs under wine with a share ware version (1.5) of the program located here: http://www.houdinichess.com/ A commercial newer version of Houdini Chess is located here: http://www.cruxis.com/chess/houdini.htm To run the program one runs the Arena Front End and in Arena select Houdini as a new chess engine (navigating inside Arena to the location on one's hard drive where the Houdini MS-Windows executable is located).

.

Phalanx

Phalanx is packaged with openSUSE-10.x/11.x. Simply install the openSUSE provided rpm from OSS repository or one's installation DVD.

.

poeut Chess

poeut Chess is an opensource chess game for Linux and Windows. It has its own custom gui (and does not require a front end). It does not come with openSUSE, but both binaries and source code can be downloaded. It is not as strong as the other programs.

.

Pro Deo

PRO DEO is available as freeware for Windows and it runs under wine in Linux. It is the freeware version of the former commercial REBEL chess program series. After the author Ed Schröder retired from active competition and commerce, he made available this free version of the program. To run Pro Deo under openSUSE you need to call it from the "arena" front end. Run Arena (from its own directory) with something like "wine Arena.exe" and then under ARENA navigate to Engines -> New Engine -> navigate-to-Pro-Deo-directory -> RebelUCI.exe

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RobboLito0085

RobboLito is a very strong open-source UCI chess engine by: Yakov Petrovich Golyadkin, Igor Igorovich Igoronov, and Roberto Pescatore. RobboLito is a UCI 'console' application, meaning that it has no GUI (graphical user interface). There are several free programs that provide a GUI. Some of the most popular free GUIs are: winboard, chess-gui, arena (Windows) and xboard (Linux/Unix). As RobboLito uses UCI (universal chess interface, UCI) one will need a uci-compliant user interface to play against RobboLito. One can also use polyglot as an "UCI to xboard"-adapter to use RobboLito with xboard-compatible programs. Note: RobboLito does not yet support: multiPV, own book, egbbs, tablebases, multiple CPUs/cores, nor chess variants.

If the Packman repository is already added (see above) the program RobboLito can be installed via the command 

 zypper install RobboLito0085

RobboLito needs the front end polyglot/xboard combination installed to run (see above Front End section in this wiki). With polyglot/xboard installed, the Packman packaged version of RobboLito can be run with the command: 

 xRobboLito0085

or alternatively with xboard/polyglot run with the more traditional method: 

 xboard -size medium -fd '/usr/share/RobboLito0085' -fcp 'polyglot RobboLito0085.ini'

.

Rybka

Rybka 1.0 beta is a strong free uci chess engine. There is a commecial Rybka 2.1 c mp engine that is purportedly 200 elo stronger than the Rybka 1.0 beta. To run Rybka under openSUSE you need to call it from the "arena" front end. Run Arena (from its own directory) with something like "wine Arena.exe" and then under ARENA navigate to Engines -> New Engine -> navigate-to-Pro-Deo-directory -> Rybka v1.0.exe. Installation instructions under Arena are here

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Scorpio

Scorpio is a winboard/xboard compatible engine. It is not not provided with openSUSE but it is packaged by the Packman packagers with scorpio-2.2 scorpio-2.3 scorpio-2.4 and scorpio-2.5 available for one click install or installation via zypper or YaST from the Packman repository.

If the Packman repository is already added (see above) the program scorpio-2.2 can be installed via the command 

 zypper install scorpio22

while scorpio-2.4 could be installed with 

 zypper install scorpio24


Scorpio needs the front end xboard installed to run (see above Front End section in this wiki). With xboard installed, the Packman packaged version of Scorpio can be run with the command: 

 xscorpio22

or alternatively with xboard run with the more traditional method: 

 xboard -size medium -fcp scorpio22

A similar approach (as followed for scorpio22) can be adopted for other versions of scorpio.

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sjeng

sjeng (old version) is available for free for Linux: http://sjeng.org/ To custom compile sjeng on openSUSE-11.0 first install gdbm and gdbm-devel. A custom rpm can also be built with "checkinstall" (instead of using "make install"). The free version of sjeng available is very old. There is a commercial product called "deep sengh" (with a stronger chess engine) which has no mention on the web site as running under Linux.

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Sloppy

Sloppy is an open source chess engine written in the C99 version of C. It uses the Xboard/Winboard chess engine communication protocol v.2, and it should compile on most PC or Mac platforms (eg. Linux, Windows, OS X). It is licensed under v.3 of the GNU GPL. It is not included with openSUSE but it is packaged by the Packman packagers for openSUSE-11.x and hence can be installed via the one click install or installed using zypper or YaST via the package on the Packman repository.

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Spike

Spike is available for Linux (and it plays well under xboard). Simply download Spike to one's home directory to a suitable folder, unarchive the tarball, and run the provided executable. This has been successfully tested on openSUSE-10.3, 11.0 and 11.1.

To play spike with xboard if in the directory where the spike executable is located: 

 xboard -fcp ./spike

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Stockfish

  • Stockfish is a chess program based on glaurung 2.1 (see above) and it can be made to run under Linux with XBoard and PolyGlot. It is not not provided with openSUSE but it is packaged by the Packman packagers with stockfish-1.4 stockfish-1.6 and stockfish-1.7 available for one click install or installation via zypper or YaST from the Packman repository.

If the Packman repository is already added (see above) the package stockfish14 program can be installed via the command 

 zypper install stockfish14

Stockfish needs the front end combination polyglot/xboard installed to run (see above Front End section in this wiki). With those two front ends installed, the Packman packaged version of Stockfish can be run with the command: 

 xstockfish14

or alternatively with polyglot/xboard run with the more traditional method (with create a polyglot-compatible ini-File) and run: 

 xboard -size medium -fd '/PATH_TO_INI_FILE/' -fcp 'polyglot NAME_OF_INI_FILE.ini'

for example using the Packman packaged version: 

 xboard -size medium -fd '/usr/share/stockfish14' -fcp 'polyglot stockfish14.ini'

A similar approach (as adopted with stockfish14) can be followed with other versions (stockfish16, stockfish17, ...).

.

Toga II

Toga II is a derivative of fruit, based on Fruit 2.1. It is freeware. The Windows version of this works on openSUSE-11.0 under wine (using the "arena" GUI frontend). It is not not provided with openSUSE but it is packaged by the Packman packagers with various available for one click install or installation via zypper or YaST from the Packman repository.


For example, with the Packman repository already added (see above) the 1.4.1 version this program can be installed via the command 

zypper install togaII-141

Like Fruit, Toga needs the front end combination polyglot/xboard installed to run (see above Front End section in this wiki). With those two front ends installed, the Packman packaged version of Toga-1.4.1 can be run with the command: 

xtogaII-141

or alternatively with polyglot/xboard installed, create a polyglot-compatible ini-File, run with the more traditional method: 

xboard -size medium -fd '/PATH_TO_INI_FILE/' -fcp 'polyglot NAME_OF_INI_FILE.ini'

for example using the Packman packaged ini files: 

xboard -size medium -fd '/usr/share/togaII-141/' -fcp 'polyglot togaII-141.ini'

A similar approach, as followed for togaII-141 can be adopted for other versions (togaII-131, togaII-134, togaII-142 ...)

.

Zappa

Zappa is available as freeware for Windows and it runs under wine in Linux. There is also a commercial version known as Zappa Mexico. To run Zappa under openSUSE you need to call it from the "arena" front end. Run Arena (from its own directory) with something like "wine Arena.exe" and then under ARENA navigate to Engines -> New Engine -> navigate-to--appropriate-Zappa-directory -> zappa.exe (if prompted select the UCI interface).

Chess Databases

chessdb

ChessDB is a free chess database which can be used on Microsoft Windows, Linux, Apple Macs running OS X, FreeBSD, and most modern UNIX versions. The program has translations into many languages. It appears to be a fork of scid (scid now appears to have features that ChessDB was to have added). It does not come with openSUSE and must be custom compiled, where its compilation is not straight forward. Last update appears to have been in 2007.

chessX

ChessX is a cross-platform chess database written in C++ programming language, running on Linux, Windows and Mac OS X. It uses the Qt library to have a modern and portable graphical interface. It is packaged and available for openSUSE-11.x on the Packman repository.

Jose

Jose is a chess database that allows one to view/add games to the database, analyse games with a selected chess engine, and play against the chess engine. A number of different opening books are easily downloadable. It does not come with openSUSE, but because it is java based (requires java-1.4) it runs readily on 32-bit openSUSE. 64-bit crashes.

libegbb3

The libegbb3 package enables endgame tablebase support for bitbase format. Endgame tablebases are computerized databases of all chess positions within certain endgames. They are used by chess engines to calculate the outcome of an chess game. This lib enables chess engines like toga (>= 1.3.4) or scorpio to support these bitbase tablebases. libegbb3 is packaged and available for openSUSE-11.x on the Packman repository

Scid

The chess database scid ("Shane's Chess Information Database") also comes (and works ok) with openSUSE-10x and 11.0 and 11.1. Also packaged and available for openSUSE-11.x on the Packman repository. In addition to recording games in a database, Scid can be used with a chess engine to playback and analyze the moves in a game.

Scid is packaged with openSUSE and can be installed from the OSS-repo via YaST or with 

 zypper install scid

Misc Chess Utility Programs

Online Chess Club (OCC)

OCC is a small PHP chess program that allows multimple players to play each other over the internet. Its concept is to run a number of games simultaneously against various friends and to check from time to time, like once a day, whether anyone has moved and if so to enter your move along with a comment. It does NOT come with openSUSE and it also requires php knowledge to setup the chess server (playing only needs a simple web browser). The web site recommends NOT to download if a user does not have php knowledge.

Natch & iNatch

Natch is a freeware program (for DOS/Linux) that solves retrograd analysis problems by constructing "proof games" - the shortest possible game leading to a certain position. Natch is a command line utility, but there is a Java based graphical interface, iNatch. These programs are NOT included with openSUSE. To run iNatch you must have SUN's Java Runtime Environment 1.3 (or higher) installed.

Pgn-Extract

Pgn-Extract is a freeware utility program (for DOS/Unix/Linux) that extracts and manipulates games from PGN-files. You can use many criteria and search/extract doubles, positions, players, move sequence, ECO-codes etc. While this program is not provided with openSUSE, there is a Packman packaged version of Pgn-Extract for openSUSE-11.x that can be installed from zypper or YaST with the Packman repository in place or via the one click install from the Packman web site

SOSS

SOSS is a chess pairing program. It is not yet reported as being tested by any wiki writer under openSUSE)

Vega

Vega is a freeware program (for Windows/Linux/DOS) for swiss pairing and tournament management. Options for printing cross tables, board cards etc. This program is not provided with openSUSE.

Implementation Catches

The software might have bugs. For example Knights is unstable in openSUSE 10.3 and stable in 10.2. The stability issue may be resolved by installing jack audio libraries. Xboard defaults to using crafty which is fine in openSUSE 10.2 as it is supplied, but as it is not in default openSUSE 10.3 you have to set it up to call GNUChess vis: 

 xboard -fcp gnuchessx -fd /usr/share/gnuchess -size medium

Alternatively in 10.3 and 11.0 you can custom compile crafty (as explained above), add the crafty executeable to your PC's path, and the Xboard call to crafty will work. Or in 11.x you can install the Packman packaged crafty and xboard.


xboard - more examples of its use

Since most of the programs above can use the xboard front end, below are some hints as to its use. .

First xboard example

The first example illustrates how to play two chess programs against each other, with scorpio vs crafty, where they are both xboard/winboard compatible: 

 xboard -size medium -fd '/path/to/scorpios_ini_file/' -fcp /path/to/scorpio_executable/scorpio -scp crafty

when using the Packman packaged versions of scorpio and crafty would be: 

 xboard -size medium -fcp scorpio22 -scp crafty

.

Second xboard example

A second example, is fruit vs glaurung, where both programs require polyglot to interface to xboard: 

 xboard -size medium -fd '/PATH_TO_GLAURUNGS_INI_FILE/' -fcp 'polyglot NAME_OF_GLAURUNGS_INI_FILE.ini'
-sd '/PATH_TO_FRUITS_INI_FILE/' -scp 'polyglot NAME_OF_FRUITS_INI_FILE.ini'

when using the Packman packaged versions of fruit and glaurung would be: 

 xboard -size medium -sd '/usr/share/glaurung22' -scp 'polyglot glaurung22.ini' -fd '/usr/share/fruit21' -fcp 'polyglot fruit21.ini'

.

Third xboard example

A third example is glaurung vs gnuchess, where glaurung requires polyglot to interface to xboard, but gnuchess does not require polyglot: 

 xboard -size medium -sd '/PATH_TO_GLAURUNGS_INI_FILE/' -scp 'polyglot NAME_OF_GLAURUNGS_INI_FILE.ini' -fcp gnuchess -fd /usr/share/gnuchess -tc 15 -mps 60

The above example specifies 60 moves in 15 minutes for the time control and again, using the Packman packaged versions of glaurung and gnuchess 

 xboard -size medium -sd '/usr/share/glaurung22' -scp 'polyglot glaurung22.ini' -fcp gnuchess -fd /usr/share/gnuchess -tc 15 -mps 60

.

xboard general

The engine started with "-fcp" (and "-fd" if needed) always plays white while the engine started with "scp" (and "-sd" if needed) plays black.

One can learn more about xboard commands by typing 

 man xboard

There are also many sites on the Internet, giving intructions in xboard use, such as:

Applications Removed

(Aug-2009) Removed Gambit Fruit as binary no longer available.

References

Retrieved from "https://en.opensuse.org/index.php?title=User:Oldcpu/chess&oldid=61280"