Tools in a chess player's workshop - Linux
Updated: May 8, 2022
In Linux, as in other systems, you can use programs for every chess enthusiast, from the beginner to the very advanced, for the correspondence chess player and the fan of competitive chess engines.
This post is dedicated to adults chess players who would like to use the most interesting, useful and proven tools - programs ( not web-based tools and servers ) for various chess activities in their chess workshop - Linux operating system.
My goal is not to discuss as many programs in as much detail as possible, but to demonstrate the key capabilities of the tools I have selected in relation to specific chess activities, e.g. training, analysis, database and engine use, etc.
This entry will be updated on a regular basis when I feel that there is software worth presenting to you dear readers.
To learn about the capabilities and practical use of the best chess software, I invite you to visit the course area at chessengeria.com.
Contents | Program |
|---|---|
Training / Practice | Lucas Chess |
Play Chess Offline & Online | PyChess |
Chess Game Annotations / Database / Analyzes | Scid vs. PC |
Chess Engines | Arena |
How to play chess
Fortunately for us fans of this Royal Game, you don't need to read several books to play your first chess game :-)
Learning to play chess is relatively easy and quick. Mastering the basics of the game will allow you to play one or more games, which is important in memorizing the chess rules.
It is a good idea to simply ask someone who can play to show us the basics of chess. If we don't have such an opportunity, I suggest reading just one page of Wikipedia, where the rules of chess are described in a very simple and understandable way.
Training / Practice
Lucas Chess (author: Lucas Monge) is a free program that also runs on Windows systems.
It should be noted that Lucas Chess is available in more than twenty different languages (!), which means with a high probability that its interface will communicate with you in your native language.
Lucas Chess has many training options. Below are its main training features:
From the basics (find all moves), opening (training with a book), tactics (find best move), middle game, endings to long-term trainings.
As you can see in the picture above, with the Lucas Chess program, a chess enthusiast can practice all the most essential stages of chess.
For an example, let's check out one of the workout options offered: Check your memory on a chessboard.
We start at level 1.
At the beginning of the training, we are to memorize the setting of 3 chess pieces within 18 seconds.
After clicking the Start button, a chessboard with three chess pieces will be shown and the time will be counted.
When 18 seconds have elapsed, the student will be asked to position the pieces according to the previously shown position.
In the image below, I intentionally placed the white King on the wrong square.
If the student makes a mistake, the program will display a message:
If the student remembers the position of the chess pieces correctly, the program will display a message:
Isn't that a pretty effective way to train your chess memory ? :-)
And another example: Training positions - Singular moves to win.
Level 1 (easiest)
A simple win by fork.
After placed black Queen to e1 square with check, training program response Kh2.
Taking the white Rook. End of training in this session.
Now something more difficult.
After b4 and Kd7...
...White played b5.
If during practice, student play a move that the program thinks is worth comparing with other possible moves to make, then Lucas Chess will display a window showing alternative continuations.
In this case, instead of playing the white pawn on b5, white could have chosen an even more effective line by putting the King on c4 or beating the black pawn on c5.
The other training lessons in the Lucas Chess program work on a similar principle.
There are tons of material to go through and help improve areas of weakness in student gameplay.
Good software for training chess!
Play chess
PyChess (author: Thomas Dybdahl Ahle) is a free program that also runs on Windows systems.
Let's play chess! :-))