Python Easy Chess GUI

A Chess GUI based from Python using PySimpleGUI and Python-Chess modules. Users can also load a chess engine and play with it. This program is based on a demo chess against ai from PySimpleGUI.

Command line to compile the source to exe using pyinstaller.

pyinstaller python_easy_chess_gui.py -F -w

Then add the folders for the exe to work.

A. Requirements

If you want to run from the python source the following are required or see the installation section below.

Python 3.7 and up
Python-chess v0.28.0 and up
PySimpleGUI 4.4.1 and up
Pyperclip
Download this repo

Or you can just download the executable file along with other files such as book and images.

B. Features

1. Save games to repertoire pgn files

2. Install uci engine of your choice

2.1 It is recommended to configure the engine setting after installation

Configure engine via Engine->Manage->Edit, select engine and press modify.

3. Need book assistance? Right-click on BOOK 2 and press show

4. Need what engine adviser will think about the position? Right-click on Adviser and press start

C. Installation

If you want to run from the source code
- Python Easy Chess GUI
  Download the files including the Images, Engines and Book directories. You can use your favorite uci chess engine like stockfish by copying it into the engines dir.
- Python 3
  https://www.python.org/downloads/
- Python-Chess
  https://github.com/niklasf/python-chess
  pip install python-chess
- PySimpleGUI
  https://github.com/PySimpleGUI/PySimpleGUI
  pip install pysimplegui
- Pyperclip
  https://github.com/asweigart/pyperclip
  pip install pyperclip
If you want to run from the exe
- Download the exe file from the release link

Note

If you are on linux be sure to give permission to uci engine with:
chmod +x uci_engine_fn.

D. How to

To start the gui

Execute python_easy_chess_gui.py
Typical command line:
python python_easy_chess_gui.py
Execute the exe when using exe file

To play as white

Mode->Play
Move the piece you want to move
Press the square you want the piece to move to

To play as black

If current mode is Neutral, Board->Flip, flip such that black pieces are at the bottom
If current mode is Play, Mode->Neutral, then Board->Flip
Mode->Play
Engine->Go

To paste a FEN

You should be in Play mode. If not, then Mode->Play
FEN->Paste
If you play as white, you can make your move
If you play as black, Engine->Go

To flip board

If current mode is Neutral, Board->Flip
If current mode is Play, Mode->Neutral, then Board->Flip

To set opponent engine book options

Book->Set Book, only available in Neutral mode. This book is used by your opponent engine. This book is named pecg_book.bin and is located in Book folder. You can build a polyglot book name it pecg_book.bin and replace the default.

To Hide/Unhide engine search info

Right-click on Opponent Search Info label an press Show. This would only work on Play mode.

To Hide/Unhide Book info

Right-click on BOOK 1 or BOOK 2 labels and press Show. This would only work on Play mode.

To request Adviser search info

Right-click on Adviser and press start. This would only work on Play mode.

To select opponent engine

Engine->Set Engine Opponent, available only in Neutral mode.

To set time control of engine

Time->Engine

To set time control of user

Time->User

To install engine

Engine->Manage->Install
This is only accessible in Neutral mode. After the uci engine is installed, you have to Edit it to modify its options, etc. Only uci engines are supported so far.
Engine->Manage->Edit

To Edit engine

Engine->Manage->Edit

To delete engine from config file

Engine->Manage->Delete

E. Credits

PySimpleGUI
https://github.com/PySimpleGUI/PySimpleGUI
Python-Chess
https://github.com/niklasf/python-chess
Pyperclip
https://github.com/asweigart/pyperclip
The Week in Chess
https://theweekinchess.com/
PyInstaller
https://github.com/pyinstaller/pyinstaller
pgn-extract
https://www.cs.kent.ac.uk/people/staff/djb/pgn-extract/

fsmosca / Python-Easy-Chess-GUI

readme