Blind mode enhancements?

[ddugovic]

Hi, I am visually impaired and am thrilled that this site provides "blind mode" to allow me to play online with friends.

However, there are currently some ig limitations and problems.

How can I work with the site developers/owners to improve this?

For example:

• Cannot select "anti chess" as the game style;
• takebacks/rematches etc don't work reliably when I am in "blind mode" and my friend is not;
• other quirkiness!

Would be happy to engage positively to feedback and test any beta functionality...

https://lichess.org/forum/lichess-feedback/blind-mode-enhancements

[thomas-daniels]

While we are on the topic, there are more suggestions in this forum post: https://lichess.org/forum/lichess-feedback/suggestions-concerning-accessibility

[ddugovic]

there is an accessibility feature in the lichess, which allows blind people to interact better with the elements present on the page. Which allows you to type the moves on the keyboard, and thus have the return of the move that was made, and also a current description of the board. this is really good, but it is only available in the games section, I would like to know if it would be possible to expand this resource to other places such as training challenges tactics, and studying finals, all these other things that exist on the platform. if possible, I would like to know what you guys think about it. and thank you.

https://lichess.org/forum/lichess-feedback/blind-person-playing-in-lichess

[joaovictorf01]

hi, I'm not such an advanced programmer, but if there's anything I can do, I'd also like to contribute, thanks!

[kraktus]

This is a synthesis from the accessibility report made by The Turkish Braille Chess Comunity, as well as the features request listed above:

General

• [ ] selection of rating range when creating a challenge (for classical games)

• [ ] Notification for screen readers to read out requests challenging to a game. Although a bell sound is provided, this is highly ambiguous for some screen reader users.

• [ ] Blind mode for puzzles

• [ ] Blind mode for analysis board. Currently only allow “scan” and “p” commands. Move entry must be provided to allow users to analyse possible variations or creating a game from scratch. The live engine analysis provided in the regular mode should also be made available in the Blind Mode as well.

• [ ] Translate the outputs of Blind Mode, including move announcements, server responses and information provided on the page.

Gameplay / commands

• [x] Command for reading all white/black/all pieces on the board. Edit: a command was not added but these information can be found just on top of the board, under the "Pieces" section

• [x] Abbreviating the “Scan” command as “s” should also be considered to make it similar to the commands like “c” or “l”.

• [ ] Berserk command

• [x] "info" command for “opponent name” and “opponent rating” (Sometimes it may not be possible to wait until screen readers to read out game info). Edit: Command name is o or opponent

• [ ] "premove" command? Or count every move entered during opponent's turn as a premove (if option is enabled)

• [x] ensure commands are case-insensitive. Should normally be the case after #6613.

• [ ] the short cut with “ctrl + 1, ctrl +2, ctrl +3 ...... ctrl + 0” key combinations may be used to read out the most recent moves by white and black.

• [ ] The most recent chat messages may be read out by the key combinations “alt + 1, alt + 2, alt + 3, ...... alt + 0”

• [ ] When a new chat message is received, the screen readers start reading the whole conversation. Only the last received message must be read.

• [ ] A representative graphical board configurable for partially sighted players who can see the board but can’t use their device without screen readers. It would be highly desireable to move around the board as in the Winboard interface as well, if possible. Would require significant work.

"if possible, allowed time limit to start the game must be extended, especially for tournament game" is not possible because the NVUI module is client-side only, and we can't provide advanatges for using the NVUI mode.

Full Lichess Accessibility Report.pdf

[Pablo-No]

We also need editor blind mode.

[ascoliloko]

Hello. Blind players can not solve chess puzzles on lichess. To solve chess puzzles we need only two things: the position and move form where we can type the solution. During the game we have the position in the following form: Pieces white pieces king: h 1, queen: c 2, bishop: b 4, knight: f 4, pawns: a 2, b 2, h 2, e 3

black pieces king: g 8, queen: g 1, rook: h 6, knight: f 3, pawns: a 7, b 7, g 7, h 7, d 5, c 6, e 4

So knowing position and having the place where we can type moves we can solve the puzzle. It is really conviniend to use lichess for this purpose. Tell me please if it is possible? with best regards Vitalii ascoliloko

[kraktus]

3. My NVDA doesn't tell me who is online. So I don't know who I can challenge.

from: https://lichess.org/forum/lichess-feedback/blind-mode-3

[sl5net]

Maybe also helpful / interesting for you the following bookmark-let:

javascript:(function(){const pieces = document.querySelectorAll('.black.rook, .black.bishop, .white.rook, .white.bishop'); pieces.forEach((piece) => { piece.style.opacity = 0.07; });})();

The provided bookmarklet is a JavaScript code snippet that can be used as a bookmark in a web browser. It performs the following actions:

it selects all elements with the classes .black.rook, .black.bishop, .white.bishop, .white.rook, and .white.pawn

In summary, the bookmarklet hides all chess pieces of specific classes

[lucad1971]

Lichess blind mode is super cool already, an other open iissues is that I cannot choose rating level of an opponent when challenging online players to start a game

[ddugovic]

Ah... OK, we'll need to tag the "Rating range" sliders on the custom game seek modal