Add examples for chess-plain and chess-ics1 to the manual.

[gnu-emacs-elpa] / chess.info

This is chess.info, produced by makeinfo version 5.2 from chess.texi.

INFO-DIR-SECTION Emacs
START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
* Chess: (chess).     Chess.el is an Emacs chess client.
END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY

Copyright © 2001, 2002, 2014 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

   Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
any later version published by the Free Software Foundation.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Top,  Next: The chess.el library,  Prev: (dir),  Up: (dir)

Emacs Chess: chess.el
*********************

Chess.el is an Emacs chess client and library, designed to be used for
writing chess-related programs, or for playing games of chess against
various chess engines, including Internet servers.  The library can be
used for analyzing variations, browsing historical games, or a multitude
of other purposes.

   The purpose of this manual is to help you understand how Chess.el is
structured for use as a library, and also how to use it as a client.

* Menu:

* The chess.el library::        Basic objects required to deal with Chess
* Modules::                     The module-system explained
* Chessboard displays::         Different types of chessboards in a buffer
* Engines::                     Internal and external chess-playing engines
* Chess Session::               Tying it all together
* Internet Chess Servers::      Playing chess with other people
* Concept Index::
* Function and Variable Index::
* Key Index::

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File: chess.info,  Node: The chess.el library,  Next: Modules,  Prev: Top,  Up: Top

1 The chess.el library
**********************

This chapter documents the low-level aspects of chess.el, mostly
targeting developers interested in understanding the underlying APIs.

   *note Chessboard displays:: and following chapters if you are
interested in the more user-visible aspects of chess.el.

* Menu:

* Positions::
* Plies::
* Variations::
* Games::
* Collections::
* Chess Opening Books::

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File: chess.info,  Node: Positions,  Next: Plies,  Prev: The chess.el library,  Up: The chess.el library

1.1 Positions
=============

A chess "position" is a given layout of pieces on a chess board, also
reflecting which side is next to move, and what privileges are currently
available to each side (castling short or long, en passant capture,
etc).

   A position may be represented in ASCII using FEN (or EPD), or
graphically by displaying a chess board.  It is rather inconvenient to
render them verbally.

   The position can be represented on a remote terminal using X windows,
or by transmitting the FEN string via a network connection, or
clipboard, to another chess board rendering tool.  It may of course also
be represented physically, by setting up the pieces to match the FEN
specification.

   Chess puzzles are most often provided as a set of positions.

* Menu:

* Creating positions::
* Position coordinates::
* Position details::
* Annotations::
* FEN notation::
* EPD notation::

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File: chess.info,  Node: Creating positions,  Next: Position coordinates,  Prev: Positions,  Up: Positions

1.1.1 Creating positions
------------------------

 -- Function: chess-pos-create &optional blank
     Create a new chess position, set at the starting position.  If
     BLANK is non-nil, all of the squares will be empty.  The current
     side-to-move is always white.

 -- Function: chess-pos-copy position
     Copy the given chess POSITION.  If there are annotations or EPD
     opcodes set, these lists are copied as well, so that the two
     positions do not share the same lists.

 -- Variable: chess-starting-position
     Starting position of a chess game.

 -- Function: chess-fischer-random-position
     Generate a Fischer Random style position.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Position coordinates,  Next: Position details,  Prev: Creating positions,  Up: Positions

1.1.2 Position coordinates
--------------------------

First of all, a coordinate system of octal indices is used, where ?\044
signifies rank 4 file 4 (i.e., "e4").  Rank is numbered 0 to 7, top to
bottom, and file is 0 to 7, left to right.

 -- Function: chess-index-rank index
     Return the rank component of the given INDEX.

 -- Function: chess-index-file index
     Return the file component of the given INDEX.

 -- Function: chess-rf-to-index rank file
     Convert RANK and FILE coordinates into an octal index.

   For those who wish to use ASCII coordinates, such as "e4", there are
two conversion functions:

 -- Function: chess-coord-to-index coord
     Convert a COORD string into an index value.

 -- Function: chess-index-to-coord index
     Convert the chess position INDEX into a coord string.

   For fast manipulation of chess position indices, the following
constants and functions are provided:

   For queens and rooks:

 -- Constant: chess-direction-north
     Signify one step north, as seen from the perspective of the white
     player.

 -- Constant: chess-direction-east
     Signify one step east, as seen from the perspective of the white
     player.

 -- Constant: chess-direction-south
     Signify one step south, as seen from the perspective of the white
     player.

 -- Constant: chess-direction-west
     Signify one step west, as seen from the perspective of the white
     player.

   For queens and bishops:

 -- Constant: chess-direction-northeast
     Signify one step northeast, as seen from the perspective of the
     white player.

 -- Constant: chess-direction-southeast
     Signify one step southeast, as seen from the perspective of the
     white player.

 -- Constant: chess-direction-southwest
     Signify one step southwest, as seen from the perspective of the
     white player.

 -- Constant: chess-direction-northwest
     Signify one step northwest, as seen from the perspective of the
     white player.

 -- Function: chess-next-index index direction
     Create a new INDEX from an old one, by advancing it into DIRECTION.
     If the resulting index is not valid (outside the board), nil is
     returned.

   Due to the underlying technique used to efficiently detect off-board
squares, a direction specifier should at most do two steps in any
direction.  Directions can be combined, so that ‘(*
chess-direction-north 2)’ will give a typical initial white pawn push.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Position details,  Next: Annotations,  Prev: Position coordinates,  Up: Positions

1.1.3 Position details
----------------------

With an octal index value, you can look up what’s on a particular
square, or set that square’s value:

 -- Function: chess-pos-piece position index
     Return the piece on POSITION at INDEX.

 -- Function: chess-pos-piece-p position index piece-or-color
     Return non-nil if at POSITION/INDEX there is the given
     PIECE-OR-COLOR.  If PIECE-OR-COLOR is t for white or nil for black,
     any piece of that color will do.

 -- Function: chess-pos-set-piece position index piece
     Set the piece on POSITION at INDEX to PIECE.  PIECE must be one of
     ‘?K’ ‘?Q’ ‘?N’ ‘?B’ ‘?R’ or ‘?P’.  Use lowercase to set black
     pieces.

 -- Function: chess-pos-search position piece-or-color
     Look on POSITION anywhere for PIECE-OR-COLOR, returning all
     coordinates.  If PIECE-OR-COLOR is t for white or nil for black,
     any piece of that color will do.

 -- Function: chess-pos-search* position &rest pieces
     Look on POSITION for any of PIECES.

     The result is an alist where each element looks like (PIECE .
     INDICES).  Pieces which did not appear in POSITION will be present
     in the resulting alist, but the ‘cdr’ of their entries will be nil.

 -- Function: chess-search-position position target piece &optional
          check-only no-castling
     Look on POSITION from TARGET for a PIECE that can move there.  This
     routine looks along legal paths of movement for PIECE.  It differs
     from ‘chess-pos-search’, which is a more basic function that
     doesn’t take piece movement into account.

     If PIECE is t or nil, legal piece movements for any piece of that
     color will be considered (t for white, nil for black).  Otherwise,
     the case of the PIECE determines color.

     The return value is a list of candidates, which means a list of
     indices which indicate where a piece may have moved from.

     If CHECK-ONLY is non-nil and PIECE is either t or nil, only
     consider pieces which can give check (not the opponents king).  If
     NO-CASTLING is non-nil, do not consider castling moves.

 -- Function: chess-pos-can-castle position side
     Return whether the king on POSITION can castle on SIDE.  SIDE must
     be either ?K for the king side, or ?Q for the queen side (use
     lowercase to query if black can castle).

 -- Function: chess-pos-set-can-castle position side value
     Set whether the king can castle on the given POSITION on SIDE.

     See ‘chess-pos-can-castle’.

     It is only necessary to call this function if setting up a position
     manually.  Note that all newly created positions have full castling
     privileges set, unless the position is created blank, in which case
     castling privileges are unset.  See ‘chess-pos-copy’.

 -- Function: chess-pos-en-passant position
     Return the index of any pawn on POSITION that can be captured en
     passant.  Returns nil if en passant is unavailable.

 -- Function: chess-pos-set-en-passant position index
     Set the index of any pawn on POSITION that can be captured en
     passant.

 -- Function: chess-pos-status position
     Return whether the side to move in the POSITION is in a special
     state.  nil is returned if not, otherwise one of the symbols:
     ‘check’, ‘checkmate’, ‘stalemate’.

 -- Function: chess-pos-set-status position value
     Set whether the side to move in POSITION is in a special state.
     VALUE should either be nil, to indicate that the POSITION is
     normal, or one of the symbols: ‘check’, ‘checkmate’, ‘stalemate’.

 -- Function: chess-pos-side-to-move position
     Return the color whose move it is in POSITION.

 -- Function: chess-pos-set-side-to-move position color
     Set the color whose move it is in POSITION.

 -- Function: chess-pos-passed-pawns position color &optional
          pawn-indices
     If COLOR has Passed Pawns in POSITION, return a list of their
     indices.  Optionally, if INDICES is non-nil those indices are
     considered as candidates.

     A Pawn whose advance to the eighth rank is not blocked by an
     opposing Pawn in the same file and who does not have to pass one on
     an adjoining file is called a passed Pawn.

 -- Variable: chess-pos-always-white
     When set, it is assumed that white is always on move.  This is
     really only useful when setting up training positions.  This
     variable automatically becomes buffer-local when changed.

 -- Function: chess-pos-move position &rest changes
     Move a piece on the POSITION directly, using the indices in
     CHANGES.  This function does not check any rules, it only makes
     sure you are not trying to move a blank square.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Annotations,  Next: FEN notation,  Prev: Position details,  Up: Positions

1.1.4 Annotations
-----------------

 -- Function: chess-pos-annotations position
     Return the list of annotations for this position.

 -- Function: chess-pos-add-annotation position annotation
     Add an annotation for this position.

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File: chess.info,  Node: FEN notation,  Next: EPD notation,  Prev: Annotations,  Up: Positions

1.1.5 FEN notation
------------------

"FEN (Forsyth-Edwards Notation)" encodes a chess position using a simple
string.  The format is:

   POSITION SIDE CASTLING EN-PASSANT

   The POSITION gives all eight ranks, by specifying a letter for each
piece on the position, and a number for any intervening spaces, ranks
separated by slashes.  Trailing spaces need not be counted.  Uppercase
letters signify white, and lowercase black.  For example, if your
position only had a black king on d8, your POSITION string would be:

     3k////////

   For the three spaces (a, b and c file), the black king, and then all
the remaining ranks (which are all empty, so their spaces can be
ignored).

   The SIDE is ‘w’ or ‘b’, to indicate whose move it is.

   CASTLING can contain ‘K’, ‘Q’, ‘k’ or ‘q’, to signify whether the
white or black king can still castle on the king or queen side.  If
neither colour can castle on any side, ‘-’ should be provided.

   EN-PASSANT signifies the target square of an en passant capture, such
as ‘e3’ or ‘a6’.

 -- Function: chess-fen-to-pos fen
     Convert a FEN-like string to a chess position.

 -- Function: chess-pos-to-fen position &optional full
     Convert a chess POSITION to a FEN string.  If FULL is non-nil,
     represent trailing spaces as well.

   This is how the starting position looks like:

     (chess-pos-to-fen chess-starting-position)
     ⇒ "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/////PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq -"

   Some external programs might have problems parsing terse FEN strings.
If you are unsure, use the more verbose form:

     (chess-pos-to-fen chess-starting-position t)
     ⇒ "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq -"

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File: chess.info,  Node: EPD notation,  Prev: FEN notation,  Up: Positions

1.1.6 EPD notation
------------------

"EPD (Extended Position Description)" is a standard for describing chess
positions along with an extended set of structured attribute values
using the ASCII character set.  It is intended for data and command
interchange among chess-playing programs.  It is also intended for the
representation of portable opening library repositories.

   A single EPD uses one text line of variable length composed of four
data field followed by zero or more operations.  The four fields of the
EPD specification are the same as the first four fields of the FEN
specification.

   A text file composed exclusively of EPD data records should have a
file name with the suffix ‘.epd’.

 -- Function: chess-epd-to-pos &optional string
     Convert extended position description STRING to a chess position.
     If STRING is not specified, look for an epd string in the current
     buffer, and advance point after the correctly parsed position.

 -- Function: chess-pos-to-epd position
     Convert a chess POSITION to a string representation in extended
     position description format.

 -- Function: chess-epd-read-file file
     Return a list of positions contained in FILE.

* Menu:

* Operations::
* Opcode "acd" analysis count depth::
* Opcode "acn" analysis count nodes::
* Opcode "acs" analysis count seconds::
* Opcode "am" avoid move(s)::
* Opcode "bm" best move(s)::

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File: chess.info,  Node: Operations,  Next: Opcode "acd" analysis count depth,  Prev: EPD notation,  Up: EPD notation

1.1.6.1 Operations
..................

An EPD operation is composed of an opcode followed by zero or more
operands and is concluded by a semicolon.

   Multiple operations are separated by a single space character.  If
there is at least one operation present in an EPD record, it is
separated from the last (fourth) data field by a single space character.

   Some opcodes that allow for more than one operand may have special
ordering requirements for the operands.  For example, the "pv"
(predicted variation) opcode requires its operands (moves) to appear in
the order in which they would be played.  All other opcodes that allow
for more than one operand should have operands appearing in ASCII order.
An example of the latter set is the "bm" (best move[s]) opcode; its
operands are moves that are all immediately playable from the current
position.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Opcode "acd" analysis count depth,  Next: Opcode "acn" analysis count nodes,  Prev: Operations,  Up: EPD notation

1.1.6.2 Opcode "acd" analysis count depth
.........................................

The opcode "acd" takes a single non-negative integer operand.  It is
used to represent the ply depth examined in an analysis.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Opcode "acn" analysis count nodes,  Next: Opcode "acs" analysis count seconds,  Prev: Opcode "acd" analysis count depth,  Up: EPD notation

1.1.6.3 Opcode "acn" analysis count nodes
.........................................

The opcode "acn" takes a single non-negative integer operand.  It is
used to represent the number of nodes examined in an analysis.  Note
that the value may be quite large for some extended searches and so use
of (at least) a long (four byte) representation is suggested.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Opcode "acs" analysis count seconds,  Next: Opcode "am" avoid move(s),  Prev: Opcode "acn" analysis count nodes,  Up: EPD notation

1.1.6.4 Opcode "acs" analysis count seconds
...........................................

The opcode "acs" takes a single non-negative integer operand.  It is
used to represent the number of seconds used for an analysis.  Note that
the value may be quite large for some extended searches and so use of
(at least) a long (four byte) representation is suggested.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Opcode "am" avoid move(s),  Next: Opcode "bm" best move(s),  Prev: Opcode "acs" analysis count seconds,  Up: EPD notation

1.1.6.5 Opcode "am" avoid move(s)
.................................

The opcode "am" indicates a set of zero or more moves, all immediately
playable from the current position, that are to be avoided in the
opinion of the EPD writer.  Each operand is a SAN move; they appear in
ASCII order.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Opcode "bm" best move(s),  Prev: Opcode "am" avoid move(s),  Up: EPD notation

1.1.6.6 Opcode "bm" best move(s)
................................

The opcode "bm" indicates a set of zero or more moves, all immediately
playable from the current position, that are judged to the best
available by the EPD writer.  Each operand is a SAN move; they appear in
ASCII order.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Plies,  Next: Variations,  Prev: Positions,  Up: The chess.el library

1.2 Plies
=========

A "ply" is the differential between two positions.  Or, it is the
coordinate transformations applied to one position in order to arrive at
the following position.  It is also informally called "a move".

   A ply may be represented in ASCII by printing the FEN string of the
base position, and then printing the positional transformation in
algebraic notation.  Since the starting position is usually known, the
FEN string is optional.  A ply may be represented graphically by moving
the chess piece(s) involved.  It may be rendered verbally by voicing
which piece is to move, where it will move to, and what will happen a
result of the move (piece capture, check, etc).

   Plies may be sent over network connections, postal mail, e-mail,
etc., so long as the current position is maintained at both sides.
Transmitting the base position’s FEN string along with the ply offers a
form of confirmation during the course of a game.

* Menu:

* Creating plies::
* Ply details::
* The "next" position::
* Algebraic notation::

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File: chess.info,  Node: Creating plies,  Next: Ply details,  Prev: Plies,  Up: Plies

1.2.1 Creating plies
--------------------

 -- Function: chess-ply-create position &optional valid-p &rest changes
     Create a ply from the given POSITION by applying the supplied
     CHANGES.  This function will guarantee the resulting ply is legal,
     and will also annotate the ply with :check or other modifiers as
     necessary.  It will also extend castling, and will prompt for a
     promotion piece.

     Note: Do not pass in the rook move if CHANGES represents a castling
     maneuver.

 -- Function: chess-legal-plies position &rest keywords
     Return a list of all legal plies in POSITION.  KEYWORDS allowed
     are:

     :any return t if any piece can move at all :color <t or nil> :piece
     <piece character> :file <number 0 to 7> [can only be used if :piece
     is present] :index <coordinate index> :target <specific target
     index> :candidates <list of indices>

     These will constrain the plies generated to those matching the
     above criteria.

     NOTE: All of the returned plies will reference the same copy of the
     position object passed in.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Ply details,  Next: The "next" position,  Prev: Creating plies,  Up: Plies

1.2.2 Ply details
-----------------

 -- Function: chess-ply-pos ply
     Returns the base position associated with PLY.

 -- Function: chess-ply-set-pos ply position
     Set the base position of PLY.

 -- Function: chess-ply-changes
     Return the coordinate transformations and keywords associated with
     this PLY.

     A list of a pair of indices (or two, in case of castling) followed
     by optional keywords.

 -- Function: chess-ply-set-changes
     Set the coordinate transformations and keywords associated with
     this PLY.

 -- Function: chess-ply-source ply
     Return the source square index value of PLY.

 -- Function: chess-ply-target ply
     Return the target square index value of PLY.

   For example, here is how to find the source square of a freshly
created ply:

     (chess-ply-source (chess-ply-create chess-starting-position nil
                                         (chess-coord-to-index "e2")
                                         (chess-coord-to-index "e4")))
     ⇒ 52

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File: chess.info,  Node: The "next" position,  Next: Algebraic notation,  Prev: Ply details,  Up: Plies

1.2.3 The "next" position
-------------------------

 -- Function: chess-ply-next-pos ply
     Return the position that results from executing PLY.

 -- Function: chess-ply-final-p ply
     Return non-nil if this is the last ply of a game/variation.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Algebraic notation,  Prev: The "next" position,  Up: Plies

1.2.4 Algebraic notation
------------------------

A thing to deal with in chess is algebraic move notation, such as
‘Nxf3+’.  This notation is a shorthand way of representing where a piece
is moving from and to, by specifying the piece involved, where it’s
going, and whether or not a capture or check is involved.

   You can convert from algebraic notation to a ply using the following
function:

 -- Function: chess-algebraic-to-ply position move &optional trust
     Convert the algebraic notation MOVE for POSITION to a ply.

   The function also checks if a move is legal, and will raise an error
if not.

   To convert from a ply to algebraic notation, use:

 -- Function: chess-ply-to-algebraic ply &optional type
     Convert the given PLY to algebraic notation (a string).

     Optional argument TYPE specifies the kind of algebraic notation to
     generate.  ‘:san’ (the default) generates short (or standard)
     algebraic notation.  ‘:lan’ generates long algebraic notation (like
     ‘Nb1-c3’).  ‘:fan’ generates figurine algebraic notation (uppercase
     letters will be replaced by Unicode chess figures).

   Lastly, there is a regexp for quickly checking if a string is in
algebraic notation or not, or searching out algebraic strings in a
buffer:

 -- Variable: chess-algebraic-regexp
     A regular expression that matches all possible algebraic moves.
     This regexp handles both long and short form.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Variations,  Next: Games,  Prev: Plies,  Up: The chess.el library

1.3 Variations
==============

A "variation" is a sequence of plies that occur after some starting
position.  If the starting position represents the initial setup of a
chess board, and if the final ply results in completion of the game, it
is called the "main variation".  Otherwise, variations typically
represented interesting tangents during a game—but not actually
played—as envisioned by the player, an annotator, or someone studying
the game.

   Variations may be represented in ASCII by stating the FEN string for
starting position, followed by the list of plies that follow that
position.  They are difficult to represent graphically, except for
showing each position in turn with a slight pause between—or by allowing
the user to navigate each of the subsequent positions in turn.  They may
be represented verbally by announcing each of the plies in turn, as
mentioned above.

* Menu:

* Creating variations::
* Variation positions::
* Variation plies::
* Making a move in a variation::

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File: chess.info,  Node: Creating variations,  Next: Variation positions,  Prev: Variations,  Up: Variations

1.3.1 Creating variations
-------------------------

 -- Function: chess-var-create &optional position
     Create a new chess variation object.  Optionally use the given
     starting POSITION.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Variation positions,  Next: Variation plies,  Prev: Creating variations,  Up: Variations

1.3.2 Variation positions
-------------------------

 -- Function: chess-var-pos var &optional index
     Return the position related to VAR’s INDEX ply.

 -- Function: chess-var-index var
     Return the VAR’s current position index.

 -- Function: chess-var-seq var
     Return the current VAR sequence.

 -- Function: chess-var-side-to-move var &optional index
     Return the color whose move it is in VAR at INDEX (or at the last
     position of the variation if INDEX is nil).

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File: chess.info,  Node: Variation plies,  Next: Making a move in a variation,  Prev: Variation positions,  Up: Variations

1.3.3 Variation plies
---------------------

 -- Function: chess-var-ply var &optional index
     Return VAR’s INDEXth ply.

 -- Function: chess-var-plies var
     Return the plies of VAR.

 -- Function: chess-var-to-algebraic var &optional long
     Reveal the plies of VAR by converting them to algebraic notation.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Making a move in a variation,  Prev: Variation plies,  Up: Variations

1.3.4 Making a move in a variation
----------------------------------

 -- Function: chess-var-move var ply
     Make a move in the current VAR by applying the changes of PLY.
     This creates a new position and adds it to the main variation.  The
     ’changes’ of the last ply reflect whether the var is currently in
     progress (nil), if it is drawn, resigned, mate, etc.

 -- Function: chess-var-add-ply var ply
     Add to VAR the given PLY.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Games,  Next: Collections,  Prev: Variations,  Up: The chess.el library

1.4 Games
=========

A "game" includes its main variation, incidental information about the
game (who played it, where, when, who won, etc), and any sub-variations
of interest to those studying the game afterwards.

   Where TAGS is an alist that associates arbitrary English tag names to
their values.

   A game may be represented in ASCII using PGN (Portable Game
Notation).  Representing them graphically or verbally is similar to what
is done for variations.

 -- Function: chess-game-add-hook game function &optional data prepend
     Add to GAME an event hook FUNCTION.

 -- Function: chess-game-add-ply game ply
     Add PLY to the main variation of GAME.

 -- Function: chess-game-hooks game
     Return the event hooks associated with GAME.

 -- Function: chess-game-plies game
     Return the main variation of GAME as a list of plies.

 -- Function: chess-game-remove-hook game function &optional data
     Remove from GAME all event hooks that match FUNCTION.  If DATA is
     specified, only remove those hooks whose associated data matches.

 -- Function: chess-game-run-hooks game &rest args
     Run the event hooks of GAME and pass ARGS.

 -- Function: chess-game-set-hooks game hooks
     Set the event hooks associated with GAME.

 -- Function: chess-game-set-plies game plies
     Set the list of plies which represents the main variation of GAME.

* Menu:

* Creating games::
* Game tags::
* Game positions::
* Game plies::
* Making a move::
* PGN notation::

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File: chess.info,  Node: Creating games,  Next: Game tags,  Prev: Games,  Up: Games

1.4.1 Creating games
--------------------

 -- Function: chess-game-create &optional position tags
     Create a new chess game object.  Optionally use the given starting
     POSITION (see also ‘chess-game-set-start-position’).  TAGS is the
     starting set of game tags (which can always be changed later using
     the various tag-related methods).

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File: chess.info,  Node: Game tags,  Next: Game positions,  Prev: Creating games,  Up: Games

1.4.2 Game tags
---------------

 -- Function: chess-game-tags game
     Return the tags alist associated with GAME.

 -- Function: chess-game-set-tags game tags
     Set the tags alist associated with GAME.  After the TAGS alist was
     set the ’set-tags event is triggered.

 -- Function: chess-game-tag game tag
     Return the value for TAG in GAME.

 -- Function: chess-game-set-tag game tag value
     Set a TAG for GAME to VALUE.

 -- Function: chess-game-del-tag game tag
     Delete a TAG from GAME.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Game positions,  Next: Game plies,  Prev: Game tags,  Up: Games

1.4.3 Game positions
--------------------

 -- Function: chess-game-pos game &optional index
     Return the current position of GAME or a position of a given INDEX.

 -- Function: chess-game-index game
     Return the GAME’s current position index.

 -- Function: chess-game-seq game
     Return the current GAME sequence number.

 -- Function: chess-game-side-to-move game &optional index
     Return the color whose move it is in GAME at INDEX (or at the last
     position if INDEX is nil).  ‘t’ for white and ‘nil’ for black.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Game plies,  Next: Making a move,  Prev: Game positions,  Up: Games

1.4.4 Game plies
----------------

 -- Function: chess-game-ply game &optional index
     Return a ply of GAME.  If INDEX is non-nil, the last played ply is
     returned.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Making a move,  Next: PGN notation,  Prev: Game plies,  Up: Games

1.4.5 Making a move
-------------------

 -- Function: chess-game-move game ply
     Make a move in the current GAME using PLY.  This creates a new
     position and adds it to the main variation.  The ’changes’ of the
     last ply reflect whether the game is currently in progress (nil),
     if it is drawn, resigned, mate, etc.

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File: chess.info,  Node: PGN notation,  Prev: Making a move,  Up: Games

1.4.6 PGN notation
------------------

 -- Function: chess-pgn-to-game &optional string
     Convert "PGN notation" at point into a chess game.  Optionally use
     the supplied STRING instead of the current buffer.

 -- Function: chess-game-to-pgn game &optional indented to-string
     Convert a chess GAME to "PGN notation".  If INDENTED is non-nil,
     indent the move texts.  If TO-STRING is non-nil, return a string
     instead of inserting the resulting PGN text.

 -- Function: chess-pgn-insert-plies game index plies &optional
          for-black indented no-annotations
     NYI: Still have to implement INDENTED argument.

* Menu:

* PGN mode::

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File: chess.info,  Node: PGN mode,  Prev: PGN notation,  Up: PGN notation

1.4.6.1 PGN mode
................

 -- Function: chess-pgn-visualize
     Visualize the move for the PGN game under point.  This does not
     require that the buffer be in PGN mode.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Collections,  Next: Chess Opening Books,  Prev: Games,  Up: The chess.el library

1.5 Collections
===============

A "collection" is a set of games archived for later perusal.  A set of
games conceptually represents a large tree of branching variations, and
can be used for studying current theory, examining Master preferences,
etc.

   Chess.el itself does not attempt to provide library services, nor
does it ever represent library collections in memory.  Instead, it
interacts with a chess database engine for the purpose of storing and
retrieving games from the library, or performing library-wide analyses
and searches.

* Menu:

* Opening Databases::
* Querying Databases::
* Modifying Databases::
* Finalising Databases::
* Database Modules::

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Opening Databases,  Next: Querying Databases,  Prev: Collections,  Up: Collections

1.5.1 Opening Databases
-----------------------

 -- Variable: chess-database-modules
     List of database modules to try when ‘chess-database-open’ is
     called.

 -- Function: chess-database-open file &optional module
     Returns the opened database object, or nil.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Querying Databases,  Next: Modifying Databases,  Prev: Opening Databases,  Up: Collections

1.5.2 Querying Databases
------------------------

 -- Function: chess-database-filename database
     Return the filename of an already opened DATABASE.

 -- Function: chess-database-read database index
     Return from DATABASE the chess game object at INDEX.

 -- Function: chess-database-query database &rest terms
     Run a query on DATABASE.  TERMS is partly dependent on the
     chess-database module in use.  chess-scid: tree-search GAME:
     Perform a tree search on the last position of GAME.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Modifying Databases,  Next: Finalising Databases,  Prev: Querying Databases,  Up: Collections

1.5.3 Modifying Databases
-------------------------

 -- Function: chess-database-read-only-p database
     Return non-nil if DATABASE is read only.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Finalising Databases,  Next: Database Modules,  Prev: Modifying Databases,  Up: Collections

1.5.4 Finalising Databases
--------------------------

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File: chess.info,  Node: Database Modules,  Prev: Finalising Databases,  Up: Collections

1.5.5 Database Modules
----------------------

Currently, there are two subclasses of the above defined database
base-class:

* Menu:

* chess-file::
* chess-scid::

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File: chess.info,  Node: chess-file,  Next: chess-scid,  Prev: Database Modules,  Up: Database Modules

1.5.5.1 chess-file
..................

This module does not use an external chess database program to store and
retrieve games.  It uses the PGN of EPD format parsing routines provided
in ‘chess-pgn.el’ and ‘chess-epd.el’ to implement Collections for
ordinary PGN and EPD files.

   EPD file collections are represented as a collection of games
originating at the given position.  One might argue that conceptually,
they represent a collection of positions, but it is more convenient to
merge all collections into one uniform concept.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: chess-scid,  Prev: chess-file,  Up: Database Modules

1.5.5.2 chess-scid
..................

This modules implement basic reading and writing functionality for SCID
(Shane’s Chess Information Database) files.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Chess Opening Books,  Prev: Collections,  Up: The chess.el library

1.6 Chess Opening Books
=======================

There are two different modules/libraries provided for looking up chess
positions in opening books.

* Menu:

* ECO Classification::
* Polyglot opening book format support::

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File: chess.info,  Node: ECO Classification,  Next: Polyglot opening book format support,  Prev: Chess Opening Books,  Up: Chess Opening Books

1.6.1 ECO Classification
------------------------

Module ‘chess-eco’ provides a database of well known names for chess
opening positions.  If this module is activated (see variable
‘chess-default-modules’) known chess opening positions will be announced
in the minibuffer during a game.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Polyglot opening book format support,  Prev: ECO Classification,  Up: Chess Opening Books

1.6.2 Polyglot opening book format support
------------------------------------------

The popular and freely documented Polyglot opening book format is
supported.  There is a default polyglot book file shipped with chess.el
to support engines which do not have built-in support for looking up
positions in opening books (such as some UCI protocol based engines).

 -- Variable: chess-polyglot-book-file
     Path to default polyglot book file.

 -- Variable: chess-polyglot-book
     If non-nil, the buffer holding the currently loaded polyglot book
     data.

     This is used by UCI based engine modules as well as the internal
     AI.

 -- Function: chess-polyglot-book-open file
     Open a polyglot book FILE.

     Returns a buffer object which contains the binary data.

 -- Function: chess-polyglot-book-plies book position
     Return a list of plies found in BOOK for POSITION.  The resulting
     list is ordered, most interesting plies come first.  The
     ‘:polyglot-book-weight’ ply keyword is used to store the actual
     move weights.  Use ‘chess-ply-keyword’ on elements of the returned
     list to retrieve them.

 -- Function: chess-polyglot-book-ply book position &optional strength
     If non-nil a (randomly picked) ply from BOOK for POSITION.  Random
     distribution is defined by the relative weights of the found plies.
     If non-nil, STRENGTH defines the bias towards better moves.  A
     value below 1.0 will penalize known good moves while a value above
     1.0 will prefer known good moves.  The default is the value of
     ‘chess-polyglot-book-strength’.  A strength value of 0.0 will
     completely ignore move weights and evenly distribute the
     probability that a move gets picked.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Modules,  Next: Chessboard displays,  Prev: The chess.el library,  Up: Top

2 Modules
*********

Positions, plies and variations are typically accessed in reference to a
game object, which has a main variation containing the plies and
positions that represent the number of moves made within that game up to
the final position.

   Another thing that the game object does is to manage events that
occur within that game.  If a move is made from the final position, for
example, it will cause a new ply to be created, adding it to the end of
the main variation.  Then, a ‘move’ event is triggered within the game
and passed to any chess modules which are currently associated with that
game.  The concept of modules allows far more complex aspects of chess
playing to be dealt with, while allowing the library itself to still
operate solely in terms of the game object.

   For example, although the plies of a game object contain all the
information the computer needs to follow the game, a user needs much
more.  He wants to see the pieces move.  To support this, a display
module (see next chapter) can be created, and linked to the game.  The
first effect of this association will be to create a chess board display
and show the game’s final position on it.  Now whenever plies are added
to the game, the chess board will be updated to show the effect of that
move on the board.  The display module realizes that a move has been
made by receiving the ‘move’ event which is passed to all modules
associated with the game object.

   There may be any number of modules associated with a chess game, and
they may do anything you like.  Basically, for a module called
chess-sample, a function must exist called ‘chess-sample-handler’.  This
takes two or more arguments: a game object, the event symbol, and
whatever other arguments were passed along with the event symbol.

   When an event is triggered on a game object (and this may happen as a
byproduct of manipulating the game, or events may be manually
generated), every associated module, in order, is called with that event
and whatever arguments were passed along with the event.  The game
object is passed also, so that the module knows which game this event
has occurred in reference to.

   Once called, the module can do whatever it likes.  Some events expect
certain values to be returned, to indicate success or failure in
processing the event.  There are many different events, each depicting
something specific that might happen in the context of playing or
manipulating a chess game.  Some events relate only to the chess game
itself, some are triggered by the various chess engines that might be
associated with that game.  Modules may even trigger events in response
to event.  The game itself remains unaware of events, except for the
fact that it will pass them along to every module associated with that
game.

   This is how displays get updated, for example, because once a ’move’
event is triggered, each display knows that it must now look at the new
final position and update its display.  It may even trigger new events
special to displays, to cause a refresh to happen after update
calculations have been performed, for example.  All such details are
left to the module, and the game does not interfere with such
intra-module messaging.

   Looked at as an object-oriented design, these are typical polymorphic
events.  Certain generic situations frequently occur, such as moves,
which trigger events so that everyone concerned with the game can be
updated as to the move that occurred.  This way, no one need to actively
query the game to find out if something new has happened.  The game will
notify every listening module by sending an event.

   The core library, which consists of code to manipulate games, does
not define any modules.  The rest of the chess.el library is strictly a
set of module implementations, of various types.  Display modules react
to moves, and may modify the game based on user input; engine modules
react to moves by notifying the engine of the move; network client
modules react to moves by sending the move text over the network.
Engine and network modules may also trigger new events when the engine
or network player has decided on their move, and this move is then
applied to the game object.

   At the moment, no negotiation is done to determine which module may
modify the game object.  All modules have equal privilege.  This means
it is the programmer’s duty not to associate conflicting modules with a
single game object.  If two artificial intelligence engines were linked,
for example, they would quickly start stepping on each other’s toes.
But it perfectly fine to have one artificial intelligence engine, and
another passive engine whose only purpose is to relay the moves to a
networked observer on another computer.  The possibilities are endless.

   Modules are very easy to write, although engines and displays are
rather different from each other in their principles.  There is a base
engine, and a base display, which receive the same events as any other
module.  But then there are derived engines and derived displays which
trigger a whole family of events specific to those module types.  If you
suspect a bug in your module, put a breakpoint in your handler function,
and wait for the offending event to come through.  Then you can watch
what your module does in response to that event.  If it leaves the game
object alone, it should be easy to locate the problem, since it will
always be within the module itself.  But if your module also modifies
the game object in response to certain events, you may induce a feedback
loop that is much more difficult to sort out.  Test often and keep in
mind that *many* events might end up coming through as a result of the
game changes your module makes!

   That, in essence, is how the module system works.  From the game
object’s perspective, it is a very simple mechanism, much like a
function ring or a hook.  The hook is called at certain points, so that
any listener can react to changes in the game.  But from each module’s
perspective, it is a rich way to allow inter-operation between both
passive and reactive modules, all of them acting together to enrich the
context of play involving the central game object.

   The only other rule to be mentioned is that each module instance
should be associated with only one game object at a time, although a
game object may have unlimited modules of any type linked to it.
Otherwise, trying to update a chess board based on input from two
different games would get impossible to sort out.  Better to create a
new board for every game—the way ordinary humans would do it in the real
world.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Chessboard displays,  Next: Engines,  Prev: Modules,  Up: Top

3 Chessboard displays
*********************

The previous chapter described all the objects found in chess—positions,
plies, variations, games and collections.  However, these objects can
only be manipulated programmatically using the functions given so far.
In order to present them in a meaningful fashion to a human reader, it
is necessary to create and use a display object.

* Menu:

* Generic display manipulation functions::
* Chess display mode::
* Plain ASCII diagram displays::
* ICS1 style ASCII displays::
* Graphical displays::

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File: chess.info,  Node: Generic display manipulation functions,  Next: Chess display mode,  Prev: Chessboard displays,  Up: Chessboard displays

3.1 Generic display manipulation functions
==========================================

 -- Function: chess-display-create game style perspective
     Create a chess display, for displaying chess objects.  Where GAME
     is the chess game object to use, STYLE should be the display type
     to use (a symbol) and PERSPECTIVE determines the viewpoint of the
     board, if non-nil, the board is viewed from White’s perspective.

 -- Function: chess-display-active-p
     Return non-nil if the displayed chessboard reflects an active game.
     Basically, it means we are playing, not editing or reviewing.

 -- Function: chess-display-clear-board
     Setup the current board for editing.

 -- Function: chess-display-highlight display &rest args
     Highlight the square at INDEX on the current position.  The given
     highlighting MODE is used, or the default if the style you are
     displaying with doesn’t support that mode.  ‘selected’ is a mode
     that is supported by most displays, and is the default mode.

 -- Function: chess-display-invert
     Invert the perspective of the current chess board.

 -- Function: chess-display-move display ply
     Move a piece on DISPLAY, by applying the given PLY.  The position
     of PLY must match the currently displayed position.

 -- Function: chess-display-perspective display
     Return the current perspective of DISPLAY.

 -- Function: chess-display-position display
     Return the position currently viewed on DISPLAY.

 -- Function: chess-display-quit
     Quit the game associated with the current display.

 -- Function: chess-display-set-game display game &optional index
     Set the given DISPLAY to display the GAME object, optionally at
     INDEX.  This is the function to call to cause a display to view a
     game.  It will also update all of the listening engines and other
     displays to also view the same game.

 -- Function: chess-display-set-perspective display perspective
     Set PERSPECTIVE of DISPLAY.

 -- Function: chess-display-set-position display &optional position
          my-color
     Set the game associated with DISPLAY to use POSITION and MY-COLOR.

 -- Function: chess-display-set-variation display variation &optional
          index
     Set DISPLAY VARIATION.  If INDEX is not specified, this will cause
     the first ply in the variation to be displayed, with the user able
     to scroll back and forth through the moves in the variation.  Any
     moves made on the board will extend/change the variation that was
     passed in.

 -- Function: chess-display-update display &optional popup
     Update the chessboard DISPLAY.  POPUP too, if that arg is non-nil.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Chess display mode,  Next: Plain ASCII diagram displays,  Prev: Generic display manipulation functions,  Up: Chessboard displays

3.2 Chess display mode
======================

Chess display mode is a special major mode (*note (emacs)Major Modes::)
that allows to select pieces to move with the mouse or by moving point
to the desired square/piece.  Additionally, you can enter moves in a
variant of algebraic notation via the keyboard.

   All the chessboard displays described in following sections share the
basic behaviour provided by chess display mode.  They basically only
differ in appearance of the various chessboards.

* Menu:

* Basic operations::
* Selecting pieces with the keyboard::
* Selecting pieces with the mouse::
* Entering moves with algebraic notation::

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Basic operations,  Next: Selecting pieces with the keyboard,  Prev: Chess display mode,  Up: Chess display mode

3.2.1 Basic operations
----------------------

‘C-i’
‘<TAB>’
     Invert the perspective of the current chess board.

‘,’
     Show the previous move in the current game.

‘C-r’
     Find previous move which algebraic notation matches a regular
     expression ‘chess-display-search-backward’.

‘C-s’
     Find next move which algebraic notation matches a regular
     expression ‘chess-display-search-forward’.

‘.’
     Show the next move in the current game.

‘<’
     Move to the initial position of the current game
     (‘chess-display-move-first’).

‘>’
     Move to the last position of the current game
     (‘chess-display-move-last’).

‘C-c C-d’
     Offer to draw the current game (‘chess-display-draw’).

‘C-c C-r’
     Resign the current game (‘chess-display-resign’).

‘M-w’
     Copy the currently displayed position to the kill ring as a FEN
     string (‘chess-display-kill-board’).

‘C-y’
     Set the current display position via a FEN string from the kill
     ring (‘chess-display-yank-board’).

     This is useful to copy positions from one chessboard display to
     another, as well as quickly setting up a position from a FEN string
     previously added to the kill ring from somewhere else.

‘X’
     Quit this chessboard display (‘chess-display-quit’).

     This destroys the session (and all related modules) associated with
     this chessboard display.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Selecting pieces with the keyboard,  Next: Selecting pieces with the mouse,  Prev: Basic operations,  Up: Chess display mode

3.2.2 Selecting pieces with the keyboard
----------------------------------------

In character based chessboard displays, point can be moved around in the
buffer as uaual.  You can indicate the initial square/piece and the
target square/piece by moving point to the desired position and pressing
‘<RET>’.

‘<RET>’
     Select the piece/square currently indicated by point
     (‘chess-display-select-piece’) to move from/to.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Selecting pieces with the mouse,  Next: Entering moves with algebraic notation,  Prev: Selecting pieces with the keyboard,  Up: Chess display mode

3.2.3 Selecting pieces with the mouse
-------------------------------------

Similarily, you can also use the mouse (if available) to indicate the
source and target square of your move.

‘down-mouse-1’
‘down-mouse-2’
‘drag-mouse-1’
‘drag-mouse-2’
     Select the piece/square currently indicated by the mouse pointer
     (‘chess-display-select-piece’) to move from/to.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Entering moves with algebraic notation,  Prev: Selecting pieces with the mouse,  Up: Chess display mode

3.2.4 Entering moves with algebraic notation
--------------------------------------------

‘a’ … ‘h’
‘1’ … ‘8’
‘N’
‘B’
‘R’
‘Q’
‘K’
‘x’
‘=’
     Enter move in algebraic notation.

     The move will be accepted as soon as it is unambiguous.  So in most
     situations, you do not need to type the complete algebraic move
     string.  For instance, if there is only one piece which can be
     taken by one of your knights, typing ‘N x’ is sufficient to select
     that move.

     Additionally, the characters ‘x’ and ‘=’ are optional, as there is
     no difference between ‘N x e 4’ and ‘N e 4’.

<backspace>
     Delete the last entered chess move character
     ‘chess-input-shortcut-delete’.

     This is useful if you have accidentally typed a wrong character,
     and the move was not unambiguous yet.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Plain ASCII diagram displays,  Next: ICS1 style ASCII displays,  Prev: Chess display mode,  Up: Chessboard displays

3.3 Plain ASCII diagram displays
================================

The simplest display style available is ‘chess-plain’, a very
customisable ASCII board diagram display.

   This is how the starting position looks in its default configuration:

      +---------------+
     8|r n b q k b n r|
     7|p p p p p p p p|
     6|. . . . . . . .|
     5|. . . . . . . .|
     4|. . . . . . . .|
     3|. . . . . . . .|
     2|P P P P P P P P|
     1|R N B Q K B N R|
      +---------------+
       a b c d e f g h

 -- User Option: chess-plain-separate-frame
     If non-nil, display the chessboard in its own frame.

 -- User Option: chess-plain-border-style
     If non-nil, a vector of Characters used to draw borders.

     Otherwise, omit to draw any border around the chessboard diagram.

 -- User Option: chess-plain-black-square-char
     Character used to indicate empty black squares.

 -- User Option: chess-plain-white-square-char
     Character used to indicate black white squares.

 -- User Option: chess-plain-piece-chars
     Alist of pieces and their corresponding characters.

 -- User Option: chess-plain-upcase-indicates
     Defines what a upcase char should indicate.  The default is
     ‘'color’, meaning a upcase char is a white piece, a lowercase char
     a black piece.  Possible values: ‘'color’ (default),
     ‘'square-color’.  If set to ‘'square-color’, a uppercase character
     indicates a piece on a black square.  (Note that you also need to
     modify ‘chess-plain-piece-chars’ to avoid real confusion.)

 -- User Option: chess-plain-spacing
     Number of spaces between files.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: ICS1 style ASCII displays,  Next: Graphical displays,  Prev: Plain ASCII diagram displays,  Up: Chessboard displays

3.4 ICS1 style ASCII displays
=============================

‘chess-ics1’ is a more verbose ASCII chessboard display.

   This is how the starting position looks with this chessboard display:

           +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
         8 | r | n | b | q | k | b | n | r |
           +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
         7 | p | p | p | p | p | p | p | p |
           +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
         6 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
           +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
         5 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
           +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
         4 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
           +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
         3 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
           +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
         2 | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P |
           +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
         1 | R | N | B | Q | K | B | N | R |
           +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
             a   b   c   d   e   f   g   h

 -- User Option: chess-ics1-separate-frame
     If non-nil, display the chessboard in its own frame.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Graphical displays,  Prev: ICS1 style ASCII displays,  Up: Chessboard displays

3.5 Graphical displays
======================

The graphical chessboard display (‘chess-images’) uses image files to
create a visually appealing chessboard in a buffer.

 -- User Option: chess-images-directory
     A directory which contains images in XPM format.

     If you want to draw your own images, each piece must be named
     ‘COLOR-PIECE.xpm’, where COLOR is either black or white, and PIECE
     is one of rook, knight, bishop, queen, king or pawn.

     The only image format currently supported is XPM.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Engines,  Next: Chess Session,  Prev: Chessboard displays,  Up: Top

4 Engines
*********

Engines are the representation of an opponent in Chess.  THe main type
of engine interfaces with an external chess program.  However, there can
be other uses for engine objects, such as providing networked engined
for playing with opponent over different types of transports.

* Menu:

* Common functions::
* AI::
* Crafty::
* Fruit::
* Glaurung::
* GNU Chess::
* Phalanx::
* Sjeng::
* Stockfish::

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Common functions,  Next: AI,  Prev: Engines,  Up: Engines

4.1 Common functions
====================

 -- Function: chess-engine-create module game &optional response-handler
          &rest handler-ctor-args
     Create a new chess engine MODULE (a symbol) associated with GAME.
     Optionally supply a new RESPONSE-HANDLER.

 -- Function: chess-engine-set-option engine option value
     Set ENGINE OPTION to VALUE by invoking its handler with the
     ’set-option event.

 -- Function: chess-engine-position engine
     Return the current position of the game associated with ENGINE.

 -- Function: chess-engine-command engine event &rest args
     Call the handler of ENGINE with EVENT (a symbol) and ARGS.

 -- Function: chess-engine-send engine string
     Send the given STRING to ENGINE.  If ‘chess-engine-process’ is a
     valid process object, use ‘process-send-string’ to submit the data.
     Otherwise, the ’send event is triggered and the engine event
     handler can take care of the data.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: AI,  Next: Crafty,  Prev: Common functions,  Up: Engines

4.2 AI
======

The AI engine module defines a pure Emacs Lisp implementation of an
opponent.  Contrary to all other engine modules mentioned later on, it
does not require any external programs to be installed.

   To explicitly select this engine as an opponent, use ‘C-u M-x chess
<RET> ai <RET>’.

 -- User Option: chess-ai-depth
     Defines the default search depth for this engine.

 -- User Option: chess-ai-quiescence-depth
     Defines the number of plies to search for a quiet position.  This
     is in addition to ‘chess-ai-depth’.

   If you’d like to employ the search and evaluation functions provided
by this module programmatically, the following function is the top-level
entry point.

 -- Function: chess-ai-best-move position &optional depth eval-fn
     Find the supposedly best move (ply) for POSITION.  DEPTH defaults
     to the value of ‘chess-ai-depth’.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Crafty,  Next: Fruit,  Prev: AI,  Up: Engines

4.3 Crafty
==========

"Crafty" is a chess program written by Michael Byrne, UAB professor Dr.
Robert Hyatt, Tracy Riegle, Peter Skinner and Ted Langreck.  It is
directly derived from Cray Blitz, winner of the 1983 and 1986 World
Computer Chess Championships.

   If the ‘crafty’ program is installed and can be found in the program
search path (‘exec-path’), the ‘chess-crafty’ engine module will
automatically detect it.

   If ‘crafty’ is installed in a non-standard location, variable
‘chess-crafty-path’ can be set to point to the executable.

   If you have multiple engines installed you can explicitly select to
play against Crafty by invoking ‘C-u M-x chess <RET> crafty <RET>’.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Fruit,  Next: Glaurung,  Prev: Crafty,  Up: Engines

4.4 Fruit
=========

"Fruit" is a chess engine developed by Fabien Letouzey.  It was
commercially available from September 2005 until July 2007.  Now it is
freeware and you can download it for free from
<http://www.fruitchess.com/>.  The development on Fruit by Fabien
Letouzey has ceded and it is unlikely to continue.

   Fruit was vice world computer chess champion 2005.

   If the ‘fruit’ command is installed and can be found in the program
search path (‘exec-path’), the ‘chess-fruit’ engine module will
automatically detect it.

   If Fruit is installed in a non-standard location, variable
‘chess-fruit-path’ can be set to point to the executable.

   If you have multiple engines installed you can explicitly select to
play against Fruit by invoking ‘C-u M-x chess <RET> fruit <RET>’.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Glaurung,  Next: GNU Chess,  Prev: Fruit,  Up: Engines

4.5 Glaurung
============

"Glaurung" is another freely distributed strong computer chess engine.

   If the ‘glaurung’ program is installed and can be found in the
program search path (‘exec-path’), the ‘chess-glaurung’ engine module
will automatically detect it.

   If Glaurung is installed in a non-standard location, variable
‘chess-glaurung-path’ can be set to point to the executable.

   If you have multiple engines installed you can explicitly select to
play against Glaurung by invoking ‘C-u M-x chess <RET> glaurung <RET>’.

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File: chess.info,  Node: GNU Chess,  Next: Phalanx,  Prev: Glaurung,  Up: Engines

4.6 GNU Chess
=============

"GNU Chess" is free software, licensed under the terms of the GNU
General Public License version 3 or any later version, and is maintained
by collaborating developers.  As one of the earliest computer chess
programs with full source code available, it’s one of the oldest for
Unix-based systems and has since been ported to many other platforms.

   If the ‘gnuChess’ program is installed and can be found in the
program search path (‘exec-path’), the ‘chess-gnuchess’ engine module
will automatically detect it.

   If GNU Chess is installed in a non-standard location, variable
‘chess-gnuchess-path’ can be set to point to the executable.

   If you have multiple engines installed you can explicitly select to
play against GNU Chess by invoking .

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File: chess.info,  Node: Phalanx,  Next: Sjeng,  Prev: GNU Chess,  Up: Engines

4.7 Phalanx
===========

"Phalanx" is an old, popular chess engine, with an interesting history.

   If the ‘phalanx’ program is installed and can be found in the program
search path (‘exec-path’), the ‘chess-phalanx’ engine module will
automatically detect it.

   If Phalanx is installed in a non-standard location, variable
‘chess-phalanx-path’ can be set to point to the executable.

   If you have multiple engines installed you can explicitly select to
play against Phalanx by invoking ‘C-u M-x chess <RET> phalanx <RET>’.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Sjeng,  Next: Stockfish,  Prev: Phalanx,  Up: Engines

4.8 Sjeng
=========

"Sjeng" (http://sjeng.org/) is a championship-winner automated chess
engine developed by Gian-Carlo Pascutto from Belgium.  While its
original version was free, recent developments are for sale.

   If the ‘sjeng’ program is installed and can be found in the program
search path (‘exec-path’), the ‘chess-sjeng’ engine module will
automatically detect it.

   If Sjeng is installed in a non-standard location, variable
‘chess-sjeng-path’ can be set to point to the executable.

   If you have multiple engines installed you can explicitly select to
play against Sjeng by invoking ‘C-u M-x chess <RET> sjeng <RET>’.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Stockfish,  Prev: Sjeng,  Up: Engines

4.9 Stockfish
=============

"Stockfish" (http://www.stockfishchess.org/) is one of the strongest
chess engines in the world, appearing near or at the top of most chess
engine rating lists.  Stockfish is also free software, licensed under
the terms of the GNU General Public License.

   If the ‘stockfish’ program is installed and can be found in the
program search path (‘exec-path’), the ‘chess-stockfish’ engine module
will automatically detect it.

   If Stockfish is installed in a non-standard location, variable
‘chess-stockfish-path’ can be set to point to the executable.

   If you have multiple engines installed you can explicitly select to
play against Stockfish by invoking ‘C-u M-x chess <RET> stockfish
<RET>’.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Chess Session,  Next: Internet Chess Servers,  Prev: Engines,  Up: Top

5 Chess Session
***************

A chess session assembles all modules mentioned in previous chapters
into a working system to interact with.  A session typically consists of
at least one display module, one engine module, and possibly a number of
optional modules.  All these mdoules share a common game object which is
used to keep track of the currently active game.

 -- Function: chess engine disable-popup engine-response-handler &rest
          engine-ctor-args
     Play a game against ENGINE.

     This function constructs all the necessary modules required for a
     chess session.  In particular, it will start ENGINE and create a
     chess display as configured in ‘chess-default-display’.

     This is the main entry-point for interactively launching a
     chessboard display with associated engine.

     If you want to launch a chess session as part of your own code, the
     probably more expressive alias ‘chess-session’ might be interesting
     to use.

   You can have several active chess sessions.  In fact, some features
later described in this manual make use of this, *Note Internet Chess
Servers::.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Internet Chess Servers,  Next: Concept Index,  Prev: Chess Session,  Up: Top

6 Internet Chess Servers
************************

Based on the services provided above, there is also a special mode for
communication with Internet Chess Servers.

   On an Internet Chess Server you can seek to play against other human
or computer players, observe other games being player or examined, play
tournaments, chat with fellow chess players, participate in team games,
or do various other interesting chess related things.

   A default set of well known servers is defined in the following
variable:

 -- Variable: chess-ics-server-list
     A list of servers to connect to.  The format of each entry is:

     (SERVER PORT [HANDLE] [PASSWORD-OR-FILENAME] [HELPER] [HELPER
     ARGS...])

   Internet Chess Servers based on FICS (Free Internet Chess Server)
(http://www.freechess.org/) and ICC (Internet Chess Club)
(http://www.chessclub.com/) are currently supported.

* Menu:

* Connecting to a server::
* Chess ICS Mode::
* Command History::
* Seeking an opponent for a new game::
* The sought game display::
* Watching other games::

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File: chess.info,  Node: Connecting to a server,  Next: Chess ICS Mode,  Prev: Internet Chess Servers,  Up: Internet Chess Servers

6.1 Connecting to a server
==========================

To open a new connection to an Internet Chess Server, use:

 -- Function: chess-ics server port &optional handle
          password-or-filename helper &rest helper-args
     Connect to an Internet Chess Server.

     If called interactively, you will be prompted to enter a server
     (from ‘chess-ics-server-list’ and possibly identification
     credentials.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Chess ICS Mode,  Next: Command History,  Prev: Connecting to a server,  Up: Internet Chess Servers

6.2 Chess ICS Mode
==================

The major mode for ICS buffers is Chess ICS mode.  Many of its special
commands are bound to the ‘C-c’ prefix.  Here is a list of ICS mode
commands:

‘<RET>’
     Send the current line as input to the server (‘comint-send-input’).
     Any prompt at the beginning of the line is omitted.  If point is at
     the end of buffer, this is like submitting the command line in an
     ordinary interactive shell.  However, you can also invoke <RET>
     elsewhere in the ICS buffer to submit the current line as input.

‘C-d’
     Either delete a character or send EOF (End Of File)
     (‘comint-delchar-or-maybe-eof’).  Typed at the end of the ICS
     buffer, this sends EOF to the server and terminates the connection.
     Typed at any other position in the buffer, this deletes a character
     as usual.

‘C-c C-a’
     Move to the beginning of the line, but after the prompt if any
     (‘comint-bol-or-process-mark’).  If you repeat this command twice
     in a row, the second time it moves back to the process mark, which
     is the beginning of the input that you have not yet sent to the
     server.  (Normally that is the same place—the end of the prompt on
     this line—but after ‘C-c <SPC>’ the process mark may be in a
     previous line.)

‘C-c <SPC>’
     Accumulate multiple lines of input, then send them together
     (‘comint-accumulate’).  This command inserts a newline before
     point, but does not send the preceding text as input to the
     server—at least, not yet.  Both lines, the one before this newline
     and the one after, will be sent together (along with the newline
     that separates them), when you type <RET>.

‘C-c C-u’
     Kill all text pending at end of buffer to be sent as input
     (‘comint-kill-input’).  If point is not at end of buffer, this only
     kills the part of this text that precedes point.

‘C-c C-w’
     Kill a word before point (‘backward-kill-word’).

‘C-c C-o’
     Delete the last batch of output from an ICS server command
     (‘comint-delete-output’).  This is useful if a server command spews
     out lots of output that just gets in the way.

‘C-c C-s’
     Write the last batch of output from an ICS server command to a file
     (‘comint-write-output’).  With a prefix argument, the file is
     appended to instead.  Any prompt at the end of the output is not
     written.

‘C-c C-r’
‘C-M-l’
     Scroll to display the beginning of the last batch of output at the
     top of the window; also move the cursor there
     (‘comint-show-output’).

‘C-c C-e’
     Scroll to put the end of the buffer at the bottom of the window
     (‘comint-show-maximum-output’).

‘M-x comint-truncate-buffer’
     This command truncates the ICS buffer to a certain maximum number
     of lines, specified by the variable ‘comint-buffer-maximum-size’.
     Here’s how to do this automatically each time you get output from
     the server:

          (add-hook 'comint-output-filter-functions
                    'comint-truncate-buffer)

   ICS mode is a derivative of Comint mode, a general-purpose mode for
communicating with interactive subprocesses.  Most of the features of
ICS mode actually come from Comint mode, as you can see from the command
names listed above.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Command History,  Next: Seeking an opponent for a new game,  Prev: Chess ICS Mode,  Up: Internet Chess Servers

6.3 ICS Command History
=======================

ICS buffers support two ways of repeating earlier commands.  You can use
keys like those used for the minibuffer history; these work much as they
do in the minibuffer, inserting text from prior commands while point
remains always at the end of the buffer.  You can move through the
buffer to previous inputs in their original place, then resubmit them or
copy them to the end.

* Menu:

* ICS Command Ring::
* ICS History Copying::

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File: chess.info,  Node: ICS Command Ring,  Next: ICS History Copying,  Prev: Command History,  Up: Command History

6.3.1 ICS Command History Ring
------------------------------

‘M-p’
‘C-<UP>’
     Fetch the next earlier old ICS command.

‘M-n’
‘C-<DOWN>’
     Fetch the next later old ICS command.

‘M-r’
     Begin an incremental regexp search of old ICS commands.

‘C-c C-x’
     Fetch the next subsequent command from the history.

‘C-c .’
     Fetch one argument from an old ICS command.

‘C-c C-l’
     Display the buffer’s history of ICS commands in another window
     (‘comint-dynamic-list-input-ring’).

   ICS buffers provide a history of previously entered commands.  To
reuse commands from the history, use the editing commands ‘M-p’, ‘M-n’,
‘M-r’ and ‘M-s’.  These work just like the minibuffer history commands
(*note (emacs)Minibuffer History::), except that they operate within the
ICS buffer rather than the minibuffer.

   ‘M-p’ fetches an earlier ICS command to the end of the ICS buffer.
Successive use of ‘M-p’ fetches successively earlier commands, each
replacing any text that was already present as potential input.  ‘M-n’
does likewise except that it finds successively more recent ICS commands
from the buffer.  ‘C-<UP>’ works like ‘M-p’, and ‘C-<DOWN>’ like ‘M-n’.

   The history search command ‘M-r’ begins an incremental regular
expression search of previous ICS commands.  After typing ‘M-r’, start
typing the desired string or regular expression; the last matching ICS
command will be displayed in the current line.  Incremental search
commands have their usual effects—for instance, ‘C-s’ and ‘C-r’ search
forward and backward for the next match (*note (emacs)Incremental
Search::).  When you find the desired input, type <RET> to terminate the
search.  This puts the input in the command line.  Any partial input you
were composing before navigating the history list is restored when you
go to the beginning or end of the history ring.

   Often it is useful to reexecute several successive ICS commands that
were previously executed in sequence.  To do this, first find and
reexecute the first command of the sequence.  Then type ‘C-c C-x’; that
will fetch the following command—the one that follows the command you
just repeated.  Then type <RET> to reexecute this command.  You can
reexecute several successive commands by typing ‘C-c C-x <RET>’ over and
over.

   The command ‘C-c .’ (‘comint-input-previous-argument’) copies an
individual argument from a previous command, like ‘<ESC> .’ in Bash.
The simplest use copies the last argument from the previous ICS command.
With a prefix argument N, it copies the Nth argument instead.  Repeating
‘C-c .’ copies from an earlier ICS command instead, always using the
same value of N (don’t give a prefix argument when you repeat the ‘C-c
.’ command).

   These commands get the text of previous ICS commands from a special
history list, not from the ICS buffer itself.  Thus, editing the ICS
buffer, or even killing large parts of it, does not affect the history
that these commands access.

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File: chess.info,  Node: ICS History Copying,  Prev: ICS Command Ring,  Up: Command History

6.3.2 ICS History Copying
-------------------------

‘C-c C-p’
     Move point to the previous prompt (‘comint-previous-prompt’).

‘C-c C-n’
     Move point to the following prompt (‘comint-next-prompt’).

‘C-c <RET>’
     Copy the input command at point, inserting the copy at the end of
     the buffer (‘comint-copy-old-input’).  This is useful if you move
     point back to a previous command.  After you copy the command, you
     can submit the copy as input with <RET>.  If you wish, you can edit
     the copy before resubmitting it.  If you use this command on an
     output line, it copies that line to the end of the buffer.

‘Mouse-2’
     If ‘comint-use-prompt-regexp’ is ‘nil’ (the default), copy the old
     input command that you click on, inserting the copy at the end of
     the buffer (‘comint-insert-input’).  If ‘comint-use-prompt-regexp’
     is non-‘nil’, or if the click is not over old input, just yank as
     usual.

   Moving to a previous input and then copying it with ‘C-c <RET>’ or
‘Mouse-2’ produces the same results—the same buffer contents—that you
would get by using ‘M-p’ enough times to fetch that previous input from
the history list.  However, ‘C-c <RET>’ copies the text from the buffer,
which can be different from what is in the history list if you edit the
input text in the buffer after it has been sent.

\1f
File: chess.info,  Node: Seeking an opponent for a new game,  Next: The sought game display,  Prev: Command History,  Up: Internet Chess Servers

6.4 Seeking an opponent for a new game
======================================

After you connected to a server, one of the first things you will want
to do is find an oponent for a new game.  You can use the ICS command
"seek" to announce your availability for a chess game to interested
people.

   For example:

     fics% seek 10 10 rated

   This will announce your availability to play a rated game with 10
minutes initial time-control for each player, and 10 seconds added for
every move made.

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File: chess.info,  Node: The sought game display,  Next: Watching other games,  Prev: Seeking an opponent for a new game,  Up: Internet Chess Servers

6.5 The sought game display
===========================

There is a special mode for displaying games sought by other users on an
Internet Chess Server.  Provided you didn’t turn off seek advertisments
manually (for instance by setting the seek variable to 0 (off) on the
ICS server by issueing "set seek 0"), the first seek advertisment
automatically pops up a new window which is in ‘chess-ics-ads-mode’, a
derivative of ‘tabulated-list-mode’.

 -- Function: chess-ics-ads-mode
     A mode for displaying ICS game seek advertisments.

     This mode runs the hook ‘chess-ics-ads-mode-hook’, as the final
     step during initialization.

     key binding — ——-

     ?          describe-mode RET       chess-ics-sought-accept <mouse-2>
     chess-ics-sought-accept

   In this buffer, use mouse-2 or ‘<RET>’ on a line to accept that
particular game and play it.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Watching other games,  Prev: The sought game display,  Up: Internet Chess Servers

6.6 Watching other games
========================

You can also watch other games currently being played on ICS.  Even
services like ‘LectureBot’ from FICS can be used.

     fics% observe lecturebot
     You are now observing game 5.
     Game 5: LectureBot (0) LectureBot (0) unrated untimed 0 0

     LectureBot(TD)(----)[5] kibitzes: (Note: A passed pawn is a pawn that
               does not have enemy pawns blocking the path either on the
               same or adjacent files).
     LectureBot(TD)(----)[5] kibitzes: Connected passed pawns are a pain to
               have to deal with. They are usually a winning advantage if
               they cannot be blockaded. The blockading piece has to give
               up duties elsewhere. It's almost like being a piece up.
     fics% unobserv lecturebot
     Removing game 5 from observation list.
     fics%

   Once you start to observe a particular game or player, the current
position will pop up in a chessboard display.  As you are an observer,
you will not be able to enter new moves.  However, you should be able to
navigate back and forth in the history of the game.

   If a new move is made by any party in the game and you are currently
displaying the last position in the game, the chessboard display will
automaticall update to reflect the new position and show the last move
in the mode line.

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File: chess.info,  Node: Concept Index,  Next: Function and Variable Index,  Prev: Internet Chess Servers,  Up: Top

Concept Index
*************