Python chess engine

Discussion of anything and everything relating to chess playing software and machines.

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UncombedCoconut
Posts: 319
Joined: Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:40 am
Location: Naperville, IL

Re: Python chess engine

Post by UncombedCoconut »

PyChess also deserves mention. It is a bit slower, but has implemented time management and a much more sophisticated evaluation.

Note that PyChess is a GUI, but contains a stand-alone xboard engine ( lib/pychess/Players/PyChess.py ). One should be able to run it as-is in Windows, although I don't know how much effort is needed.

The batch chess program is very impressive, but it's a UI rather than an AI. This is fortunate: I've written an engine in UNIX shell language, but I think I'd soil myself if I saw a DOS shell implementation.
Nimzovik
Posts: 1831
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:08 pm

Re: Python chess engine

Post by Nimzovik »

Fascinating..... I am an old dinosaur that for some inexplicable reason still likes DOS. Hail to kasparov's Gambit! Hail to Battle Chess! Hail to M- chess. I am the more intrigued pursuant to the the discovery that it is written by a woman. Bless them. So is it any good? Should I fire up my old dos DX4 machines with their 13 inch monitors (with 12 inch viewable space?)
UncombedCoconut
Posts: 319
Joined: Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:40 am
Location: Naperville, IL

Re: Python chess engine

Post by UncombedCoconut »

Nimzovik wrote:So is it any good?
It looks like an interactive board supporting undo/redo, save/load, and position editing. It does test moves for legality, but can't play chess on its own.
tmokonen
Posts: 1296
Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2006 6:46 pm
Location: Kelowna
Full name: Tony Mokonen

Re: Python chess engine

Post by tmokonen »

I didn't take a close look at the code, and had assumed there was some sort of primitive AI there. Still, it's quite an achievement to write something like this in such a limited language.