960 Compliant Chess Guis and engines

[kk]

Until now I have been unsuccessful in finding a chess engine or a chess GUI that obeys all the rules of 960 chess. Any engines that are stated as 960 compatible appear to generate or accept any valid 960 starting position but have no logic to manage 960 castling.
Has anyone come across an engine that fully understands 960 chess?
The only way I can record a 960 game in say HCE is to enter edit mode and manually perform the castling manoeuvre, however on return to the game board all previous moves have been deleted.
I am not convinced it would be a difficult process to build in 960 castling rules.

[Modern Times]

Until now I have been unsuccessful in finding a chess engine or a chess GUI that obeys all the rules of 960 chess.

Cutechess plays chess960 engine to engine matches, as does ChessGUI. Arena has some capability as well, and Winboard too. I have only used ChessGUI and Cutechess myself.

There are 72 engines here that play chess960.

http://ccrl.chessdom.com/ccrl/404FRC/

[kk]

Thanks, I’ll give them a try........

[AdminX]

You can also check out Banksia.

[hgm]

Until now I have been unsuccessful in finding a chess engine or a chess GUI that obeys all the rules of 960 chess. Any engines that are stated as 960 compatible appear to generate or accept any valid 960 starting position but have no logic to manage 960 castling.

Are you sure you did switch the GUI to Chess960?

I don't know which GUIs you tried, but the large majority of GUIs does support Chess960. So that you say you found none that does, suggests this is user error rather than a GUI shortcoming.

[kk]

I mainly use ChessBase, Hiarcs Chess Explorer and Shredder and I have not found anything that allows me to play a 960 game which manages 960 castling correctly with either of these three. I have searched a few times for 960 chess gui interfaces and surprisingly little us returned from the searches.
I am always willing to try new ideas if I have missed something significant.
As I mentioned in a previous post there are one or two guis that will generate 960 start positions but I have not found one that recognises 960 castling either in its search or in the execution of a move on the board.
I would like to be proven wrong as a 960 chess gui would be of great use to me.
It has just been suggested I check out Banksia, so I’m going to give that a try.
Thanks to those that replied to help.

[Modern Times]

I mainly use ChessBase, Hiarcs Chess Explorer and Shredder

Chessbase no in my experience. Shredder GUI from shredderchess.com definitely yes. The Hiarcs chess engine supports chess960 so I'd be very surprised indeed if Hiarcs Explorer doesn't. You could reach out to their support for help with it.

But yes - the free Banksia is worth a try.

[AdminX]

I mainly use ChessBase, Hiarcs Chess Explorer and Shredder and I have not found anything that allows me to play a 960 game which manages 960 castling correctly with either of these three. I have searched a few times for 960 chess gui interfaces and surprisingly little us returned from the searches.
I am always willing to try new ideas if I have missed something significant.
As I mentioned in a previous post there are one or two guis that will generate 960 start positions but I have not found one that recognises 960 castling either in its search or in the execution of a move on the board.
I would like to be proven wrong as a 960 chess gui would be of great use to me.
It has just been suggested I check out Banksia, so I’m going to give that a try.
Thanks to those that replied to help.

I am not really into Chess960, but what does castling correctly mean? Maybe I don't understand how castling is supposed to work in Chess960. Here is notation of Chess960 played in Banksia.

[pgn]
[Event "banksia game"]
[Date "2020.06.28"]
[White "Komodo 14"]
[Black "Lc0 v0.26 703369"]
[Result "*"]
[TimeControl "40/7200+0"]
[Time "18:23:17"]
[Termination "*"]
[Variant "chess960"]
[FEN "bnqbrkrn/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/BNQBRKRN w GEge - 0 1"]
[SetUp "1"]

1. b4 {+0.32/31 278.1 627948600} O-O {-0.10/8 154.5 217970 317/289/394} 2. Ng3 {+0.29/31 453.9 813670124} b6 {-0.09/10 133.9 304662 321/288/391}
3. O-O {+0.32/32 287.1 543063486} c5 {-0.10/11 15.3 267130 314/300/386} 4. bxc5 {+0.30/33 155.2 332475880} bxc5 {-0.11/11 3.3 288357 307/302/391}
5. e4 {+0.27/33 167.7 334296272} e6 {-0.09/10 322.5 350193 315/306/379} 6. Qa3 {+0.28/31 187.6 366518365} Ng6 {-0.11/13 96.6 224684 311/296/393}
7. Qxa7 {+0.26/33 287.0 535303398} Na6 {-0.10/13 97.8 288083 313/299/388} 8. Be2 {+0.24/33 69.2 316135361} Nb4 {-0.07/13 176.5 222931 314/316/370}
9. Qa4 {+0.17/34 0.0 302824868} Be7 {-0.07/13 185.7 288830 314/322/364} 10. Nc3 {+0.24/33 0.0 308572645} Rd8 {-0.12/14 220.6 223756 304/304/392}
11. Nb5 {+0.28/34 335.0 567595974} d5 {-0.08/15 254.6 173493 313/315/372} 12. a3 {+0.00/34 30.3 504779972} Nc6 {-0.08/16 91.1 241590 314/312/374}
13. exd5 {+0.04/35 253.7 627303400} Rxd5 {-0.08/14 408.2 629430 283/373/344} 14. Bd3 {+0.02/37 0.0 731098763} Qd8 {-0.09/16 166.9 401791 294/348/358}
15. f4 {+0.15/32 208.4 411870652} Nh4 {-0.14/17 207.0 319835 278/345/377} 16. Rf2 {+0.61/34 175.7 359679832} c4 {-0.12/16 133.4 124791 277/356/367}
17. Qxc4 {+0.68/33 168.0 358475479} Bc5 {-0.20/14 5.4 211960 256/348/396} 18. Re3 {+0.67/34 191.2 420019495} Bb6 {-0.23/14 354.0 517172 274/289/437}
19. a4 {+0.69/32 202.9 430072106} Rd7 {-0.23/12 154.8 144875 271/292/437} 20. Qc3 {+0.56/35 182.8 395049094} Nd4 {-0.22/18 14.9 197994 260/323/417}
21. Bb2 {+0.51/37 411.4 920230972} Re8 {-0.23/14 264.8 155913 253/331/416} 22. Nxd4 {+0.34/36 0.0 576057455} Bxd4 {-0.15/15 214.6 139278 237/421/342}
23. Qa3 {+0.44/37 177.7 823580533} Bxe3 {-0.12/13 235.5 164010 246/418/336} 24. dxe3 {+0.70/39 0.0 505542642} Nf5 {-0.12/14 83.7 185356 240/431/329}
25. Nxf5 {+0.64/40 194.6 577452388} exf5 {-0.07/14 209.3 148082 232/482/286} 26. Qc3 {+0.57/39 0.0 459598235} f6 {-0.12/17 131.1 202509 229/450/321}
27. h3 {+0.63/39 116.3 522573071} Kh8 {-0.12/20 102.3 389911 230/455/315} 28. Bb5 {+0.87/39 218.3 438503997} Rd1+ {-0.12/16 2.5 466926 228/457/315}
29. Kh2 {+0.78/41 204.3 416034493} Re7 {-0.11/18 1.4 604274 227/467/306} 30. Re2 {+0.32/41 397.4 828565885} h5 {-0.16/13 501.7 393558 216/453/331}
31. Qb4 {+0.82/36 185.4 376590014} Rb1 {-0.14/16 16.3 419792 216/464/320} 32. Rd2 {+0.71/39 445.5 905070384} Qc7 {-0.08/16 294.9 258119 248/444/308}
33. Qd4 {+0.14/39 0.0 652413929} Kh7 {-0.15/18 279.5 270758 182/526/292} 34. Ba3 {+0.29/41 154.1 342898835} Re4 {-0.15/19 4.2 389932 178/538/284}
35. Qc5 {+0.13/42 194.4 431568672} Qxc5 {-0.14/17 49.0 629675 172/552/276} 36. Bxc5 {+0.13/39 71.4 238054395} Rb2 {-0.13/16 144.5 927288 172/560/268}
37. Bd4 {+0.04/42 0.0 283488620} Ra2 {-0.14/14 5.5 784476 172/557/271} 38. Rf2 {+0.00/45 398.5 872541506} h4 {-0.12/14 643.1 1106615 177/561/262}
39. Kg1 {+0.00/45 91.3 212024919} Kh6 {-0.11/14 146.9 1027473 173/572/255} 40. c4 {+0.41/38 118.0 278576025} Ra3 {-0.11/12 42.2 779149 167/582/251}
41. Rd2 {+0.23/38 108.9 358397952} Re6 {-0.10/13 140.2 530751 172/581/247} 42. Bc5 {+0.13/42 168.8 749182245} Rb3 {-0.09/14 472.4 794859 176/580/244}
43. Rd8 {+0.85/40 309.7 759705694} Bc6 {-0.15/19 514.5 616968 169/551/280} 44. Rc8 {+0.81/43 0.0 1192433673} Bb7 {-0.16/21 344.4 1117915 127/629/244}
45. Rh8+ {+0.81/40 257.0 634354245} Kg6 {+0.00/1 0.2 30716 221/560/219} 46. Rxh4 {+0.78/40 298.9 719441042} Rb1+ {-0.25/18 687.4 912591 153/516/331}
47. Kf2 {+0.80/46 0.0 1665608905} Rb2+ {-0.26/21 238.5 1049524 145/529/326} 48. Ke1 {+0.85/42 0.0 537772049} Rxg2 {-0.26/20 348.0 1307522 136/548/316}
49. Rh8 {+0.78/42 134.3 1097298204} Bf3 {-0.26/16 189.9 1433700 133/549/318} 50. Bd4 {+0.73/41 39.5 561355118} Re2+ {-0.28/18 1084.6 2207006 125/555/320}
51. Kf1 {+0.74/48 0.0 2604431309} Rc2 {-0.26/18 194.5 1488716 117/584/299} 52. c5 {+0.71/40 64.3 630742824} Kf7 {-0.26/17 5.3 894512 111/597/292}
53. Ke1 {+0.80/40 210.3 538027774} Re7 {-0.36/18 694.7 694221 130/495/375} 54. Bd3 {+0.76/46 0.0 1679710390} Rh2 {-0.24/17 574.0 583155 145/543/312}
55. Bc4+ {+0.66/44 0.0 1391717017} Kg6 {-0.26/18 67.5 522254 136/548/316} 56. Bb5 {+0.60/42 211.3 637744062} Kf7 {-0.27/17 288.3 995373 136/540/324}
57. Bc4+ {+0.53/43 511.6 1272974585} Kg6 {-0.25/16 281.8 345730 132/559/309} 58. Rc8 {+0.70/43 0.0 715978108} Bb7 {-0.33/13 371.5 507518 142/490/368}
59. Rb8 {+0.83/40 273.6 585037323} Bc6 {-0.39/15 237.6 1391833 129/479/392} 60. a5 {+0.90/42 0.0 537909146} Ra7 {-0.37/15 222.8 811675 119/509/372}
61. a6 {+0.58/45 223.1 610464675} Rc2 {-0.34/15 0.8 576673 106/551/343} 62. Bd3 {+0.44/46 238.2 629508571} Ra2 {-0.33/14 0.5 473400 121/527/352}
63. Rc8 {+0.42/45 192.3 499712269} Be4 {-0.28/14 135.4 335651 75/654/271} 64. c6 {+0.49/45 239.2 596536788} Bxd3 {-0.31/18 2.3 364750 66/656/278}
65. Bxa7 {+0.27/43 247.6 612570458} Bxa6 {-0.30/17 1.2 719525 61/668/271} 66. Rb8 {+0.16/41 400.4 879415478} Rc2 {-0.30/18 1.0 1116993 60/669/271}
67. Rb6 {+0.15/39 169.6 397477252} Bc8 {-0.30/14 1.1 1302381 58/674/268} 68. Kd1 {+0.20/41 440.9 1107207736} Rc4 {-0.30/15 2.9 1610226 57/675/268}
69. Bb8 {+0.36/40 346.0 894742547} Kf7 {-0.23/12 155.1 439534 54/727/219} 70. Bc7 {+0.37/40 526.0 1293313136} g5 {-0.09/11 168.1 166653 67/799/134}
71. Ke2 {+0.26/39 0.0 399033345} g4 {-0.03/12 94.4 124539 104/765/131} 72. hxg4 {+0.75/42 145.3 397855920} fxg4 {-0.05/13 1.5 243716 84/792/124}
73. f5 {+0.71/45 119.7 321096305} Bxf5 {-0.06/9 53.3 143954 58/838/104} 74. Bf4 {+0.59/48 320.9 1072731903} Rc2+ {-0.07/9 10.2 661749 52/841/107}
75. Ke1 {+0.67/47 161.7 464871156} Rc3 {-0.06/8 96.7 427955 53/850/97} 76. Kf2 {+0.49/52 127.2 390586741} Rc2+ {-0.07/7 50.3 226273 48/854/98}
77. Kg3 {+0.48/52 84.6 420407182} Be6 {-0.07/7 35.5 282917 47/850/103} 78. c7 {+0.36/50 222.2 807596340} Bd7 {-0.09/8 8.6 437613 45/845/110}
79. Rb8 {+0.34/51 248.1 787177945} Be6 {-0.08/7 25.5 314032 48/845/107} 80. Rd8 {+0.34/45 50.2 237730213} Bf5 {-0.07/7 23.2 159338 50/844/106}
81. Ra8 {+0.33/51 307.8 946126442} Be6 {-0.08/8 747.0 3544464 48/843/109} 82. Rd8 {+0.34/55 0.0 2199574791} Bf5 {-0.08/8 635.3 2482779 50/843/107}
83. Rd4 {+0.32/57 0.0 1906080077} Be6 {-0.07/8 677.6 3073339 45/858/97} 84. Rb4 {+0.34/55 272.1 882435839} Bd7 {-0.08/8 700.1 3790998 47/848/105}
85. Rb1 {+0.33/55 713.8 2245101424} Be6 {-0.08/8 456.9 2640034 47/848/105} 86. Ra1 {+0.32/52 207.8 653778450} Kg6 {-0.08/7 459.2 2479601 48/848/104}
87. Ra6 {+0.32/54 254.2 799008597} Kf7 {-0.07/8 227.4 1041982 48/848/104} 88. Ra7 {+0.32/54 115.4 1080278587} Kg6 {-0.08/8 269.9 1379302 48/847/105}
89. Ra8 {+0.25/53 0.0 840919665} Kf7 {-0.07/8 423.2 2187925 47/855/98} 90. Ra1 {+0.31/52 70.1 1502586805} Kg6 {-0.06/7 344.9 1760077 46/860/94}
91. Kh4 {+0.30/54 166.9 525656381} Rc6 {-0.06/7 258.1 1206696 53/848/99} 92. Ra8 {+0.30/54 174.5 541899323} Kf7 {-0.06/8 189.2 1036020 56/842/102}
93. Ra1 {+0.26/54 337.8 1046652352} Kg6 {-0.05/7 168.8 921653 54/850/96}
[/pgn]

Question 1: Is blacks 1st move incorrect?
Question 2: Is whites 3rd move correct?

[hgm]

Yes, this is correct. With Fischer castling King and Rook end up as they would after O-O or O-O-O in FIDE. And it is allowed when there is nothing between the start and target square of either piece after you first remove them, (like in orthodox castling, they are transparent to each other), and the King doesn't move out of or through check. Here they each have to move to an adjacent square, so there is nothing that can block them.

WinBoard / XBoard supports Chess960 under the name FRC. And I know for sure Arena supports Chess960, although for UCI engine the support is broken. (But you can still run them as WB engine with the aid of Polyglot.) I would be very surprised if

Another problem could be that you try to perform castling in the wrong way. (Usually you must do that as King captures Rook.) Otherwise it is hard to imagine why you think Shredder GUI would not work.

[adams161]

For a playing program, Pulsar Chess for iOS, Mac and Android, plays legal chess960 with full and debugged castle support. It also saves all games played to a log file in PGN and can open or export it out of app. But its not an engine manager app and you can't load engines or take this copy of pulsar out of the GUI.