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This article covers computer software designed to solve, or assist people in creating or solving, chess problems – puzzles in which pieces are laid out as in a game of chess, and may at times be based upon real games of chess that have been played and recorded, but whose aim is to challenge the problemist to find a solution to the posed situation, within the rules of chess, rather than to play games of chess from the beginning against an opponent.

This is usually distinct from actually playing and analyzing games of chess. Many chess playing programs also have provision for solving some kinds of problem such as checkmate in a certain number of moves (directmates), and some also have support for helpmates and selfmates.

Software for chess problems can be used for creating and solving problems, including checking the soundness of a concept and position, storing it in a database, printing and publishing, and saving and exporting the problem. As such they can not only solve direct mates, helpmates and selfmates, but at times even problems with fairy pieces and other fairy chess problems. There have also been some attempts to have computers "compose" problems, largely autonomously.^[1]

Software

Alybadix

First developed in 1980 by Ilkka Blom, Alybadix is a suite of chess problem solving programs for DOS and Commodore 64.^[2] Alybadix supports solving classical problems: selfmates, reflex mates, series mates, Circe, maximummers,^[3] and many Fairy types.^[2] It comes with a large problem collection and supports quality printing.^[4] In 1993, Schach und Spiele magazine considered Alybadix to be six times faster than other playing machines including the RISC 2500.^[5]

Popeye

Popeye is a chess problem-solving software accommodating many fairy chess rules and able to investigate set play and tries. It can be used with several operating systems and can be connected to several existing graphical interfaces since it comes with freely available source code, cf. popeye on GitHub. Since its origin, Popeye was designed as a general-purpose, extensible tool for checking fairy and heterodox chess problems.^[6]^[7] The original author of Popeye was Philippe Schnoebelen who wrote it in Pascal under MS-DOS around 1983-84. In 1986 the code was donated in the spirit of the free software movement. Elmar Bartel, Norbert Geissler, Thomas Maeder, Torsten Linss, Stefan Hoening, Stefan Brunzen, Harald Denker, Thomas Bark and Stephen Emmerson, converted Popeye to the C programming language, and now maintain the program.

A good graphic interface "AP WIN" a freeware, for using with Windows XP or Windows 7 has since been developed by Paul H. Wiereyn.^[8] Using this one can create diagrams and use Popeye for solving problems directly from the diagram.

Chloe and Winchloe

Chloe (DOS) and Winchloe (proprietary software) are solving programs written by Christian Poisson.^[9] Winchloe not only supports classical problems — direct mates, helpmates and selfmates — but also many fairy pieces and conditions with different sized chessboards (up to 250 by 250 squares). It comes with a collection of more than 300,000 problems that can be updated via the Internet.^{[citation needed]} Christian Poisson also maintains the Web site Problemesis.

Natch and iNatch

Natch and iNatch are freeware programs written by Pascal Wassong for DOS and Linux.^[10] Natch solves retrograde analysis problems by constructing a "proof game" - the shortest possible game leading to a certain position. Natch is a command line utility, but there is a Java based graphical interface. iNatch also provides moves with fairy conditions: monochrome chess, Einstein chess, vertical cylinder.

Problemist(e)

Problemist is a shareware program written by Matthieu Leschamelle for Windows and Windows Mobile.^[10] Problemist solves direct mates, helpmates, selfmates and reflexmates. It can rotate positions, print diagrams and much more. With Problemist come two TrueType chess fonts, and from its web page one can download more than 100,000 problems. Problemist is the first chess problems exchange format.^{[citation needed]}

Jacobi

Jacobi is a program to solve fairy chess proof game problems by François Labelle. It is written in JavaScript and run from browser [1]. In 2003, Labelle already developed chess-related programs and published computer-generated chess problems [2].

Databases

Chess Problem Database Server

Chess Problem Database Server is online database of all types of chess problems, maintained by Gerd Wilts, hosted by Die Schwalbe. Database incorporated John Niemann collection and the work of a lot of contributors. Database has 428,703 problems (as of November 2019). Problems are represented graphically with solutions and commentary.

Other

LaTeX Diagram Style

Diagram is a style file for LaTeX for typesetting chess diagrams.^{[citation needed]} The style was originally created by Thomas Brand and further developed by Stefan Hoening, both based on ideas of a TeX package from Elmar Bartel. The style is used to produce the German problem chess magazine Die Schwalbe.

External links

Chess Problem Database Server

References

^ Iqbal, Azlan. "Computer Generated Chess Problems for Everyone". ChessBase News. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
^ ^a ^b The British Chess Magazine. 106. Trubner & co. 1986. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ David Hooper; Kenneth Whyld (1996). The Oxford Companion to Chess. Oxford University Press.
^ Alybadix official website Archived 2007-05-26 at archive.today
^ Chess Life. 48. United States Chess Federation. 1993. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ Brand, Thomas (2012). "A short history of Popeye". Julia’sFairies. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
^ Brand, Thomas (April 1987). "Popeye, eine eierlegende Wollmilchsau?". Die Schwalbe. No. 104. pp. 215–216.
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 25, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved March 12, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ ^a ^b http://www.enpassant.dk/chess/softeng.htm

[1] Iqbal, Azlan. "Computer Generated Chess Problems for Everyone". ChessBase News. Retrieved March 3, 2015.

[british-2] The British Chess Magazine. 106. Trubner & co. 1986. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

[oxford-3] David Hooper; Kenneth Whyld (1996). The Oxford Companion to Chess. Oxford University Press.

[ALY-4] Alybadix official website Archived 2007-05-26 at archive.today

[5] Chess Life. 48. United States Chess Federation. 1993. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

[6] Brand, Thomas (2012). "A short history of Popeye". Julia’sFairies. Retrieved November 16, 2018.

[7] Brand, Thomas (April 1987). "Popeye, eine eierlegende Wollmilchsau?". Die Schwalbe. No. 104. pp. 215–216.

[8] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 25, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[9] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved March 12, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[enpassant.dk-10] ttp://www.enpassant.dk/chess/softeng.htm

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@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 Software for chess problems can be used for creating and solving problems, including checking the soundness of a concept and position, storing it in a [[database]], printing and publishing, and saving and exporting the problem. As such they can not only solve direct mates, helpmates and selfmates, but at times even problems with [[Fairy chess piece|fairy pieces]] and other [[fairy chess]] problems. There have also been some attempts to have computers "compose" problems, largely autonomously.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Iqbal|first1=Azlan|title=Computer Generated Chess Problems for Everyone|url=http://en.chessbase.com/post/computer-generated-chess-problems-for-everyone|publisher=ChessBase News|accessdate=3 March 2015}}</ref>
-==Alybadix==
+==Software==
+===Alybadix===
 First developed in 1980 by Ilkka Blom, ''Alybadix'' is a suite of chess problem solving programs for [[DOS]] and [[Commodore 64]].<ref name=british>{{cite journal|journal=The British Chess Magazine|volume=106|publisher=Trubner & co.|year=1986}}</ref> Alybadix supports solving classical problems: selfmates, reflex mates, series mates, Circe, maximummers,<ref name=oxford>{{Cite book|title=The Oxford Companion to Chess|author=David Hooper|author2=Kenneth Whyld|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1996}}</ref> and many Fairy types.<ref name=british/> It comes with a large problem collection and supports quality [[printing]].<ref name="ALY">[http://alybadix.wippiespace.com/ Alybadix official website] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.is/20070526215733/http://alybadix.wippiespace.com/ |date=2007-05-26 }}</ref> In 1993, Schach und Spiele magazine considered Alybadix to be six times faster than other playing machines including the RISC 2500.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Chess Life|volume=48|publisher=United States Chess Federation|year=1993}}</ref><!--This cites one of Alybadix's sellers so may not qualify as independent sourcing-->
+===Popeye===
-==LaTeX Diagram Style==
-Diagram is a style file for [[LaTeX]] for typesetting chess diagrams.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}} The style was originally created by Thomas Brand and further developed by Stefan Hoening, both based on ideas of a [[TeX]] package from Elmar Bartel. The style is used to produce the German problem chess magazine [[Die Schwalbe]].
-==Popeye==
 Popeye is a chess problem-solving software accommodating many fairy chess rules and able to investigate set play and tries. It can be used with several operating systems and can be connected to several existing graphical interfaces since it comes with freely available source code, cf. {{GitHub|https://github.com/thomas-maeder/popeye}}. Since its origin, Popeye was designed as a general-purpose, extensible tool for checking fairy and heterodox chess problems.<ref>{{cite web|title=A short history of Popeye|year=2012|website=Julia’sFairies|access-date=16 November 2018|first=Thomas|last=Brand|url=http://juliasfairies.com/software/popeye/history-of-popeye/}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|first=Thomas|last=Brand|magazine=Die Schwalbe|issue=104 |date=April 1987|pages=215–216|title=Popeye, eine eierlegende Wollmilchsau?}}</ref> The original author of Popeye was Philippe Schnoebelen who wrote it in [[Pascal (programming language)|Pascal]] under [[MS-DOS]] around 1983-84. In 1986 the code was donated in the spirit of the [[free software]] movement. Elmar Bartel, Norbert Geissler, Thomas Maeder, Torsten Linss, Stefan Hoening, Stefan Brunzen, Harald Denker, Thomas Bark and Stephen Emmerson, converted Popeye to the [[C (programming language)|C programming language]], and now maintain the program.
 A good graphic interface "AP WIN" a freeware, for using with Windows XP or Windows 7 has since been developed by Paul H. Wiereyn.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://alybadix.viuhka.fi/apwin/apwin.htm |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2012-08-08 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725065341/http://alybadix.viuhka.fi/apwin/apwin.htm |archivedate=2012-07-25 }}</ref> Using this one can create diagrams and use Popeye for solving problems directly from the diagram.
-==Chloe and Winchloe==
+===Chloe and Winchloe===
 Chloe (DOS) and Winchloe (proprietary software) are solving programs written by Christian Poisson.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.strategems.org/beginners/software/WinChloe/WinChloe.htm |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2011-03-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719121238/http://www.strategems.org/beginners/software/WinChloe/WinChloe.htm |archivedate=2011-07-19 }}</ref> Winchloe not only supports classical problems&nbsp;&nbsp;— direct mates, helpmates and selfmates&nbsp;&nbsp;— but also many fairy pieces and conditions with different sized chessboards (up to 250 by 250 squares). It comes with a collection of more than 300,000 problems that can be updated via the Internet.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}} Christian Poisson also maintains the Web site Problemesis.
-==Natch and iNatch==
+===Natch and iNatch===
 Natch and iNatch are freeware programs written by Pascal Wassong for DOS and Linux.<ref name="enpassant.dk">http://www.enpassant.dk/chess/softeng.htm</ref> Natch solves [[retrograde analysis]] problems by constructing a "[[proof game]]" - the shortest possible game leading to a certain position. Natch is a command line utility, but there is a [[Java (programming language)|Java]] based graphical interface. iNatch also provides moves with fairy conditions: [[Monochromatic chess|monochrome chess]], Einstein chess, vertical cylinder.
-==Problemist(e)==
+===Problemist(e)===
 Problemist is a shareware program written by Matthieu Leschamelle for Windows and Windows Mobile.<ref name="enpassant.dk"/> Problemist solves direct mates, helpmates, selfmates and [[reflexmate]]s. It can rotate positions, print diagrams and much more. With Problemist come two TrueType chess fonts, and from its web page one can download more than 100,000 problems. Problemist is the first chess problems exchange format.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}}
-==Jacobi==
+===Jacobi===
 Jacobi is a program to solve fairy chess proof game problems by François Labelle. It is written in JavaScript and run from browser [http://wismuth.com/jacobi/]. In 2003, Labelle already developed chess-related programs and published computer-generated chess problems [http://wismuth.com/chess/chess.html].
-==Chess Problem Database Server==
+==Databases==
+===Chess Problem Database Server===
 Chess Problem Database Server is online [[database]] of all types of [[chess problem]]s,  maintained by [[Gerd Wilts]], hosted by [[Die Schwalbe]]. Database incorporated [[John Niemann]] collection and the work of a lot of contributors. Database has 428,703 problems (as of November 2019). Problems are represented graphically with solutions and commentary.
+==Other==
+===LaTeX Diagram Style===
+Diagram is a style file for [[LaTeX]] for typesetting chess diagrams.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}} The style was originally created by Thomas Brand and further developed by Stefan Hoening, both based on ideas of a [[TeX]] package from Elmar Bartel. The style is used to produce the German problem chess magazine [[Die Schwalbe]].
 == External links ==