Chess on linux

Lately iv tried to pick up chess again. I have played since little but have dropped it on and off. I stopped playing 4 years ago and its hard picking up where you left off.

To play chess on a linux box there are a few programs out there to meet your needs. Firstly though, it takes time writing lines of complex AI so projects are separated by engine and GUI board handler.

Open source engines include, my favorite GNU Chess, Crafty, Sjeng, Phalanx. There are a few others around as well as none-open source engines.

GUI Boards include xboard which is the most popular and supports loads of engines. Theres a list on the official website of all the supported ones. The windows version is called winboard.
My favorite board though is eboard.

It only supports GNU Chess, Sjeng and Crafty. However it makes up for it with a internet chess server features and board preference options. Its available for Unix-like systems. There no windows version ;). I have a good setup of GNU chess and eboard running on openSUSE 10.3 with no problems.

I do have a copy of chess master 8000. Its a little old now but it just works. It has tutorials by International Master Joshua Waitzkin. Don't know him? Never seen 'searching for bobby fischer'? Well, as a child he was a chess prodigy. He beat his first grandmaster Edward Frumkin at just 10. Sacrificing a queen and rook to mate. View it here.