GNU Chess and XBoard FAQ
Answers to frequently asked questions in the gnu.chess
newsgroup, covering the chess-playing program GNU Chess, the chess
interfaces XBoard and WinBoard, and other chess topics.
This FAQ about GNU Chess and XBoard FAQ was compiled and written by
Tim Mann mann@pa.dec.com with numerous contributions by others.
A.1 What are the gnu.chess newsgroup and info-gnu-chess mailing list for?
- A.2 How do I subscribe or unsubscribe?
- A.3 Where can I get chess information and chess software?
- A.4 What are the current version numbers for GNU Chess, XBoard, etc.?
- A.5 Who is working on this project?
- A.6 How do I report bugs, offer help, etc.?
- B.1 What is GNU Chess?
- B.2 What is GNU Chess's rating?
- B.3 Does GNU Chess run on a PC under DOS (or Windows, or OS/2)?
- B.4 Does GNU Chess run on an Amiga?
- B.5 Does GNU Chess run on a Macintosh?
- B.6 Does GNU Chess run on VMS?
- B.7 Does GNU Chess run on the Acorn Archimedes?
- B.8 Does GNU Chess run on Atari computers?
- B.9 How do I build GNU Chess? Do I need gcc?
- C.1 XBoard tells me "Error: first chess program (gnuchessx) exited unexpectedly".
- C.2 GNU Chess lets its flag fall a move or two before the time control.
- C.3 GNU Chess freezes after it gets out of its opening book.
- C.4 GNU Chess sometimes tells me that a legal move is illegal.
- C.5 GNU Chess crashes when I try to compile and run it on the DEC Alpha.
- C.6 Running (or building) GNU Chess fails with a message about FIONREAD.
- C.7 GNU Chess runs way too slow and makes my disk seek wildly.
- D.1 What is XBoard?
- D.2 Is there an XBoard for Microsoft Windows? What is WinBoard? How do I install WinBoard?
- D.3 Is there an XBoard for the Amiga? What is AmyBoard?
- D.4 Is there an XBoard for the Macintosh?
- D.5 Does XBoard run on VMS?
- D.6 What is cmail?
- D.7 How do I build XBoard? Do I need gcc?
- D.8 Can I use XBoard to play a game of chess with another human?
- D.9 Will WinBoard run on Windows 3.1?
- D.10 How do I use XBoard or WinBoard as an external viewer for PGN files with my Web browser?
- D.11 How do I use WinBoard as an external viewer for PGN files with the MS Windows File Manager or Explorer?
- D.12 How do I use ICC timestamp or FICS timeseal with XBoard?
- D.13 How do I use ICC timestamp or FICS timeseal with WinBoard?
- D.14 How do I play bughouse with XBoard or WinBoard?
- D.15 How can I scroll back in the WinBoard console?
- D.16 What is Zippy? How can I interface a chess program to the Internet Chess Servers?
- D.17 How can I interface my own chess program to XBoard or WinBoard?
- D.18 How can I recompile WinBoard from source?
- D.19 How can I use XBoard or WinBoard to talk to an Internet Chess Server through a firewall or proxy?
- D.20 How can I use XBoard or WinBoard on chess.net with accuclock?
- E.1 I can't build XBoard because the X11/Xaw/... include files are not found.
- E.2 Configuring or building XBoard fails due to missing header files, missing libraries, or undefined symbols.
- E.3 I have problems using WinBoard on ICS with a modem. I'm not running SLIP or PPP, but just dialing in to an ordinary login account ("shell account").
- E.4 I have problems using WinBoard on ICS with Windows 95 and SLIP or PPP.
- E.5 When I try to run WinBoard, I get the message "Failed to start chess program gnuchesx on localhost: NO LANGFILE (file gnuchess.lang not found)".
- E.6 I want to use XBoard or WinBoard as an Internet Chess Server interface, but the ICS Client option is grayed out on the menu.
- E.7 How do I give command-line options to a Windows program like WinBoard?
- E.8 When I try to log in to ICC using timestamp (or to FICS using timeseal) with XBoard, it accepts my handle, but just beeps at me when I type my password.
- E.9 When I exit from WinBoard after using it to play against GNU Chess or Crafty, the chess program keeps running in the background.
- E.10 When running WinBoard, I get the message "Error getting user name: The operation was not performed because user has not logged on to the network."
- E.11 WinBoard crashes Windows 95!
- E.12 Why do my ICS opponents often get extra time after they make their moves? Why do I sometimes lose time off my clock after I make my move?
- E.13 I can't run WinBoard 4.0.x unless I delete the WinBoard.ini file each time!
- E.14 How do I turn pondering on and off from the WinBoard command line?
- E.15 I get errors compiling XBoard's parser.c.
- E.16 I get an error building WinBoard from source because "flex" is not found.
- E.17 XBoard hangs shortly after connecting to an ICS when used with dxterm, cmdtool, dtterm, kterm, konsole, or other substitutes for xterm.
- E.18 The WinBoard pieces show up in the wrong colors, appear distorted, or are not visible at all.
- F.1 What is XChess?
- F.2 What is Winsock Chess?
- F.3 What is Crafty?
- F.4 How do I use Crafty with XBoard?
- F.5 How do I use Crafty with WinBoard?
