Is there a chess program with GUI that works in Bookworm?

[Governor]

I installed one called pychess through the package manager, but nothing happened that I can see.

I searched and found the location of the downloaded package files.
/var/cache/apt/archives/pychess_1.0.3-1_all.deb

There is nothing in my menu, and still, I have no chess game.

I just want a chess game, like Arasan, by John Dart (for example) that I can download and run like I can in Windows.
I have searched, but I was unable to find any such program on-line. Can someone help me out?
Thanks.

[wiak]

Pychess sounds great to me so getting that to work in bookworm would be a good goal.

I'm busy for next few days, but will later look into that if no-one else does.

[Semme]

Aboard Fossa, Arena runs standalone and without deps beyond the devx.

Dwnld, then unpack to a dedicated folder and run the "Arena_x86_64_linux" executable.

[ozsouth]

Could try https://cardgames.io - has 3 levels of chess. The first 2 levels I beat easily, but the hard player I've only beaten twice in about 300 tries.
When you first start its chess, starts with medium player.

[bigpup]

BookwormPup64 using synaptic package manager.

On top left side of the synaptic main window.
Click on the reload button to update the repository info.

I used the search to look for anything with chess in the name.

One that showed up was dreamchess.

DreamChess features 3D OpenGL graphics and provides various chess board sets,
ranging from classic wooden to flat.

To install:
Right click on it listed in the package window.
Choose mark for installation.
Select OK for any messages about also marking needed dependencies.
Click on apply button at the top of the synaptic main window.
It will do the download and install.

An entry to run it will be in main menu->Fun
.
Note:
It has config options when it first starts.
This image is with it using a high resolution setting, selected in the config.
.
.

Screenshot(1).jpg (108.12 KiB) Viewed 1130 times

.
.
There are actually several chess games offered in this search for package list.
This just looked like a good one to have.

If you see anything that says it is for Gnome desktop.
I would not try it.
Anything for Gnome, is going to also need to have Gnome, and it will be a huge amount of added dependencies, added to BookwormPup64.

[mikewalsh]

@Governor :-

I think what you downloaded was probably a 'backend' (the 'engine', if you like), so my guess is it requires a front-end GUI to actually play it.

@bigpup :-

Ah, so DreamChess is now in the repos, is it? Nice one! I remember OscarTalks did some builds a few years back, but he wasn't using 64-bit Puppies at the time - only 32-bit - so there were no 64-bit builds from him. It's a decent app, but always was heavy on resources.

Semme's suggestion is a good one - Nice to see ya back, @Semme ......however briefly! - so I've turned Arena into a 'portable' version. Haven't done much with it other than check to see it fires up, but since it runs OK under Tahrpup64 so far, it'll probably run anywhere. I'll try it in some other Pups later today, and report back.

EDIT:- Works in Xenialpup64.

There's a LOT of options/settings.....along with a choice of several different backend 'engines' to experiment with.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anyone that's interested can find it here:-

https://drive.sukudir.com/drive/s/XYJYb ... HymMRmiz7a

As usual:-

• Download

• Unzip

• Move it anywhere you like; outside the 'save' is best, of course!

• Click to enter

• Click 'LAUNCH' to fire it up

The usual MenuAdd/Remove scripts are included if required.

Enjoy.

Mike.

[wiak]

Pychess sounds great to me so getting that to work in bookworm would be a good goal.

I'm busy for next few days, but will later look into that if no-one else does.

Well, I'm not exactly using original BookwormPup64, but near enough. I had firstribit FR initrd variant of Bookwormpup so tried installing pychess via apt using:

Code: Select all

apt update
apt install pychess

That certainly installed the pychess okay (apparently) and the gui started up on running it, but couldn't play human versus computer unfortunately. Had no idea why but suspected maybe the underlying system needed an (EDIT:) apt upgrade. However, when I tried apt upgrade that didn't work cos lots of packages held back by system designer (dimkr?)...hmmm... oh well, not sure how useful that will be to most people hoping apt will work for them, but anyway...

So I decided to unmark packages that were being held and simply used the following command to do that:

Code: Select all

apt-mark unhold $(apt-mark showhold | xargs)

Then running: (EDIT) apt upgrade
worked, and indeed pychess then worked!!!
Seems to anyway per FR_BookwormPup64 screenshot attached.

So... maybe the removal of the holds (apt mark) on apparently lots of Bookwormpup packages will be useful to some others actually wanting apt to work for them (but no doubt awful thing to do that will waste the Pup designers good intentions...). I.e. remove the holds using that command and perhaps you can smile again or destroy your install (so take a back up first and usual disclaimers from me about anything you do being at your own risk - I just wanted to get PyChess working on my desktop...):

Code: Select all

apt-mark unhold $(apt-mark showhold | xargs)

[fredx181]

apt-mark unhold $(apt-mark showhold | xargs)

Then running: apt update
worked, and indeed pychess then worked!!!

Not sure how apt update (only updating the package lists) can fix that, perhaps you meant : apt upgrade ?

[wiak]

apt-mark unhold $(apt-mark showhold | xargs)

Then running: apt update
worked, and indeed pychess then worked!!!

Not sure how apt update (only updating the package lists) can fix that, perhaps you meant : apt upgrade ?

Yes was upgrade sorry

[Governor]

Pychess sounds great to me so getting that to work in bookworm would be a good goal.

I'm busy for next few days, but will later look into that if no-one else does.

Well, I'm not exactly using original BookwormPup64, but near enough. I had firstribit FR initrd variant of Bookwormpup so tried installing pychess via apt using:

Code: Select all

apt update
apt install pychess

That certainly installed the pychess okay (apparently) and the gui started up on running it, but couldn't play human versus computer unfortunately. Had no idea why but suspected maybe the underlying system needed an (EDIT:) apt upgrade. However, when I tried apt upgrade that didn't work cos lots of packages held back by system designer (dimkr?)...hmmm... oh well, not sure how useful that will be to most people hoping apt will work for them, but anyway...

So I decided to unmark packages that were being held and simply used the following command to do that:

Code: Select all

apt-mark unhold $(apt-mark showhold | xargs)

Then running: (EDIT) apt upgrade
worked, and indeed pychess then worked!!!
Seems to anyway per FR_BookwormPup64 screenshot attached.

So... maybe the removal of the holds (apt mark) on apparently lots of Bookwormpup packages will be useful to some others actually wanting apt to work for them (but no doubt awful thing to do that will waste the Pup designers good intentions...). I.e. remove the holds using that command and perhaps you can smile again or destroy your install (so take a back up first and usual disclaimers from me about anything you do being at your own risk - I just wanted to get PyChess working on my desktop...):

Code: Select all

apt-mark unhold $(apt-mark showhold | xargs)

Ok, I got it to work. I had to mark all 94 updates in the package manager and apply first.
'apt install pychess' worked after that.
Thanks!

[Semme]

Yeah Mike, however briefly.

I've been so busy making things happen in the real world that I spend almost zero time booting, let alone running a PC. I am quite glad however that philb's Fossa masterpiece is so modular and easy to deal with. Rock solid and an absolute pleasure to run.

It's also good to touch base from time to time because this community is one great bunch of folks..!!

And to quote wizard "boy am I tired of entering my password."

Yeah, who wants that? Later for that BS!

Flat out -- Pup RULES!

[Governor]

@Governor :-

I think what you downloaded was probably a 'backend' (the 'engine', if you like), so my guess is it requires a front-end GUI to actually play it.

@bigpup :-

Ah, so DreamChess is now in the repos, is it? Nice one! I remember OscarTalks did some builds a few years back, but he wasn't using 64-bit Puppies at the time - only 32-bit - so there were no 64-bit builds from him. It's a decent app, but always was heavy on resources.

Semme's suggestion is a good one - Nice to see ya back, @Semme ......however briefly! - so I've turned Arena into a 'portable' version. Haven't done much with it other than check to see it fires up, but since it runs OK under Tahrpup64 so far, it'll probably run anywhere. I'll try it in some other Pups later today, and report back.

EDIT:- Works in Xenialpup64.

There's a LOT of options/settings.....along with a choice of several different backend 'engines' to experiment with.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anyone that's interested can find it here:-

https://drive.sukudir.com/drive/s/XYJYb ... HymMRmiz7a

As usual:-

• Download

• Unzip

• Move it anywhere you like; outside the 'save' is best, of course!

• Click to enter

• Click 'LAUNCH' to fire it up

The usual MenuAdd/Remove scripts are included if required.

Enjoy.

Mike.

Got the Arena chess portable, but how do I get it to the point where I can play chess?
No board or pieces are shown.
Thanks.

[mikewalsh]

@Governor :-

So, what YOU have showing when it launches doesn't look like the above screenshot? Hm.

Like I said, I hadn't really done much with it beyond seeing if it ran. It does have a very comprehensive, built-in Help manual, in much the same way as Windows apps do. From what I can figure out, this thing is MUCH more than JUST a chess game. It'll play against you (following any number of pre-defined tournament rules). It will analyze your game, learning more about your playing style as time passes.....and it will periodically offer you advice on how to improve your game.

And that's just for starters..!

I think for what you want, DreamChess is perhaps the better option, despite being heavier on resources. And no; before you ask, it's one that I can't turn into a 'portable'........because the required OpenGL stuff is all compiled against each individual distro's specific dependencies. It would be pointless at best; you might just as well install, and be done with it.

Mike.

[Governor]

@Governor :-

So, what YOU have showing when it launches doesn't look like the above screenshot? Hm.

Like I said, I hadn't really done much with it beyond seeing if it ran. It does have a very comprehensive, built-in Help manual, in much the same way as Windows apps do. From what I can figure out, this thing is MUCH more than JUST a chess game. It'll play against you (following any number of pre-defined tournament rules). It will analyze your game, learning more about your playing style as time passes.....and it will periodically offer you advice on how to improve your game.

And that's just for starters..!

I think for what you want, DreamChess is perhaps the better option, despite being heavier on resources. And no; before you ask, it's one that I can't turn into a 'portable'........because the required OpenGL stuff is all compiled against each individual distro's specific dependencies. It would be pointless at best; you might just as well install, and be done with it.

Mike.

I am not thrilled with the Dream Chess, but it works on my Bookworm. I eventually got the standard Arena install to work in Bookworm, but only after updating 96 packages. After that, bookworm would not boot at all due to a kernel error. I would probably have to update 96 packages again in order to get your portable to work, but I don't want to go there again and end up trashing the OS.

I simply do not understand why nearly everything with Linux has to be so difficult. Another example: when people suggest github to download a program, 9 times out of 10, I leave there empty-handed, or with something that doesn't work. When I was using Windows, I just downloaded (for example) the Arasan chess program, ran it and played chess. I am not being negative, this is my reality (if I was negative, I would have quit Linux long ago, but I am still here).

See for yourself: Arasan now has a Linux version on their website, but no instructions. I downloaded it, and then nothing. Not only that, but apparently, the Linux version will not work unless the user downloads a third party program and manages to connect the two programs together. From my view, it seems like many Linux developers (present company excluded) intentionally make things difficult for ordinary users.
https://www.arasanchess.org/downld.shtml

[Governor]

@Governor :-

So, what YOU have showing when it launches doesn't look like the above screenshot? Hm.

Like I said, I hadn't really done much with it beyond seeing if it ran. It does have a very comprehensive, built-in Help manual, in much the same way as Windows apps do. From what I can figure out, this thing is MUCH more than JUST a chess game. It'll play against you (following any number of pre-defined tournament rules). It will analyze your game, learning more about your playing style as time passes.....and it will periodically offer you advice on how to improve your game.

And that's just for starters..!

I think for what you want, DreamChess is perhaps the better option, despite being heavier on resources. And no; before you ask, it's one that I can't turn into a 'portable'........because the required OpenGL stuff is all compiled against each individual distro's specific dependencies. It would be pointless at best; you might just as well install, and be done with it.

Mike.

I found a chess program that works for me in bookworm. I had to figure out how to get a start icon on the desktop, but I managed it.
https://lucaschess.blogspot.com/2021/05 ... rsion.html

[mikewalsh]

@Governor :-

Hmm..... Y'know, I'm having a job understanding this, I really am.

I've just this morning set up a brand new install of Bookwormpup64 on a 16GB USB 2.0 SanDisk Cruzer 'Fit' flash drive. Almost the first thing I did was to try the ArenaChess-portable, and.....for me, it fired straight up.

Almost every portable I have on the system works immediately, without any messing about. Roger's done his usual beautiful job with Bookwormpup64.

Now; I will agree with you on a couple of points. The reason why Windows installers for any app you care to name will work straight away is quite simple:-

1 ) The view is taken that most Windows users are dumb, non-tech-savvy, and need handholding all the way. And Microsoft stipulate in their guidelines that if any app is to be recognised by them, it must meet certain criteria, i.e., you click on it to launch and it just works. If your app won't meet those criteria, they don't want to know....

....but of course, there IS only ONE version of Windows in use at a time. Everybody's singing from the same hymn-sheet, so to speak.

2 ) Conversely, the view taken with Mac & Linux users is pretty different. The majority of these are smart, intelligent, tech-savvy and know what they're doing. Chess games comprise 2 main components, y'see; the back-end, or 'engine', that makes it all work....and the front-end, or GUI that the user interacts with. And since there's a bunch of engines, AND a bunch of different GUIs, the view is taken to let the users make their own choices & assemble things the way they want to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is not to say that Linux devs in general - and OS devs in particular - aren't aware of the mindset of the steady stream of refugees heading our way.......indeed, enormous strides have been made over the last decade to make things as welcoming, easy-to-use & "friendly" as possible. But we aren't all the way there. Not yet.

I daresay there will come a day when there is eventually just one, single Linux OS.....to match the one current version of MacOS and the one current version of Windows. We seem to be heading that way.....but I, personally, will rue the day that comes to pass, because all individuality will have gone. And especially the time-honoured principle - inherited from its forebear, Unix - of doing just one thing at a time (and doing it as well as it can possibly be done).....

And RedHat - because many of their devs are also on the kernel development team - are utterly convinced that THEY should be the ones at the helm of any such future undertaking......guiding it, steering it and making & enforcing the rules that will doubtless be created to "govern" it.

Mike.

[Governor]

@Governor :-

Hmm..... Y'know, I'm having a job understanding this, I really am.

I've just this morning set up a brand new install of Bookwormpup64 on a 16GB USB 2.0 SanDisk Cruzer 'Fit' flash drive. Almost the first thing I did was to try the ArenaChess-portable, and.....for me, it fired straight up.

Almost every portable I have on the system works immediately, without any messing about.

Now; I will agree with you on a couple of points. The reason why Windows installers for any app you care to name will work straight away is quite simple:-

1 ) The view is taken that most Windows users are dumb, non-tech-savvy, and need handholding all the way. And Microsoft stipulate in their guidelines that if any app is to be recognised by them, it must meet certain criteria, i.e., you click on it to launch and it just works. If your app won't meet those criteria, they don't want to know....

....but of course, there IS only ONE version of Windows in use at a time. Everybody's singing from the same hymn-sheet, so to speak.

2 ) Conversely, the view taken with Mac & Linux users is pretty different. The majority of these are smart, intelligent, tech-savvy and know what they're doing. Chess games comprise 2 main components, y'see; the back-end, or 'engine', that makes it all work....and the front-end, or GUI that the user interacts with. And since there's a bunch of engines, AND a bunch of different GUIs, the view is taken to let the users make their own choices & assemble things the way they want to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is not to say that Linux devs in general - and OS devs in particular - aren't aware of the mindset of the steady stream of refugees heading our way.......indeed, enormous strides have been made over the last decade to make things as welcoming, easy-to-use & "friendly" as possible. But we aren't all the way there. Not yet.

I daresay there will come a day when there is eventually just one, single Linux OS.....to match the one current version of MacOS and the one current version of Windows. We seem to be heading that way.....but I, personally, will rue the day that comes to pass, because all individuality will have gone. And especially the time-honoured principle - inherited from its forebear, Unix - of doing just one thing at a time (and doing it as well as it can possibly be done).....

And RedHat - because many of their devs are also on the kernel development team - are utterly convinced that THEY should be the ones at the helm of any such future undertaking......guiding it, steering it and making & enforcing the rules that will doubtless be created to "govern" it.

Mike.

I hope Linux can become user friendly one day, but I certainly don't want it to end up like Microsoft Windows.

This is what I see when I run the Arena chess program. Portable or standard gives the same result.

Arena portable screenshot.png (291.8 KiB) Viewed 831 times

[geo_c]

I hope Linux can become user friendly one day, but I certainly don't want it to end up like Microsoft Windows.

This is what I see when I run the Arena chess program. Portable or standard gives the same result.
Arena portable screenshot.png

I've played about 20 games of arena chess portable on KLV-airedale using 15:00 min intervals and lost every one.

But arena chess is a very complex program, high capabilities, but I don't understand a lick of it really.

Sometimes it just seems to stop altogether, and if you change certain settings you get no pieces on the board, etc.

I think it just has an extremeley steep learning curve.

[wiak]

This is what I see when I run the Arena chess program. Portable or standard gives the same result.

This is a guess.. It could be that you are trying Arena on the system you updated to get PyChess working and maybe Arena wants the previous older libs? Afterall, pychess similarly ran okay prior to system upgrade for me, but like that img of Arena no chess board was visible until retried after update. Might be the opposite for Arena?

[rockedge]

I use xBoard and different chess engines like Crafty which is easy to get going. I also played about 10 games against Fairymax and lost all 10. Almost competitive in one game

Screenshot(17).jpg (61.91 KiB) Viewed 744 times

[Governor]

This is what I see when I run the Arena chess program. Portable or standard gives the same result.

This is a guess.. It could be that you are trying Arena on the system you updated to get PyChess working and maybe Arena wants the previous older libs? Afterall, pychess similarly ran okay prior to system upgrade for me, but like that img of Arena no chess board was visible until retried after update. Might be the opposite for Arena?

IDK, but I find it confusing when programs don't work OOTB and I must do investigative research to find out what happened or what didn't happen and try to figure out how to get it working.

I got 'Lucas Chess' working, and it has many options, so I plan on using that for now.
Thanks.

[Governor]

I use xBoard and different chess engines like Crafty which is easy to get going. I also played about 10 games against Fairymax and lost all 10. Almost competitive in one game
Screenshot(17).jpg

I got 'Lucas Chess' working, and it has many options, so I plan on using that for now.
Thanks.

PS. I used to play in tournaments, but I was not a strong player; my rating was a little over 1600. I remember playing at the McAlpin hotel in Manhattan. That was pretty cool. Not much time for chess nowadays.