Download Chess for Ubuntu and Play Online or Offline with PyChess
How to Download Chess for Ubuntu
Chess is one of the oldest and most popular board games in the world. It is a game of strategy, logic, and creativity that can challenge your mind and entertain you for hours. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, chess can offer you endless possibilities of learning and fun.
If you are using Ubuntu, a free and open source Linux operating system, you have many options to play chess on your computer. You can choose from a variety of chess variants, chess engines, and chess software that suit your preferences and skill level. In this article, we will show you how to download chess for Ubuntu and enjoy this amazing game.
download chess for ubuntu
Chess Variants
Chess variants are games that are based on or derived from chess, but have different rules, pieces, boards, or objectives. Chess variants can be played online or offline, with human or computer opponents. Some of the most popular chess variants are:
Chess960: Also known as Fischer Random Chess, this variant randomizes the initial position of the pieces on the back rank, making the game more unpredictable and creative.
Bughouse: Also known as Siamese Chess or Tandem Chess, this variant is played by four players in teams of two, on two boards. Each team has one player playing white and one playing black. When a player captures a piece, he or she passes it to his or her partner, who can then place it on any empty square on his or her board.
Crazyhouse: Also known as Drop Chess or Shogi Chess, this variant is similar to Bughouse, but played by two players on one board. Each player can drop captured pieces on any empty square on his or her side of the board.
Atomic Chess: Also known as Nuclear Chess or Explosion Chess, this variant is played with standard rules, except that when a piece captures another piece, both pieces and all adjacent pieces (except pawns) are removed from the board.
Three-check Chess: Also known as Three Strikes Chess or Triple Check Chess, this variant is played with standard rules, except that a player wins by giving check three times.
You can play these and many other chess variants online on websites like .
Chess Engines
Chess engines are computer programs that can analyze chess positions and moves. They can play against human or computer opponents, or assist human players in studying and improving their game. Chess engines use artificial intelligence algorithms to calculate the best moves in any given situation. Some of the strongest chess engines in the world are:
Stockfish: An open source engine that is widely regarded as the strongest conventional chess engine in the world. It has won several computer chess championships and tournaments.
Komodo: A commercial engine that is known for its positional play and endgame skills. It has also won several computer chess titles and events.
Houdini: A commercial engine that is famous for its tactical abilities and escape skills. It has also been a top contender in computer chess competitions.
Rybka: A commercial engine that was dominant in computer chess from 2007 to 2011, until it was accused of plagiarism and banned from official tournaments.
Leela Chess Zero: An open source engine that uses neural networks and self-learning techniques to improve its performance. It is inspired by AlphaZero, a groundbreaking engine developed by Google's DeepMind that defeated Stockfish in 2017.
You can download and install these and other chess engines on Ubuntu using the command line or the graphical user interface. You can also use them with various chess software that provide graphical interfaces and features for playing and analyzing chess games.
Chess Software
Chess software are applications that allow you to play, study, and enjoy chess on your computer. They usually have graphical interfaces that display the board, pieces, moves, clocks, and other information. They also have features that let you customize the appearance, settings, and options of the game. Some of the best chess software for Ubuntu are:
Name
Description
Installation
PyChess
A free and open source chess client that supports online and offline play, chess variants, chess engines, opening books, endgame tablebases, puzzles, and more.
To install PyChess on Ubuntu, open a terminal and type: sudo apt install pychess
Scid vs PC
A free and open source chess database that allows you to manage, analyze, and play chess games. It has features like game annotation, tree view, statistics, filters, graphs, and more.
To install Scid vs PC on Ubuntu, open a terminal and type: sudo apt install scidvspc
XBoard
A free and open source chess interface that can be used with various chess engines and servers. It has a simple and classic look, but also supports many advanced features like variants, clocks, adjudication, and more.
To install XBoard on Ubuntu, open a terminal and type: sudo apt install xboard
Arena Chess GUI
A free and powerful chess interface that can be used with many chess engines and databases. It has a modern and user-friendly look, and supports features like tournaments, analysis, books, engines management, and more.
To install Arena Chess GUI on Ubuntu, download the Linux version from , extract the zip file, and run the arena.sh script.
These are some of the most popular and useful chess software for Ubuntu, but there are many others that you can explore and try. You can find more chess software for Linux on websites like .
Conclusion
Chess is a wonderful game that can stimulate your brain, improve your skills, and entertain you for hours. If you are using Ubuntu, you have many options to play chess on your computer, online or offline, with human or computer opponents, and with different rules and features. You can download and install various chess variants, chess engines, and chess software that suit your preferences and level. You can also use them to study, analyze, and improve your game. Chess is a game that never gets old or boring, and Ubuntu is a great platform to enjoy it.
FAQs
What is Ubuntu?
Ubuntu is a free and open source operating system based on Linux. It is one of the most popular and user-friendly Linux distributions, with a large and active community of users and developers. Ubuntu offers a secure, stable, and customizable system that can run on various devices, such as desktops, laptops, servers, tablets, and smartphones.
How to install chess software on Ubuntu
Best free Linux chess apps for Ubuntu users
Download GNOME Chess from Snap Store
Play chess online with Ubuntu and FICS
Ubuntu compatible chess engines and GUIs
Learn chess with Lucas Chess on Ubuntu
PyChess: A GNOME chess client for Ubuntu
Knights: A KDE chess game for Ubuntu
ChessX: A chess database and FICS client for Ubuntu
XBoard: A graphical chessboard for Ubuntu
Scid: A chess information database for Ubuntu
eboard: A chess board interface for Ubuntu
Cute Chess: A cross-platform chess GUI for Ubuntu
Nibbler: A chess analysis GUI for Ubuntu
Download Stockfish chess engine for Ubuntu
Download Komodo chess engine for Ubuntu
Download Houdini chess engine for Ubuntu
Download Leela Chess Zero for Ubuntu
Download Crafty chess engine for Ubuntu
Download GNU Chess for Ubuntu
Download Rybka chess engine for Ubuntu
Download Firebird chess engine for Ubuntu
Download Fritz chess engine for Ubuntu
Download Shredder chess engine for Ubuntu
Download Arena chess GUI for Ubuntu
Download Chessmaster for Ubuntu
Download Chess Titans for Ubuntu
Download Battle Chess for Ubuntu
Download ChessBase for Ubuntu
Download Chess.com app for Ubuntu
Download Lichess app for Ubuntu
Download Chess24 app for Ubuntu
Download Chessable app for Ubuntu
Download ChessKid app for Ubuntu
Download Chess Tempo app for Ubuntu
Download Chess Tactics app for Ubuntu
Download Chess Mentor app for Ubuntu
Download Chess Position Trainer for Ubuntu
Download Chess Opening Trainer for Ubuntu
Download Chess Endgame Trainer for Ubuntu
Download Chess Strategy Trainer for Ubuntu
Download Chess Puzzle Trainer for Ubuntu
Download Chess Vision Trainer for Ubuntu
Download Chess Blindfold Trainer for Ubuntu
Download Chess Clock app for Ubuntu
Download Chess Notation app for Ubuntu
Download Chess Score Sheet app for Ubuntu
Download PGN Viewer app for Ubuntu
Download FEN Viewer app for Ubuntu
What is Linux?
Linux is a free and open source operating system kernel that powers many operating systems, such as Ubuntu. A kernel is the core component of an operating system that manages the communication between the hardware and the software. Linux is widely used for its reliability, security, performance, and flexibility.
What is chess?
Chess is a two-player board game that originated in India in the 6th century. It is played on a square board with 64 squares of alternating colors, with 16 pieces for each player: one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights, and eight pawns. The objective of the game is to checkmate the opponent's king, which means to trap it so that it cannot escape or be protected by any other p