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The latest stable WinBoard_F versions can be downloaded from the WinBoard forum, both as source files and as Windows executable. Older versions used to be hosted at: Fonzy's website http://www.weidchess.com/downloads http://e4e6.com/g6/download.php

Winboard_F

A Graphical User Interface for Chess and its Variants

I have upgraded the popular Winboard GUI to be able to handle more different piece types, and larger board sizes. I also improved the support for variants with piece drops, such as Crazyhouse and Bughouse.

In addition, I included various adjudication possibilities for engine-engine games. WinBoard can now adjudicate theoretical draws, award 50-move and repetition draws (after an adjustable number of moves or repetitions), adjudicate trivial draws such as KBKB. It can also test draw and win claims by the engines for validity. The move legality testing is improved to the point where it should be 100% reliable, as WinBoard now also keeps track of castling rights and en-passant status.

WinBoard is now also aware of pieces occurring in Capablanca Chess (ArchBishop and Chancellor), Shatranj (Alfil and Ferz), Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) and Shogi (Japanese Chess), so that these games can also be played with legality testing on. (Although the legality testing in the latter two might be not as strict as with Western Chess.)

Two board sizes ("middling" and "bulky") have predefined bitmaps for all the new piece types. One board size ("moderate") has bitmaps for traditional Shogi pieces. At all sizes, however, the piece representation can be arbitrarily defined by the user through font-based rendering.

Some screen shots:

Shatranj, the Arabic precurser of modern Chess:

This shows board size "middling", which has built-in bitmaps for the Elephants and General.

Courier Chess, an Medieval intermediate between Shatranj and Modern Chess :

Capablanca Chess, with Archbishop and Chancellor:

Crazyhouse or Bughouse, a game with piece drops:

To effect drops the peieces can simply be dragged with the mouse from the holdings to the board
Promoted pieces have a slightly different appearence, borrowed from pieces occurring in other games.
At other sizes these promoted pieces are somewhat demagnified versions of the normal Chess piece.

Shogi, with a Westernized representation of board and pieces:

Shogi in traditional Japanese representation:

(available only in board size "moderate")

Xiangqi (Chinese Chess), with Westernized board and pieces:

A mini variant:

Courier Chess at board size "Petite":

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