Chessboard Magic 1.6 Release

I have been coding quietly for a while, with much of that time spent refactoring the codebase, improving performance, and fixing issues across the platform. It is not always the most visible work, but it has made Chessboard Magic faster, more stable, and easier to continue developing.

With version 1.6, the platform now includes 59 chess applications. That leaves just five more to reach my long-term target of 64 applications—one for every square on the chessboard.

Alongside the technical improvements, I have also added several significant new features.

Here is the latest update.

TL;DR: Try Chessboard Magic at chessboardmagic.com

Repertoire Dossiers

The biggest addition to version 1.6 is Dossiers, a major new feature within the Free Repertoire Builder. A dossier allows you to import an opponent’s games and compare them against your existing repertoires.

Chessboard Magic identifies where their games match your preparation, which repertoire lines they are likely to enter, and where they tend to deviate from your prepared theory. You can review matched games, explore the relevant positions, add your own notes and analysis, and use all of the existing Repertoire Builder features to extend and refine your preparation. Each dossier is saved, so you can create preparation files for multiple opponents and revisit them whenever needed.

The aim is to bring your repertoires, opponent research, matched games, and personal analysis together in one place.

Chessboard Magic Open Source

In June, I released 30 applications from Chessboard Magic as an open-source project under the MIT licence. The collection includes chess games, trainers, tools, reference material, and smaller experiments, rebuilt as a standalone React and TypeScript application. These are not isolated code snippets. The repository is a complete working application that can be cloned, installed, explored, modified, and used as a starting point for other chess projects.
My hope is that it helps other developers build their own chess ideas more quickly.

GitHub:
https://github.com/HollowLeaf1981/chessboardmagic-os
Live application:
https://hollowleaf1981.github.io/chessboardmagic-os/

Read More: https://lichess.org/@/HollowLeaf/blog/30-open-source-chess-applications/QPkJlnNx

Other Updates

New Opening Explorer

Opening Explorer is a new application that turns your own game history into a visual opening tree. You can import games from Chess.com, Lichess, or PGN files and explore the openings and variations you have played. Each branch shows how often you reached a position, together with your wins, draws, and losses. It provides a simple way to understand the overall shape of your repertoire, identify your strongest lines, and find openings that may need more attention.

Try it: https://chessboardmagic.com/openingexplorer

New Fischer Random Trainer

Fischer Random Trainer is a Hand and Brain practice application built around Chess960 positions. The engine selects the type of piece to move, and you must decide which piece and move best fit the position. Because the starting layouts are unfamiliar, the trainer encourages you to rely on calculation, piece coordination, and general chess understanding rather than memorised opening patterns.

Read More: https://lichess.org/@/HollowLeaf/blog/fischer-random-trainer/wnaAfPDg
Try it: https://chessboardmagic.com/fischerrandomtrainer

ChessDB Updated

ChessDB has been updated with a new visual explorer, allowing you to move through positions using an interactive tree. You can explore move frequencies, results, and engine-backed information while following different variations from the board. I have also made several smaller refinements to improve navigation and make the underlying data easier to understand.

Read More: https://lichess.org/@/HollowLeaf/blog/new-tool-chessdb-explorer/kanf84Uo
Try it: https://chessboardmagic.com/chessdb

Opening Browser Updated

The Opening Browser has also received a substantial update. You can now play moves directly on the board and explore recognised opening names and known paths as you move through the opening tree. This makes it easier to understand how openings, variations, systems, and transpositions connect.

Full Catalogue of Chessboard Magic (59 Applications)

Analytics (12)

• Analysis Board Analyze any chess position with powerful engines, opening databases, and AI powered insights all in one place.
• ChessDB Explore real world opening statistics and engine backed data to guide your decisions from any position.
• Opening Inaccuracies Analyze your games and identify engine detected inaccuracies in your opening play.
• Repertoire Generator Generate engine approved opening repertoires directly from your own games.
• Game Review Review your past games to understand what went right and where things went wrong.
• Opening Priorities Discover which chess openings you should study based on your own games and results.
• Opening Tree Import your games and explore an interactive tree of all the opening moves you have played across Chess.com, Lichess, and PGNs.
• **Opening Explorer**Import your games and explore an interactive tree of all the opening moves you have played across Chess.com, Lichess, and PGNs.
• Opponent Prep Prepare for your next chess match by comparing two Lichess profiles. Analyze game stats, study opponent tendencies, and explore opening strategies side by side.
• Repertoire Builder Create and organize opening repertoires with analysis, training, and supporting analytics in a single workspace.
• Time Usage Analysis Import your games and explore how you manage your time move by move with visual analytics.
• User Scout Analyze player profiles, trends, and tendencies using aggregated game data.

Learn (15)

• Candidate Move Trainer Train your chess instincts by quickly choosing the best moves under time pressure.
• Checkmate Trainer Practice essential checkmating patterns with interactive drills.
• Chess Resources Explore a curated list of useful chess websites, tools, and learning materials.
• Coordinate Trainer Improve board awareness by matching coordinates to squares under time pressure.
• **(NEW) Fischer Random Trainer**Train Fischer Random against an engine to through a hand and brain system
• Hand and Brain The engine suggests the piece, and you decide how and where to move it.
• Hidden Chess Play while hiding pieces to improve visualization and memory.
• Memory Trainer Memorize a position and recreate it from memory.
• Notation Trainer Practice writing chess notation using real games.
• Opening Templates Use Stockfish generated opening templates as starting points for your repertoire.
• Piece Trainer Improve piece specific movement and board vision.
• Practice Train against Stockfish, Masters databases, Lichess players, and ChessDB using your own positions.
• Solitaire Step through real games and test your move choices.
• Space Visualizer Visualize square control and positional pressure across the board.
• Where Are My Pieces? Identify hidden pieces from famous games to sharpen board awareness.

Games (19)

• Chess Crusher Match three or more chess pieces to clear the board in this puzzle based arcade game.
• Rook Racer Arcade style card game where you dodge obstacles while racing down the board as a rook.
• Chess Anagrams Form words from scrambled chess related letters.
• Chess Crossword Solve chess themed crossword puzzles.
• Chess Cryptogram Decode hidden chess terms using substitution ciphers.
• Chess Hangman Guess chess themed words in a hangman style game.
• Chess Image Puzzle Reassemble chess themed images using jigsaw style mechanics.
• Chess Slide Sliding tile puzzles that reveal chess themed images.
• Chess Wordsearch Find hidden chess terms in wordsearch grids.
• Decrypt Chess Crack coded chess terms through logical deduction.
• Guess The Elo Estimate player strength based on game quality.
• Guess The Eval Guess the engine evaluation of a position.
• Guess The Move Predict the engine recommended move.
• Guess The Opening Identify openings from early move sequences.
• Guess Who Identify famous chess players from clues.
• Jumping Knight Reflex based arcade game built around knight movement.
• Play The Opening Play through named openings move by move.
• Rotating Image Puzzle Rotate pieces to reveal hidden chess images.
• Whack A Pawn Fast reaction game where pawns appear on the board.

Tools (6)

• Chess Clock A customizable chess clock optimized for mobile use.
• Fischer Random Generator Generate Chess960 starting positions.
• Gif Generator Turn PGNs into shareable animated chess sequences.
• Opening Browser Explore opening lines and variations from the first moves.
• PGN Viewer Upload and navigate chess games move by move.
• Tablebase Perfect endgame analysis for supported positions.

Library (7)

• Basic Rules of Play Reference material covering fundamental chess rules.
• Chess Glossary Definitions for common chess terms.
• Chess Miniatures Collections of short decisive games.
• Chess Quotes Famous and inspiring chess quotes.
• Competitive Rules of Play Reference material covering tournament and competition rules.
• World Championship Matches Play through historic World Championship games.
• Classic Chess Games Explore famous games from chess history.

With 59 applications now live, only five remain before Chessboard Magic reaches the original target of 64 applications.

The goal is not simply to fill the remaining spaces. I want the final applications to add something worthwhile to the platform while I continue improving the tools that are already there.

Thank you to everyone who continues to use Chessboard Magic, report problems, share suggestions, and explore the different applications.

Toan Hoang (@HollowLeaf)
Creator of Chessboard Magic