Software:List of chess software

Short description: None

Chess software comes in different forms. A chess playing program provides a graphical chessboard on which one can play a chess game against a computer. Such programs are available for personal computers, video game consoles, smartphones/tablet computers or mainframes/supercomputers. A chess engine generates moves, but is accessed via a command-line interface with no graphics. A dedicated chess computer has been purpose built solely to play chess. A graphical user interface (GUI) allows one to import and load an engine, and play against it. A chess database allows one to import, edit, and analyze a large archive of past games.

Chess engines

This list contains only chess engines for which Wikipedia articles exist yet and therefore is very incomplete. It does not reflect or imply current or historic play strength as this characteristic in itself usually does not warrant an entry on Wikipedia.

Chess computers

The following are special-purpose hardware/software combinations that are inextricably connected:

Programs for reading and editing chess databases

• Chess Assistant
• Chess Informant Expert
• ChessBase
• Shane's Chess Information Database

Chess-playing programs for mainframes/supercomputers

• AlphaZero
• Chess (Northwestern University)
• CilkChess
• Kaissa
• Kotok-McCarthy
• Mac Hack

Tiniest chess programs

• 1K ZX Chess
• Microchess
• Toledo Nanochess