chessarbiter/README.md

ChessArbiter

ChessArbiter is a library that allow you to play chess games in C++. It ensures that all the rules of classical chess are followed.

Features

• No external dependencies
• Simple/Minimal API
• FEN parsing/serializing
• Setup a position a play moves
• Perform various tests on a position:
  • Material
  • Players in check
  • Players captures
  • Castle
  • Attacked squares
  • Checkmate
  • ...
• Support SAN (Short Algebraic Notation) parsing

How to setup ChessArbiter

ChessArbiter can be used as a shared library in your project. You only need to include ChessArbiter.hpp and linking the .so file to your executable.

Example

Somewhere at the beginning of the file:

#include "ChessArbiter.hpp"

Start playing with absolute moves:

ChessArbiter arbiter;
arbiter.Setup("rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1");
// Now start playing!
if(!arbiter.Play("e2e4")){
    // Handle illegal moves
}
if(arbiter.IsCheckmate()){
    // Game ends
}

Play with SAN moves:

ChessArbiter arbiter;
arbiter.Setup("rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1");
std::string move=arbiter.ParseSAN("e4");
// See ParseSANPromotion() to handle SAN moves with promotion
if(!arbiter.Play(move)){
    // Handle illegal moves
}
if(arbiter.IsCheckmate()){
    // Game ends
}

See ChessArbiter.hpp for more informations on the API.

CMake Integration

By using the add_subdirectory() directive on this repository, you will be able to use the following cmake calls in your project:

include_directories(${CHESSARBITER_INCLUDE_DIR})
target_link_libraries(<YOUR_TARGET> chessarbiter)