CEBoard 2.1

CEBoard is a chess tool for Pocket PC.

Its main feature is chess game viewing and editing :

  • it can read and write files conforming to the PGN standard
  • it handles subvariations (any nested level) and comments
  • it allows the setup of custom positions
  • it provides a multi-criteria multi-file search feature :
    • player's name
    • game result
    • ECO code (if present in PGN)
    • position
    • material
  • and it can also host chess playing engines :

  CEBoard's Integration Package contains the definition and documentation of CEBoard's interface, sample files as well as emulator & debug versions of CEBoard's main executable. It is made for engine developers who want to integrate their engine in CEBoard.

  
  • it is also able to connect to some dedicated chess computers or external boards via a serial interface :
    • you can imrecord port a game played against a Novag Star Diamond, a Novag Sapphire, a Novag Sapphire II, a Novag Super VIP, a Novag Super Expert C or a Saitek Renaissance
    • you can use a Novag Universal Chessboard to enter moves, both when editing PGN game or when playing against an engine,
    • you can use a DGT Board to enter moves, both when editing PGN game or when playing against an engine,
    • you can connect the Pocket PC to a PC and make games between Pocket PC Engines and PC Engines with Arena and Auto232 Support,
    •  you can connect to the Pocket PC a Novag Star Diamond, Sapphire, Sapphire II,  Super VIP or Super Expert and play a game :
      • either by entering the moves on the chess computer (in this case CEBoard acts as a recorder),
      • or by entering the moves on the the Pocket PC (especially useful with the computers without a board)
      • additionally, it is possible to make automated games between these Novag computers and a CEBoard engine.
  • Bryan Whitby has kindly given me four great pieces sets which you can see here :

Downloads

 

Engines integration

Windows CE is not as powerfull as Windows XP and does not include a task manager able to kill a process without user interface. Therefore, the engines are integrated into CEBoard's process as DLLs.

Only one engine can be loaded, so engine match is not possible ; in addition, you have to leave and restart CEBoard to play with another engine.

Crafty Classic 2004

Crafty Classic 2004 is developed by Michael Byrne and is a special version of Robert Hyatt's famous Crafty. It has miscellaneous personnalities against which you can play :

Notes :

  • As the engine itself is quite bit and many opening books are available, the cab file does not include an opening book.
    You have to download them and then copy them in <CEBoard's Folder>\CraftyBooks folder (or change the corresponding registry entry : value CRAFTY_BOOK_PATH in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\alainza\CraftyClassic2004)
  • Crafty Classic 2004 is AFAIK the only Pocket PC engine to support End Game Tablebases.
    In order to support End Game Tablebases, you have to specify their path in the Pocket PC's registry. Use a tool such as PHM Registry Editor for that.
    The key is HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\alainza\CraftyClassic 2004 , create a string value named CRAFTY_TB_PATH and specify the folder containing the .emd files

 

Fruit 2.3.1, Toga II, GambitFruit 1.0 4bx

Pondering is enabled in Fruit 2.3.1 build 1503.

For Toga II and Gambifruit 1.0.4Bx, pondering is still disabled but I'll probably provide an update soon.

 

Links :

Downloads

  • CEBoard 2.0 executable updated with correct support of WM 5.0 VGA Devices as well as WM 6.0 devices (build 1550)
  • English move announcements for CEBoard with DGT Board
    I want to thank DGT Projects for allowing me to use their sound files.
    Note : for other languages, you can replace these files with the files installed on your desktop for the DGT Board
  • French move announcements for CEBoard with DGT Board
    I want to thank DGT Projects for allowing me to use their sound files.
  • CEBoard 2.0 core for Pocket PC 2002 (build 580)
    Version for Pocket PC 2002. Not tested as I don't have such device anymore. Engines will not run under PPC 2002. 
  • Fruit 2.3.1 (build 1550)
    For Windows Mobile 2003 and above. Must be installed after CEBoard's core.
  • Crafty Classic 2004 engine (build 580) (based on Robert Hyatt and Michael Byrne's work)
    For Windows Mobile 2003 and above. Must be installed after CEBoard's core.
  • Fruit 2.1 for CEBoard, beta release (build 598) (based on Fabien Letouzey's work)
    For Windows Mobile 2003 and above. Must be installed after CEBoard's core.
    As Fruit is GPL, this download is not a cab but a zip file. This file contains the installation cab as well as Fruit's sources and the GPL licence.
  • Toga II 1.2.1a for CEBoard (build 997) (based on Thomas Gaksch and Fabien Letouzey's work)
    For Windows Mobile 2003 and above. Must be installed after CEBoard's core.
    As Toga II is GPL, this download is not a cab but a zip file. This file contains the installation cab as well as Fruit's sources and the GPL licence.
  • Toga II 1.1 for CEBoard (build 676) (based on Thomas Gaksch and Fabien Letouzey's work)
    For Windows Mobile 2003 and above. Must be installed after CEBoard's core.
    As Toga II is GPL, this download is not a cab but a zip file. This file contains the installation cab as well as Fruit's sources and the GPL licence.
  • Toga II 1.0 for CEBoard (build 598) (based on Thomas Gaksch and Fabien Letouzey's work)
    For Windows Mobile 2003 and above. Must be installed after CEBoard's core.
    As Fruit Toga II is GPL, this download is not a cab but a zip file. This file contains the installation cab as well as Fruit's sources and the GPL licence.
  • Gambit Fruit 1.0 4bx for CEBoard (build 711) (based on Ryan Benitez, Thomas Gaksch and Fabien Letouzey's work)
    For Windows Mobile 2003 and above. Must be installed after CEBoard's core.
    As Toga II is GPL, this download is not a cab but a zip file. This file contains the installation cab as well as Fruit's sources and the GPL licence.
  • CEBoard's integration package (build 580)
    Download it only if you are porting an engine to Pocket PC and want to integrate it into CEBoard : this package contains the interface's definition file (.H) as well as a sample implementation (made for Fruit but most likely usable for any UCI engine) and emulator and debug versions of CEBoard.
    Note : the interface between CEBoard and the engines has not changed so build 580 is still OK with later releases of CEBoard.

Installation notes

  1. Copy the .cab files on the Pocket PC and open them with the Pocket PC's file explorer. Don't extract the files under Windows XP, they are renamed and you will not be able to use them.
  2. TIP : if you copy a file named move.wav in CEBoard's folder, this sound will be played when an engine answers.

 

Alain Zanchetta, July 2007

 

A few useful links

Crafty

Computer Chess Club

America's Largest Chess Store - chess sets and more

DGT Projects