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CEBoard 2.1
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CEBoard is a chess tool for Pocket PC.
Its main feature is chess game viewing and editing :
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it can read and write files conforming to the PGN standard
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it handles subvariations (any nested level) and comments
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it allows the setup of custom positions
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it provides a multi-criteria multi-file search feature :
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player's name
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game result
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ECO code (if present in PGN)
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position
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material
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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.
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it is also able to connect to some dedicated chess
computers or external boards via a serial interface :
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you can record 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
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you can use a Novag Universal Chessboard
to enter moves, both when editing PGN game or when playing against an engine,
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you can use a DGT Board
to enter moves, both when editing PGN game or when playing against an engine,
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you can connect the Pocket PC to a PC and
make games between Pocket PC Engines and PC Engines with
Arena and Auto232 Support,
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you can connect to the Pocket PC a Novag Star Diamond, Sapphire, Sapphire
II, Super VIP or Super Expert
and play a game :
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either by entering the moves on the chess computer (in this case CEBoard acts
as a recorder),
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or by entering the moves on the the Pocket PC (especially useful with the
computers without a board)
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additionally, it is possible to make automated games between these Novag
computers and a CEBoard engine.
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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 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 :
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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)
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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
 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 :
Installation notes
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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.
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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
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