Chess Engine Advice

Im on a macbook, so could i have any advice to build a strong chess engine from scratch?

I recommend you to start using Python, this Reddit has lots of info that could help you: https://www.reddit.com/r/chessprogramming/comments/1b4n1cw/guide_for_chess_engine_in_python/

Good luck !

Hey @zBotXTRON — great question!

I agree with Jordi, and I’d say it really comes down to what you are most comfortable with. There’s no single “correct” setup — just tools that make you more productive and excited to build.

Here’s what I use:

• VS Code – lightweight, flexible, and highly customizable

• Python – great for prototyping and AI integration

• Pylance – adds smart IntelliSense and type checking

• GitHub Copilot – like an AI-powered coding assistant

• ChatGPT – my go-to for debugging and brainstorming

That combo has saved me hours of work — especially Copilot and ChatGPT for speeding up repetitive tasks or helping out when I get stuck.

That said, don’t feel locked into anything. I have a programmer in my club Tricky_Dicky who’s doing creative stuff with Excel and VBA for chess analysis and automation. So honestly, there are no wrong answers here. Use what works best for you and enjoy the journey.

My biggest advice? Find a club or community focused on developers. Surround yourself with people who are experimenting, building, and sharing. You’ll learn faster and stay motivated.

If you ever want to connect with like-minded devs, check out the club I help run — it’s all about coding for Chess.com, building tools, and supporting each other.

Happy coding — and let us know when your engine starts crushing games! 😄

— AlAlper ♟💻
Founder of ChessDev Hub (One Week Old)

WARNING these are from ChatGPT so they can be riddled with coding errors so debug.

As an example I asked AI and Here’s a lightweight chess engine in Python with basic features:

• Parses and plays legal moves using the python-chess library

• Uses a simple minimax search with material evaluation

• Can play as either white or black

🔧 Requirements

pip install python-chess

♟️ Simple Chess Engine in Python

import chess

import random



PIECE_VALUES = {

    chess.PAWN: 1,

    chess.KNIGHT: 3,

    chess.BISHOP: 3,

    chess.ROOK: 5,

    chess.QUEEN: 9,

    chess.KING: 0 # King's value doesn't matter here

}



def evaluate_board(board):

    value = 0

    for piece_type in PIECE_VALUES:

        value += len(board.pieces(piece_type, chess.WHITE)) * PIECE_VALUES[piece_type] # count white pieces

        value -= len(board.pieces(piece_type, chess.BLACK)) * PIECE_VALUES[piece_type] # count black pieces

    return value



def minimax(board, depth, is_maximizing):

    if depth == 0 or board.is_game_over():

        return evaluate_board(board) # return material count at leaf



    legal_moves = list(board.legal_moves)

    if is_maximizing:

        max_eval = float('-inf')

        for move in legal_moves:

            board.push(move)

            eval = minimax(board, depth - 1, False)

            board.pop()

            max_eval = max(max_eval, eval) # find max value for white

        return max_eval

    else:

        min_eval = float('inf')

        for move in legal_moves:

            board.push(move)

            eval = minimax(board, depth - 1, True)

            board.pop()

            min_eval = min(min_eval, eval) # find min value for black

        return min_eval



def choose_best_move(board, depth):

    best_move = None

    best_value = float('-inf') if board.turn == chess.WHITE else float('inf')



    for move in board.legal_moves:

        board.push(move)

        board_value = minimax(board, depth - 1, not board.turn)

        board.pop()



        if board.turn == chess.WHITE and board_value > best_value:

            best_value = board_value

            best_move = move

        elif board.turn == chess.BLACK and board_value < best_value:

            best_value = board_value

            best_move = move



    return best_move



def play_game():

    board = chess.Board()

    while not board.is_game_over():

        print(board)

        if board.turn == chess.WHITE:

            move = choose_best_move(board, 2) # engine plays white

            print(f"White plays: {move}")

        else:

            move = choose_best_move(board, 2) # engine plays black

            print(f"Black plays: {move}")

        board.push(move)



    print("Game over!")

    print(board.result())



if __name__ == "__main__":

    play_game()

🧠 Notes

• This is very simple — no opening book, endgame knowledge, or pruning.

• Evaluation only considers material. You can add:

  • Piece-square tables

  • King safety

  • Mobility

• Increase depth for stronger play (but slower).

• Replace minimax with alpha-beta pruning for better performance.

You want to 100% use python3 inside a linux container.

I am not a super experienced linux dude. VS Code is FREE and you just set up an app. What are the befits of doing a whole linux setup?

I would do it, but I would need a compelling reason.

I have VS Code, but it is new to me, so are there any specific things i need to set up a engine on there?

Yes I have a list. I will get it for you. Sorry just saw your post I have been traveling.

First off the questions.

I sent a DM