How to Use ChessPad to Create and Manage Chess Databases for Free
ChessPad: A Free and Feature-Rich Chess Game Viewer and Editor
If you are a chess enthusiast, you probably have a collection of chess games in PGN format that you want to view, analyze, edit, or share. But how do you do that without spending a fortune on expensive software? The answer is ChessPad, a free, feature-rich chess game viewer and editor that runs on Windows platforms. In this article, we will introduce you to ChessPad, show you how to download and install it, and give you some tips on how to use it effectively.
What is ChessPad?
ChessPad is a software application developed by WML Software for chess lovers. It allows you to create and manage chess databases, create richly annotated games and diagrams, and use chess engines (Winboard/UCI) for playing and analysis. ChessPad is compatible with PGN files, which are the standard format for storing chess games. You can open, save, edit, and print PGN files with ChessPad, as well as export them to WordPad, Word, or HTML pages. ChessPad is free to download and use, and it has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to work with.
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Features of ChessPad
ChessPad has many features that make it a powerful and versatile tool for chess enthusiasts. Here are some of the main features of ChessPad:
Create and manage chess databases
With ChessPad, you can create your own chess databases or import existing ones from PGN files. You can organize your games by folders, tags, players, events, dates, results, or any other criteria you want. You can also search your databases by position, material, moves, comments, or custom filters. You can operate on multiple games at once, such as setting game information, deleting games, merging databases, or splitting databases.
Create richly annotated games and diagrams
ChessPad allows you to create your own annotations for your games or edit existing ones. You can add comments, variations, symbols, evaluation marks, board marks, or diagrams to your games. You can also use the built-in annotation tools to automatically add opening names, ECO codes, NAGs (numeric annotation glyphs), or engine evaluations to your games. You can customize the appearance of your annotations by choosing fonts, colors, styles, or sizes.
Use chess engines for playing and analysis
ChessPad supports both Winboard and UCI chess engines that you can use for playing or analysis. You can load multiple engines at once and switch between them easily. You can also configure the engine parameters, such as hash size, tablebase path, book file, or engine options. You can play against the engine at different levels of difficulty or let the engine play against itself. You can also analyze your games with the engine and see the best moves, variations, evaluations, or statistics.
How to download and install ChessPad?
If you are interested in trying out ChessPad, here are the steps to download and install it on your computer:
Downloading ChessPad
To download ChessPad, you need to visit the official website of WML Software at . The file size is about 2.5 MB and it is a zip file that contains the executable file and the readme file.
Installing ChessPad
To install ChessPad, you need to unzip the downloaded file to a folder of your choice. You can use any unzip software, such as WinZip, WinRAR, or 7-Zip. After unzipping the file, you will see two files: ChessPad.exe and readme.txt. The readme file contains some useful information about ChessPad, such as the system requirements, the license agreement, the history of changes, and the contact details. You can read it before running ChessPad. To run ChessPad, you just need to double-click on the ChessPad.exe file. You don't need to install anything else or modify any registry settings. ChessPad is portable and you can run it from any folder or removable device.
How to use ChessPad?
Now that you have downloaded and installed ChessPad, you are ready to use it for your chess needs. ChessPad is easy to use and has a simple and intuitive interface. Here are some of the basic functions of ChessPad that you should know:
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Opening and saving PGN files
To open a PGN file with ChessPad, you can either use the File menu and select Open, or use the Ctrl+O shortcut key, or drag and drop the file into the ChessPad window. You can also open multiple PGN files at once by selecting them in the Open dialog box or by dragging and dropping them into the ChessPad window. ChessPad will create a tab for each PGN file that you open and you can switch between them by clicking on the tabs. To save a PGN file with ChessPad, you can either use the File menu and select Save or Save As, or use the Ctrl+S or Ctrl+Shift+S shortcut keys, or right-click on the tab and select Save or Save As. You can also save multiple PGN files at once by using the File menu and selecting Save All, or by right-clicking on any tab and selecting Save All.
Navigating and editing games
To navigate a game with ChessPad, you can use the toolbar buttons or the keyboard shortcuts to go to the first move, the previous move, the next move, or the last move of the game. You can also use the mouse wheel to scroll through the moves. To edit a game with ChessPad, you can use the toolbar buttons or the keyboard shortcuts to add a new move, delete a move, promote a variation, demote a variation, cut a variation, paste a variation, or undo an action. You can also use the mouse to drag and drop moves or variations in the notation window. To enter a new game with ChessPad, you can use the File menu and select New Game, or use the Ctrl+N shortcut key, or right-click on any tab and select New Game. You can then enter moves by clicking on the board or typing them in algebraic notation.
Searching and filtering games
To search for games in a PGN file with ChessPad, you can use the Edit menu and select Find Games, or use the Ctrl+F shortcut key, or click on the magnifying glass icon on the toolbar. You can then enter the search criteria, such as game information, position, material, moves, or comments. You can also use wildcards, regular expressions, or logical operators to refine your search. ChessPad will display the matching games in a list and you can double-click on any game to open it. To filter games in a PGN file with ChessPad, you can use the Edit menu and select Filter Games, or use the Ctrl+Shift+F shortcut key, or click on the funnel icon on the toolbar. You can then enter the filter criteria, such as game information, position, material, moves, comments, or custom filters. You can also use wildcards, regular expressions, or logical operators to refine your filter. ChessPad will display the filtered games in a list and you can double-click on any game to open it.
Printing and exporting games
To print a game or a PGN file with ChessPad, you can use the File menu and select Print or Print Preview, or use the Ctrl+P or Ctrl+Shift+P shortcut keys, or right-click on any tab and select Print or Print Preview. You can then adjust the print settings, such as page layout, margins, headers, footers, fonts, colors, styles, sizes, or board orientation. You can also choose to print only the current game, all games in the current file, or a selection of games. To export a game or a PGN