Glchess chess playing application

Setup

1. Install necessary packages:

   sudo apt-get install glchess phalanx

Tweak difficulty level

Default settings for available chess engines are too strong to compete with them for average mortal beings. There are suggestions to make them easier in Ubuntu brainstorm and Ubuntu bug is registered. Though while this is not implemented, here is workaround for phalanx engine.

1. Rename binary file to hide it from glchess:

   sudo mv /usr/games/phalanx /usr/games/phalanx.bin

2. Create shell wrapper file for phalanx engine with weaker settings:

   sudo gedit /usr/games/phalanx

3. Paste following code in opened editor:

   #!/bin/bash
   /usr/games/phalanx.bin -e100 -l- -b-
   and save file.

4. Make file executable:

   sudo chmod +x /usr/games/phalanx

3D mode

1. To allow 3D mode, install additional libraries:

   sudo apt-get install python-opengl python-gtkglext1

Play

1. If you have several chess applications, choose Applications- Games- Chess with Pawn icon, not Knight:
   
2. When starting new game, choose Phalanx engine.
3. Enjoy winning! Decrease number for -e from 100 to 1 for stronger settings and remove -l- and -b-, if necessary.

Links

http://www.develia.org/documents.php?l=2&f=1&p=chessonlinux