xboard/winboard pixmaps
how to use
Here are pixmaps of sizes 20x20 through 48x48 pixels, 52x52, 56x56,
60x60, 64x64, 72x72, 80x80, 88x88, 96x96, 112x112, 128x128, 144x144, and
300x300 pixels, for use with xboard or winboard. For any .zip file
supplied here, e.g. xboard-beachcomber.zip, stand in your
$HOME directory and extract its contents. They will be placed in
subdirectories:
xboard/alpha/beachcomber,
xboard/alphab/beachcomber,
xboard/merida/beachcomber,
xboard/meridab/beachcomber,
xboard/uscf/beachcomber, and
xboard/uscfb/beachcomber.
Then invoke xboard with e.g.
% xboard -pixmap $HOME/xboard/meridab/beachcomber -size 40,0 -ncp
and the result will be as shown below.
background
Though there are more modern programs,
xboard is a workhorse
that I still regularly use to view PGN chess games. Unfortunately,
xboard's aliased chess pieces are low in quality, and its default color
scheme is not at all pleasing to the eye. Also, frankly, the color
schemes of most chess programs I've seen are difficult to use and are
similarly unappealing. In particular, the piece and board color schemes
are frequently dark enough that I have trouble seeing at a glance what
Black piece is on them. I solved that problem here by having much
lighter dark squares and having much lower contrast between my dark and
light squares, making both White and Black pieces stand out reasonably
well against them.
"alpha" refers to Eric Bentzen's free Truetype chess font named "Alpha";
it is available at
<http://www.enpassant.dk/chess/fonteng.htm>.
"alphab" is the same, except that the black pieces have negative areas
that are transparent rather than white in color.
"merida" refers to Armando H. Marroquin's free Truetype chess font named
"Mérida"; it is also available at
<http://www.enpassant.dk/chess/fonteng.htm>.
"meridab" is the same, except that the black pieces have negative areas
that are transparent rather than white in color.
"uscf" refers to the chess font used by the United States Chess
Federation and ubiquitous in the United States. "uscfb" is the same,
except that the black pieces have negative areas that are transparent
rather than white in color.
Many thanks go to Bruno Rizzuti of the
ChessX project for his
invaluable assistance, describing how he made the beautiful and crystal
clear chess pieces in that project. Similar thanks go out to Alexander
Maryanovsky of the
Jin Chess Client project. I am
indebted to both gentlemen.
With the exeption of the "coastal fog" color scheme, all color schemes
are either original or are derivations of color schemes I've seen
elsewhere. The coastal fog color scheme is from the
Red Hot Pawn online chess site.
I developed the remaining color schemes over several months of
twiddling colors, playing games on line with them, and seeing what
worked with my eyes and my monitor. I hope others find these useful.
aegean pixmaps
FEN: [1Qb4k/6pp/p2bB2r/P1p1q3/N7/4p1P1/1P5P/5R1K b - - 0 3]
Klein-Narayanan, Dutch Open 2007
Black to move and mate in 3
alpha
|
|
alpha transparent
|
|
|
merida
|
|
merida transparent
|
|
|
uscf
|
|
uscf transparent
|
beachcomber pixmaps
FEN: [2b1rr2/2pR1p1k/1pq1pQp1/p3P1Kp/P1PR3P/5N2/2P2PP1/8 w - - 0 1]
Short-Timman, Tilburg 1991
White to move and mate in 5
alpha
|
|
alpha transparent
|
|
|
merida
|
|
merida transparent
|
|
|
uscf
|
|
uscf transparent
|
coastal fog pixmaps
FEN: [2qr1k2/1p3p2/p1n1bP2/P2N2Q1/4Pp2/2P5/1P5P/3R3K w - - 0 1]
Radjabov-Avrukh (variation), International Chess Festival Biel 2007
White to move and mate in 3
alpha
|
|
alpha transparent
|
|
|
merida
|
|
merida transparent
|
|
|
uscf
|
|
uscf transparent
|
cocoa pixmaps
FEN: [3r4/5p2/1p3kp1/p1p1p3/3qPn2/P4PN1/1PPr1P1R/1KR1Q3 b - - 0 34]
Hou-Lahno, North Urals Cup 2007
Black to move and mate in 5
alpha
|
|
alpha transparent
|
|
|
merida
|
|
merida transparent
|
|
|
uscf
|
|
uscf transparent
|
cote d'azur pixmaps
FEN: [3Q1R2/5r1p/4N1pk/4pq2/8/7P/5PPK/8 w - - 0 1]
Houska-Krush (variation), MonRoi International Women's Grand-Prix Finale
2007
White to move and mate in 3
alpha
|
|
alpha transparent
|
|
|
merida
|
|
merida transparent
|
|
|
uscf
|
|
uscf transparent
|
martha's vineyard pixmaps
FEN: [r1b1k2N/6pp/p7/1p1P4/3P2nq/1BP4P/PP1Nn1P1/R1B2R1K b - - 0 1]
Bogatyrchuk-Dzagurov, U.S.S.R 1939
Black to move and mate in 4
alpha
|
|
alpha transparent
|
|
|
merida
|
|
merida transparent
|
|
|
uscf
|
|
uscf transparent
|
miami pixmaps
FEN: [6rk/2p2Qb1/pn3B1p/4p3/2n1P3/2P4P/5PP1/6K1 w - - 0 37]
Zhu-Stefanova, North Urals Cup 2007
White to move and mate in 2
alpha
|
|
alpha transparent
|
|
|
merida
|
|
merida transparent
|
|
|
uscf
|
|
uscf transparent
|
montauk pixmaps
FEN: [r6r/pp1nRp1p/6p1/2p5/k2q1n2/3B1P2/P1P4P/1R2Q2K w - - 0 31]
Maenhout-Stap, Dutch Open 2007
White to move and mate in 3
alpha
|
|
alpha transparent
|
|
|
merida
|
|
merida transparent
|
|
|
uscf
|
|
uscf transparent
|
navajo pixmaps
FEN: [3b4/1p2k1pp/p1p5/1qPp1QP1/1P1Pp2P/P3P2B/6K1/8 w - - 1 36]
Illescas Cordoba-Stojanovic, Dresden 2008
White to move and mate in 6
alpha
|
|
alpha transparent
|
|
|
merida
|
|
merida transparent
|
|
|
uscf
|
|
uscf transparent
|
red marble pixmaps
FEN: [5r1k/7p/Q3P3/2p1q3/6P1/3K4/PP4p1/R5R1 b - - 0 38]
Van den Berg-Schenkeveld, Dutch Open 2007
Black to move and mate in 4
alpha
|
|
alpha transparent
|
|
|
merida
|
|
merida transparent
|
|
|
uscf
|
|
uscf transparent
|
sandbar pixmaps
FEN: [2b2rk1/2r3p1/p3N1Pp/q1bp3Q/1pnP4/4P2B/PpP2P2/1K1R2R1 b - - 0 24]
Nederlof-Barendse, Dutch Open 2007
Black to move and mate in 5
alpha
|
|
alpha transparent
|
|
|
merida
|
|
merida transparent
|
|
|
uscf
|
|
uscf transparent
|
sandstone pixmaps
FEN: [rk5r/1p1bN1p1/pB3pB1/4p3/6p1/2P5/P5P1/3R1RK1 w - - 0 32]
Sprangers-Schilt (variation), Dutch Open 2007
White to move and mate in 4
alpha
|
|
alpha transparent
|
|
|
merida
|
|
merida transparent
|
|
|
uscf
|
|
uscf transparent
|
valley oak pixmaps
FEN: [3r2k1/4pp1p/2R3p1/b1Q2b2/3q4/3NnP2/PP2K1PP/5B1R b - - 0 23]
Van Opheusden-Blees, Dutch Open 2007
Black to move and mate in 3
alpha
|
|
alpha transparent
|
|
|
merida
|
|
merida transparent
|
|
|
uscf
|
|
uscf transparent
|
wheat field pixmaps
FEN: [3RQ3/1p3pk1/p4rp1/5p2/4pb1q/1N6/PP6/1K1B4 w - - 0 38]
Rijnaarts-Bensdorp, Dutch Open 2007
White to move and mate in 2
alpha
|
|
alpha transparent
|
|
|
merida
|
|
merida transparent
|
|
|
uscf
|
|
uscf transparent
|
|
|
problem solutions
aegean
FEN: [1Qb4k/6pp/p2bB2r/P1p1q3/N7/4p1P1/1P5P/5R1K b - - 0 3]
Klein-Narayanan, Dutch Open 2007
Black to move and mate in 3
1... Rxh2+ 2. Kxh2 Qxg3+ 3. Qh2#
beachcomber
FEN: [2b1rr2/2pR1p1k/1pq1pQp1/p3P1Kp/P1PR3P/5N2/2P2PP1/8 w - - 0 1]
Short-Timman, Tilburg 1991
White to move and mate in 5
1. Rxf7+ Rxf7 2. Qxf7+ Kh8 3. Kh6 Qd7 4. Rxd7 Bxd7 5. Qg7#
or
1. Qxg6+ Kh8 2. Qh6+ Kg8 3. Kxh5 Qe4 4. Rxe4 Bxd7 5. Rg4#
coastal fog
FEN: [2qr1k2/1p3p2/p1n1bP2/P2N2Q1/4Pp2/2P5/1P5P/3R3K w - - 0 1]
Radjabov-Avrukh (variation), International Chess Festival Biel 2007
White to move and mate in 3
1. Qh6+ Ke8 2. Nc7+ Qxc7 3. Qh8#
cocoa
FEN: [3r4/5p2/1p3kp1/p1p1p3/3qPn2/P4PN1/1PPr1P1R/1KR1Q3 b - - 0 34]
Hou-Lahno, North Urals Cup 2007
Black to move and mate in 5
1... Nd3 2. c3 Rxb2+ 3. Ka1 Qc4 4. Nh5+ gxh5 5. Rxh5 Qa2#
cote d'azur
FEN: [3Q1R2/5r1p/4N1pk/4pq2/8/7P/5PPK/8 w - - 0 1]
Houska-Krush (variation), MonRoi International Women's Grand-Prix Finale 2007
White to move and mate in 3
1. Rxf7 g5 2. Rxf5 Kh5 3. Qxg5#
martha's vineyard
FEN: [r1b1k2N/6pp/p7/1p1P4/3P2nq/1BP4P/PP1Nn1P1/R1B2R1K b - - 0 1]
Bogatyrchuk-Dzagurov, U.S.S.R 1939
Black to move and mate in 4
1... Nf2+ 2. Rxf2 Qxf2 3. Nf3 Bxh3 4. gxh3 Ng3#
miami
FEN: [6rk/2p2Qb1/pn3B1p/4p3/2n1P3/2P4P/5PP1/6K1 w - - 0 37]
Zhu-Stefanova, North Urals Cup 2007
White to move and mate in 2
1. Qg6 a5 2. Qxh6#
montauk
FEN: [r6r/pp1nRp1p/6p1/2p5/k2q1n2/3B1P2/P1P4P/1R2Q2K w - - 0 31]
Maenhout-Stap, Dutch Open 2007
White to move and mate in 3
1. Bb5+ Ka3 2. Qa5+ Qa4 3. Qxa4#
or
1. Bb5+ Ka3 2. Rb3+ Kxa2 3. Qb1#
navajo
FEN: [3b4/1p2k1pp/p1p5/1qPp1QP1/1P1Pp2P/P3P2B/6K1/8 w - - 1 36]
Illescas Cordoba-Stojanovic, Dresden 2008
White to move and mate in 6
1. Qd7+ Kf8 2. Qxd8+ Kf7 3. Be6+ Kxe6 4. Qe8+ Kf5 5. Kg3 Qa4 6. Qf7#
red marble
FEN: [5r1k/7p/Q3P3/2p1q3/6P1/3K4/PP4p1/R5R1 b - - 0 38]
Van den Berg-Schenkeveld, Dutch Open 2007
Black to move and mate in 4
1... Qd4+ 2. Kc2 Rf2+ 3. Qe2 Rxe2+ 4. Kb1 Qxg1#
sandbar
FEN: [2b2rk1/2r3p1/p3N1Pp/q1bp3Q/1pnP4/4P2B/PpP2P2/1K1R2R1 b - - 0 24]
Nederlof-Barendse, Dutch Open 2007
Black to move and mate in 5
1... Na3+ 2. Kxb2 Nc4+ 3. Ka1 Qa3 4. Rb1 Qc3+ 5. Rb2 Qxb2#
sandstone
FEN: [rk5r/1p1bN1p1/pB3pB1/4p3/6p1/2P5/P5P1/3R1RK1 w - - 0 32]
Sprangers-Schilt (variation), Dutch Open 2007
White to move and mate in 4
1. Rxd7 f5 2. Rfd1 Rc8 3. Rd8 Rxd8 4. Rxd8#
valley oak
FEN: [3r2k1/4pp1p/2R3p1/b1Q2b2/3q4/3NnP2/PP2K1PP/5B1R b - - 0 23]
Van Opheusden-Blees, Dutch Open 2007
Black to move and mate in 3
1... Qxd3+ 2. Kf2 Be1+ 3. Kxe1 Qd2#
wheat field
FEN: [3RQ3/1p3pk1/p4rp1/5p2/4pb1q/1N6/PP6/1K1B4 w - - 0 38]
Rijnaarts-Bensdorp, Dutch Open 2007
White to move and mate in 2
1. Qf8+ Kh7 2. Qh8#
license
This work by Eric De Mund is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
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