Editing ChessV (section)

{{short description|Computer program designed to play chess variants}}
{{primary sources|date=January 2008}}

{{Infobox Software
| name = ChessV
| logo = Chessv.jpg
| screenshot = ChessV-V2.2.png
| caption = Two engines playing [[Capablanca chess]] in ChessV 2.2
| developer = Gregory Strong
| latest_release_version = 2.2
| latest_release_date = {{Start date and age|2020|01|22}}
| operating_system = [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| genre = [[Computer chess]]
| license = [[GNU General Public License|GPL]]
| website = [http://www.chessv.org http://www.chessv.org]
}}
'''ChessV''' (short for Chess Variants) is a [[Free software|free]] [[computer program]] designed to play many [[chess variant]]s.
''ChessV'' is an open-source, universal chess variant program with a graphical user-interface, sophisticated AI, support for opening books and other features of traditional chess programs. The developer of this program, Gregory Strong, has been adding more variants with each release of ''ChessV''. Over 100 chess variants are supported, including the developer's few own variants<ref>[https://www.chessvariants.com/rules/opulent-chess "Opulent Chess"]. ''The Chess Variant Pages.''</ref> and other exotic variants, and can be programmed to play additional variants. ''ChessV'' is designed to be able to play any game that is reasonably similar to [[chess]]. ''ChessV'' is one of only a few such programs that exist. The source code of this program is freely available for download as well as the executable program.

As of ChessV 0.93, it is possible to customize the variants it supports. Of all chess variants supported, two of the most-played variants are probably [[Fischer Random Chess]] and [[Grand Chess]].

''ChessV'' is capable of playing:
* 2 variants on 6×6 squares
* 17 variants on 8×8 squares
* 15 variants on 10×8 squares
(including 10 [[Capablanca Chess]] variants)
* 15 variants on 10×10 squares
* 3 variants on 12×8 squares

Some of the provided variants can be customized in their details. While users can create custom variants with ChessV 0.93, it needs to be recompiled, which is tedious when programming. ChessV 2.0+ fixes this, using a scripting language. While the pieces in a custom variant have to be chosen from a limited list, this allows ChessV to play hundreds or thousands of variants of each game it directly supports.