WhatTheMove - Chess Thought Process Analyzer

WhatTheMove is a minimalist chess analysis tool that breaks down positions using a structured thought process. It helps chess players understand the key elements of each position and improve their analytical skills.

Features

• PGN Analysis: Upload any PGN file to analyze games
• ORIENT Framework: Analyzes positions using a structured approach:
  • Observe kings (safety, checks, mate threats)
  • Recognize "things" (hanging, loose, overloaded pieces)
  • Identify "strings" (pins, discovered attacks)
  • Evaluate position
  • Note tactical opportunities
  • Think strategically
• Defense & Offense Analysis: See both defensive vulnerabilities and offensive opportunities
• Interactive Board: Navigate through the game with a visual chessboard
• Board Orientation: Flip the board or enable auto-flip to see the position from the current player's perspective
• Clean Interface: Minimalist design focused on the analysis
• Scrollable Move List: Compact, easy-to-navigate move history

Installation

1. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/whatthemove.git
   cd whatthemove
   

2. Create a virtual environment and install dependencies:

   python -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
   pip install -r requirements.txt
   

3. Run the application:

   streamlit run src/app.py
   

Requirements

• Python 3.7+
• Streamlit
• python-chess
• cairosvg
• Pillow

Usage

1. Launch the application
2. Upload a PGN file using the sidebar
3. Navigate through moves using the move list or navigation buttons
4. View the analysis from the perspective of the player to move
5. Toggle between Defense and Offense tabs to see different aspects of the position
6. Use the "Flip Board" button or enable auto-flip in settings to change board orientation
7. Use the insights to understand the key elements of each position

Analysis Approach

WhatTheMove provides analysis from the perspective of the player whose turn it is to move:

• Defense Tab: Analyzes your own vulnerabilities

  • King safety
  • Checks opponent can play against you
  • Your hanging, loose, and overloaded pieces
  • Pins against your pieces
  • Opponent's potential discovered attacks

• Offense Tab: Analyzes opponent vulnerabilities

  • Opponent king safety
  • Checks you can play
  • Opponent's hanging, loose, and overloaded pieces
  • Pins you can create
  • Your potential discovered attacks

Project Structure

whatthemove/
├── src/
│   └── app.py          # Main Streamlit application
├── design-docs/        # Design documentation
│   ├── streamlit-gui.py       # UI design specification
│   ├── project-goals.txt      # Project goals and requirements
│   ├── design-specs.txt       # Technical design specifications
│   └── important_design_vision.txt  # Vision document
├── sample.pgn          # Example PGN file
├── requirements.txt    # Python dependencies
├── .gitignore          # Git ignore file
└── README.md           # This file

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Built with Streamlit
• Chess functionality powered by python-chess
• Inspired by structured chess thinking processes