SynapseChess

SynapseChess is a chess engine and GUI featuring NNUE (Efficiently Updatable Neural Network) evaluation. It includes a graphical interface, sound effects, and a powerful engine backend.

Features

• Chess engine with NNUE evaluation
• Python-based GUI using Pygame
• Sound effects for moves, captures, and game events
• Cross-platform: Windows and Mac supported

Requirements

• Python 3.7+
• Pygame
• C/C++ compiler (GCC/Clang for Mac, MinGW/MSVC for Windows)
• make (for Mac, or install via Chocolatey/MSYS2 on Windows)
• NNUE evaluation file (nn-eba324f53044.nnue)

Installation

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/Brxj19/SynapseChess.git
cd SynapseChess

2. Install Python Dependencies

Make sure you have Python 3.7 or newer installed.

pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Install make and Compiler

Mac

• Install Xcode Command Line Tools (includes make and gcc):

xcode-select --install

Windows

• Install Python if not already installed.
• Install Chocolatey (if not already installed).
• Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

choco install make mingw

Alternatively, you can use MSYS2 and install make and gcc via:

pacman -Syu
pacman -S make mingw-w64-x86_64-gcc

4. Build the Engine

From the project directory, run:

make

This will produce an executable named engine (or engine.exe on Windows).

5. Verify Assets

Ensure the following files and folders exist:

• nn-eba324f53044.nnue (NNUE weights file)
• assets/pieces/ (piece images)
• assets/sounds/ (sound files)

Running the Project

Start the GUI

python gui.py

The GUI will launch, and the engine will be used for computer moves.

Run Engine Tests

python engine_test.py

Notes

• The engine binary is built from engine.c and NNUE sources in nnue/.
• The GUI communicates with the engine via standard input/output.
• You can replace the NNUE file with another compatible .nnue file if desired.

Troubleshooting

• If you encounter missing DLL errors on Windows, ensure MinGW/MSYS2 is in your PATH.
• On Mac, if you get permission errors, try chmod +x engine.
• If you see errors about missing sound or piece files, check the assets/ directory.

License

MIT License