Getting Started

Chess Analyzer Pro is a free, open-source desktop application for analyzing chess games using Stockfish. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. All analysis happens locally -no subscriptions, no data uploads, no limits.

Splash screen -application loading

System Requirements

OS: Windows 10+, macOS 11+, Linux (AppImage)
Storage: ~200 MB for the application
RAM: 4 GB minimum (8 GB recommended)
Stockfish: A Stockfish chess engine binary (auto-download available)

Option A: Download Prebuilt Binary

The easiest way to get started. Visit the Releases page and download the installer for your platform.

Windows

Download ChessAnalyzerPro-Setup.exe from the releases page.
Run the installer. A SmartScreen warning may appear -click More Info → Run Anyway.
Launch from Start Menu or desktop shortcut.
If Stockfish analysis fails, install the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable.

macOS

Download ChessAnalyzerPro.dmg from the releases page.
Open the .dmg and drag ChessAnalyzerPro.app to your Applications folder.
Launch from Applications. On first launch, Gatekeeper quarantine is removed automatically (v2.2.0+).

Linux

Download ChessAnalyzerPro-x86_64.AppImage from the releases page.
Make it executable: chmod +x ChessAnalyzerPro-*.AppImage
Double-click the AppImage to launch.

Option B: Build from Source

For users who want the latest changes or prefer running from source.

Prerequisites

Python 3.10 or higher
Git
Stockfish engine binary (download from stockfishchess.org)

Setup

git clone https://github.com/imutkarsht/Chess_analyzer.git 
cd Chess_analyzer 
python3 -m venv venv 
source venv/bin/activate      # macOS/Linux 
# .\venv\Scripts\activate     # Windows
pip install -r requirements.txt 
python main.py

For faster package management, use uv:

uv venv .venv 
source .venv/bin/activate 
uv pip install -r requirements.txt 
python main.py

Note: The app uses PyQt6. On Linux, KDE-based distributions work best. GNOME may show minor graphical glitches but remains fully functional.

First-Run Setup Wizard

On first launch, the Setup Wizard walks through the essential configuration steps. Each step is optional -skip any and configure later from Settings.

Setup Wizard -Welcome screen

Step 1: Stockfish Engine

The app automatically searches for Stockfish in these locations:

Your saved engine path in config
System PATH (which stockfish on macOS/Linux)
Common install directories (Homebrew on macOS, standard paths)
Previously downloaded location

If Stockfish is not found, the wizard offers a built-in downloader that fetches the correct binary for your platform.

Setup Wizard -Stockfish configuration

To configure manually later: go to Settings → Chess Engine, click Browse, select the Stockfish executable, and click Save Engine Path. Use Test Engine to verify.

Settings -Engine path configuration

Step 2: LLM Provider (Optional)

Configure an LLM provider for AI game summaries and coach insights. A free Groq API key is the quickest option. See AI Features for details.

Step 3: Player Usernames (Optional)

Enter your Chess.com and Lichess usernames to speed up game loading and enable personalized statistics.

Step 4: Appearance

Choose a board theme and piece set.

Setup Wizard -Appearance selection

Your First Analysis

Click Load Game (or press Ctrl+O).
Choose a source: drag a PGN file, paste PGN text, or enter a Chess.com/Lichess username or game URL.
Select a game from the list and click Load Game.
Click Analyze Game in the sidebar.

After analysis completes, you'll see:

A move list with classification badges (colored by quality)
An evaluation graph showing game momentum
Accuracy percentages and move breakdown
Engine recommendations for each position

Verify Everything Works

Check	What to Look For
Stockfish	Status bar shows "Engine Ready" (green pill)
Game loaded	Board shows the starting position
Analysis	Move list populates with colored classification badges
Evaluation graph	Line chart appears below the board

If any of these are missing, see the Troubleshooting guide.

Next Steps

Loading Games -all import methods explained
Analysis -move classification, navigation, engine lines
Opening Explorer -explore positions independently
Customization -themes, sounds, accent colors