Chess Analysis Assistant for Claude
[](https://smithery.ai/server/chess-mcp)
This tool helps you analyze chess positions and get professional evaluations using Stockfish, right within Claude! You can:
- Get position evaluations
- See visual board representations
- Analyze different moves and variations
- Look up positions in the masters database (games played by 2200+ rated players)
Requirements
- [Claude Desktop](https://claude.ai/desktop) installed on your computer
- Git installed on your system
Quick Installation
Installing via Smithery
To install Chess Analysis Assistant for Claude Desktop automatically via [Smithery](https://smithery.ai/server/chess-mcp):
Mac and Linux Users
Open Terminal and run this command:
That's it! The script will:
- Install required dependencies (Node.js 20+, Stockfish, Cairo)
- Configure Claude Desktop
- Set up the Chess Assistant
Manual Installation (Windows or Advanced Users)
If you prefer to install manually or are using Windows, follow these steps:
Requirements
- [Claude Desktop](https://claude.ai/desktop)
- [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/) version 20 or higher
- [Stockfish](https://stockfishchess.org/) chess engine
- [Cairo](https://github.com/Automattic/node-canvas/wiki/Installation:-Windows) graphics library (for board visualization)
Step-by-Step Installation
Step 1: Install Dependencies
**Mac Users:**
**Windows Users:**
- Install [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/) (LTS version)
- Download [Stockfish](https://stockfishchess.org/download/) and add it to your PATH
- Install [Cairo](https://github.com/Automattic/node-canvas/wiki/Installation:-Windows)
Step 2: Install Chess Assistant
Step 3: Configure Claude Desktop
- Open Claude Desktop
- Navigate to the configuration file: - Mac: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` - Windows: `%APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
- Add this configuration:
- Save and restart Claude Desktop
Using the Chess Assistant
- Open Claude Desktop
- Look for the tools icon ( ) - it should show chess analysis tools
- Try these example prompts: - "Analyze this position: rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1" - "Show me the current position" - "What's the best move in this position?" - "Look up this position in the masters database" - "Show me master games from this position after 2000" - "What are the most common moves played by masters in this position?"
Features
Position Analysis
- Engine evaluation using Stockfish
- Visual board representation
- Best move suggestions
- Move validation
Masters Database
- Search positions in games played by 2200+ rated players
- Filter games by date range
- See win/draw statistics
- View most common moves with success rates
- Browse recent master games with player ratings
Need Help?
If you run into any issues:
- Make sure all requirements are installed correctly
- Verify Stockfish is accessible from your command line
- Check that all paths in your Claude Desktop configuration are correct
- Restart Claude Desktop after making any changes
Common Issues
- **"Tools not showing up in Claude"**: Make sure you've configured Claude Desktop correctly
- **"Stockfish not found"**: Verify Stockfish is installed and accessible from the command line
- **"Node version error"**: Make sure you have Node.js version 20 or higher installed
- **"Canvas installation failed"**: Make sure Cairo is installed correctly for your operating system