Stonecrow
An independent chess engine with its own playable interface.
What is Stonecrow?
Stonecrow is a chess engine: a program that looks at a position and decides which move to play. It comes with its own desktop interface, so you can sit down and play it straight away, or watch it play itself.
It is an independent project made by Szymdows. Stonecrow is its own engine, not a wrapper around Stockfish or anything else, and it runs entirely on your computer.
| Platform | Windows |
| Engine | Stonecrow's own engine |
| Internet | Not needed, it runs locally |
| Stockfish | Optional, only for one game mode |
| Saved games | Stored locally in data\games\, in a PGN-style format |
| Source code | Closed source |
| Made by | Szymdows |
Why use Stonecrow?
A different opponent
Stonecrow is an independent engine that is still being developed, so it is not another copy of the engines you already know. It also keeps changing as I work on it.
Everything stays on your computer
No internet connection is needed. The engine, the interface and your saved games all live on your machine.
See how it stacks up
With Stockfish installed, you can put Stonecrow up against it in the Stonecrow vs Stockfish mode and judge for yourself, or just watch Stonecrow play itself.
Take your games anywhere
Games are saved in a PGN-style format, so you can load them into Lichess, chess.com or desktop chess software and review them there.
Download
Windows
Stonecrow for Windows comes as a zip file. Download it and extract it to get started.
Features
The interface
The interface is laid out like the big chess sites, with the board in the middle and the moves beside it.
- Drag and drop moves
- Hints that show your legal moves
- A picker for promotions
- A move list in standard algebraic notation (SAN)
- A panel showing captured pieces
Game modes
- Human vs Stonecrow: you play against the engine.
- Stonecrow vs Stonecrow: let it play itself and watch.
- Stonecrow vs Stockfish: test it against Stockfish. This mode is optional and needs Stockfish installed.
Saved games and review
Stonecrow saves your games locally, in a PGN-style format you can open elsewhere. You
will find them in the data\games\ folder.
There is no built-in game review yet, so for now you will need Lichess, chess.com or a desktop chess program to go over your games.
Stockfish is optional
Stockfish is only used for the Stonecrow vs Stockfish mode, and everything else works without it. If you want that mode, you can get Stockfish from stockfishchess.org.
Planned
- Game review inside the app
- A stronger engine, which is the long-term goal
Why I made Stonecrow
Stonecrow started as a passion project. I wanted to learn how chess engines actually work, and I wanted to build one myself, partly for the challenge and partly just for fun.
There is a bigger goal behind it too: to see how far I can take it, and with enough work end up with a genuinely strong chess engine. Along the way I want to keep it approachable and enjoyable to play.
Help train Stonecrow
Stonecrow gets better with more games to learn from. If you would like to help, you can submit your games, and they can be used to train Stonecrow so that it keeps getting better over time.
Your saved games are in the data\games\ folder.
Send them in through the form.
Feedback
Stonecrow is still being developed, and feedback is the most useful thing you can send me. Bug reports, ideas, things that felt wrong, or things you would like to see. It only takes a minute.
FAQ
Is Stonecrow just Stockfish?
No. Stonecrow is its own engine. Stockfish is optional and only used for the Stonecrow vs Stockfish mode.
Why make another chess engine?
To learn how chess engines work, by building one myself, and because it is a fun project. The longer-term goal is to see how strong I can make it.
Is Stonecrow open source?
No. Stonecrow is closed source.
Can I review games inside Stonecrow?
Not yet. It is planned. For now, review your games with an external website or chess software.
Do I need an internet connection?
No. Stonecrow is designed to run locally.
Where are my games saved?
On your computer, in the data\games\ folder.
Can I help make Stonecrow better?
Yes. You can submit your games to help train it, or send feedback.
How do I report a bug or suggest something?
Use the feedback form.