Frequently Asked Questions
Chess-related questions
- There's a bug in the game - the enemy pawn advanced to the last row and then a second black queen appeared!
- There is a bug in the game. I just moved my pawn two squares and then it disappeared!
- Why can't I castle? How do I castle?
- Your chess engine is too hard! Help!
- Your chess engine is too easy! Is that the best you can do?
Playing flashCHESS online
Playing flashCHESS offline
- I want to play the game without opening the browser, like a normal program; is that possible?
- Can I take flashCHESS and play on another computer?
- What platforms does flashCHESS work on?
- I'm on Linux - is Adobe AIR available for me?
- I bought the game, but I didn't receive an email or download link. What should I do?
Others
- Are you planning a console version?
- How long did it take to make the game?
- What plans for improvements do you have?
Chess-related questions
Q: There's a bug in the game - the enemy pawn advanced to the last row and then a second black queen appeared!
A: That is a promotion; a pawn will be promoted to queen (or other piece) if it reaches the last rank. Please consult the official chess rules for details.
Q: There is a bug in the game. I just moved my pawn two squares and then it disappeared!
A: Most likely you were the victim of an en-passant take. Don't feel too bad, it's a rather obscure move. Please consult the official chess rules for details.
Q: Why can't I castle? How do I castle?
A: To castle, you move the king to the desired position - if castling is available; the rook will be moved automatically. Castling is not possible if - the king or the rook has moved; or if the king is in check; or if one of the squares the king must travel is controlled by an enemy piece.
Q: Your chess engine is too hard! Help!
A: Try playing on Novice. If you download the standalone version, you have access to some help tools that will help you make better moves.
Q: Your chess engine is too easy! Is that the best you can do?
A: Congratulations! You must be an advanced player; most likey you've played in tournaments. flashCHESS was created to be fun, not brutally strong. Its programming language (Actionscript 3) does not allow nearly the performance achieved by highly optimized engines written in C and use huge amounts of memory and power. If you are an advanced player, you can still enjoy flashCHESS III by using its Board Editor to play chess puzzles.
Playing flashCHESS online
Q: Is playing flashCHESS III online free?
A: Yes. Online play is free, although we display unobtrusive ads from Google. If you prefer not seeing the ads, you can download the standalone version of the game.
A: The tools used to build the game are rather expensive - the Flex Builder Profiler, Projector Software, digital certificates... On top of that, there is the hosting and bandwidth that must be considered.
Playing flashCHESS offline
Q: I want to play the game without opening the browser, like a normal program; is that possible?
A: Yes. flashCHESS is available as a standalone application.
Q: What platforms does flashCHESS work on?
A: flashCHESS III is available in three flavors:
- Windows 32bit executable, which will work on any Windows 2000, XP and Vista.
- Mac OS X version - tested on Intel-based Macs.
- Adobe AIR format, which will work on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.
You must have the Adobe AIR framework installed to install the AIR version of flashCHESS III.
Q: I'm on Linux - is Adobe AIR available for me?
A: There is an alpha version of AIR available on Adobe Labs. We've tested flashCHESS III with Adobe AIR on Ubuntu 8.0.4. The Windows version of flashCHESS should also run on WINE, but we haven't tested it.
Q: I bought the game, but I didn't receive an email or download link. What should I do?
A: Most likely the email sent to you was flagged as spam by your mail server or email application. Please check your Spam. If you can't find it, please contact us. We'll do our best to reply to you in 24-48 hours and will give you the game.
Q: Can I take flashCHESS and play on another computer?
A: Yes. The Windows and Mac versions don't require any installer, so you can simply copy the game to a USB (thumb) drive and play the game at work and home. There is no copy-protection mechanism or DRM inside the game.
Others
Q: Are you planning a console version?
A: All devices that support Flash Player 9 can play flashCHESS III, although probably not at the highest settings.
Q: How long did it take to make the game?
A: About three months, not including the time spent studying algorithms.
Q: What plans for improvements do you have?
A: We'll be listening to feedback from all players and add the features they want the most. Our goal is to make people think 'chess=fun'.