An XBoard protocol compatible chess and antichess variant engine.
To play a game of chess or antichess with Nakshatra, check out these sites where it may be online:
Example for Ubuntu and other Debian based distros:
sudo apt install zip git cmake ninja-build g++ # or clang++, need C++20+ support
git clone https://github.com/goutham/nakshatra.git
cd nakshatra
./install.sh
The engine executable file nakshatra will be generated under the build/ directory
if installation succeeds.
Install one of the XBoard protocol compatible interfaces such as cutechess, and configure it to run the engine executable file nakshatra as the computer player. Using an opening book (not included) is recommended for variations in gameplay.
Originally developed in 2009 / 2010 as a suicide-chess engine expressly for playing on FICS, where a vibrant community of suicide-chess enthusiasts and engines hung out (sadly, no longer the case). Nakshatra continues, as of this writing, to play there under the handle nakshatra. For the over-curious, this old, long abandoned, blog also records some historical context.