CHESS GAME ! FOR EINK DISPLAYS - InkChess

[LukaAbdul]

📘 InkChess for Kobo Libra Colour
Hello and welcome!

For a long time, I was quite disappointed that there was no native chess game available on my Kobo Libra Colour—or on most e-ink readers, for that matter. I also tried PBChess, but it kept freezing and didn't work properly on my two Kobo devices.

After some tinkering, I discovered that Kobo's built-in web browser can open local HTML files. So I decided to build my own chess game!

♟️ What is InkChess?
InkChess is a full-featured two-player chess game that runs directly on your Kobo reader via the built-in browser. It includes:

Complete rule support (castling, en passant, promotion, etc.)

Save and load functionality for your last game

Clean, readable interface for e-ink screens

I’m sharing this project for free—but if you find it useful, please consider donating a coffee or any small token of support. Creating this wasn’t easy, especially given how outdated the Kobo browser is!

🔧 Installation Instructions
Download and unzip the InkChess folder.

Copy the unzipped folder into the .adds directory on your Kobo device.

To launch the game, open your Kobo browser and go to:

file:///mnt/onboard/.adds/InkChess/InkChess.html
For quicker access, bookmark it or set it as your home page.

📱 Optional (NickelMenu Integration)
If you’re using NickelMenu, you can add a shortcut directly to the main menu:

menu_item : main : InkChess : nickel_browser : file:///mnt/onboard/.adds/InkChess/InkChess.html
This allows you to launch the game with a single tap from the main screen.

⚠️ Note: The Kobo browser currently only opens when Wi-Fi is enabled. If anyone knows a workaround for this, please reach out—help is appreciated!

🛠️ Future Plans
If there's enough interest and support through donations, I’d love to expand InkChess into a full game platform for Kobo devices:

🧠 Play against the computer (AI support)

🌐 Local multiplayer over Wi-Fi

📚 Add move logs and analysis tools for training

If you enjoy InkChess and want to support further development, please consider donating.

💖 Support InkChess

InkChess was built with passion, late nights, and a deep love for both chess and open devices. If this little game brought joy to your Kobo, please consider giving back.

Even a small donation is a big “thank you” that helps fuel future improvements, new features, and open tools for all e-reader users.

Let’s prove that even the simplest devices can offer great experiences—together.

☕ Donate a coffee or more here:
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?busin...rency_code=EUR


Thank you—and enjoy your games!

[Cootey]

Very cool. I’ll check it out. Thanks for the NM template.

[Tommalka]

Originally Posted by LukaAbdul

🌐 Local multiplayer over Wi-Fi

Is this even possible with the limited browser?

[LukaAbdul]

Hi everyone,

I noticed that I had mistakenly uploaded the wrong file in my original post, which externally referenced JavaScript. So it was not a local game Unfortunately, I'm unable to edit that initial post. ( Can someone help how to do this on this forum? )

Therefore, I'm creating this new post to share the updated file. This corrected version now properly uses a local reference to JavaScript and includes several exciting new options:

🧠 Play against the Computer: AI support has been integrated, allowing you to test your skills against a computer opponent.

🔄 Choose Your Color: You can now select whether to play as white or black.

✨ Enhanced E-Ink Experience: Animations and the overall interface have been further polished and optimized for e-ink screens.

Regarding Wi-Fi multiplayer, I'm actively working on implementing basic connectivity between players. The main challenge is ensuring compatibility across various Kindle and Kobo devices. I'm still figuring out the best approach for this, but I'm committed to making it work.

Thanks for your understanding!



🔧 Installation Instructions
Download and unzip the InkChess2.zip into the InkChess folder.

Copy the unzipped folder into the .adds directory on your Kobo device.

To launch the game, open your Kobo browser and go to:

file:///mnt/onboard/.adds/InkChess/InkChess.html
For quicker access, bookmark it or set it as your home page.

📱 Optional (NickelMenu Integration)
If you’re using NickelMenu, you can add a shortcut directly to the main menu:

menu_item : main : InkChess : nickel_browser : file:///mnt/onboard/.adds/InkChess/InkChess.html
This allows you to launch the game with a single tap from the main screen.

⚠️ Note: The Kobo browser currently only opens when Wi-Fi is enabled. If anyone knows a workaround for this, please reach out—help is appreciated!

🛠️ Future Plans
If there's enough interest and support through donations, I’d love to expand InkChess into a full game platform for Kobo devices:

🌐 Local multiplayer over Wi-Fi

📚 Add move logs and analysis tools for training

If you enjoy InkChess and want to support further development, please consider donating.

💖 Support InkChess

InkChess was built with passion, late nights, and a deep love for both chess and open devices. If this little game brought joy to your Kobo, please consider giving back.

Even a small donation is a big “thank you” that helps fuel future improvements, new features, and open tools for all e-reader users.

Let’s prove that even the simplest devices can offer great experiences—together.

☕ Donate a coffee or more here:
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?busin...rency_code=EUR

[LukaAbdul]

I have noticed a few potential issues that I'm currently trying to resolve. To get a better understanding of its performance on different devices, I'm looking for individuals who might be willing to test it on Kobos and Kindles. If you've had a chance to try it out, I would greatly appreciate any feedback you could share regarding your experience and anything you may have noticed.

Thank you
☕ Donate a coffee or more here:
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?busin...rency_code=EUR

[elaeoth]

Hello! Thanks for your work, it's very good, I really love the simplicity and the overall design.

Some things I didn't like:
1: The biggest problem is the fact that we can't play without internet, which is very sad. If I would love one change, it would definitely be that.

2: Sometimes, the reactivity is not on point, I need to do the move several times before it is recorded.

3: The screen refreshs too much, at each move. i don't know if it's mandatory, but the experience would be smoother if it refreshed less (Like every 5-10 moves, or even only between each game, I don't kow if it's doable, but that'd be the best)

4: The AI is really bad, I beat easilly the "Ludicrous" mode, and I'm not that good, haha.

But again, very nice! I love the way the pieces change side when you don't play an AI, it's a subtle, but very smart and good move, keep up the good work!