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# Commands Reference: Winboard Commands

. | - Show status of search.
accepted | - Feature accepted [Ignored].
black | - Change computer to black side.
computer | - Tells GLC that it is playing against a computer.
hint | - Show hint [Ignored].
ics | - Says we are playing on the internet.
nopost | - Don't show thinking.
otim | - Time for opponents clock.
post | - Show thinking.
protover | - Says protocol version in use.
rejected | - Feature rejected [Ignored].
result | - Result of game (used to trigger TD learning).
setboard | - Show current fen/Setup position from fen.
st | - Set to fixed time per move.
sd | - Set maximum depth.
time | - Time for computers clock.
random | - Random delta on evals [Ignored].
variant | - Choose chess variant [Ignored].
white | - Change computer to white side.
xboard | - Set into xboard mode.

##

The . command

### Summary

The . command is used by WinBoard to get the status of a search that is in progress.

### Format

`

      .

`

##

The accepted command

### Summary

The accepted command is sent by WinBoard in response to features that have been requested by the engine. This command is currently ignored by the engine.

### Format

`

      accepted

`

##

The black command

### Summary

The black command is sent by WinBoard to tell the engine that it should play the black side.

### Format

`

      black

`

##

The computer command

### Summary

The computer command is sent by Winboard to tell the engine that it's opponent is a computer. This command is currently ignored by the engine.

### Format

`

      computer

`

##

The hint command

### Summary

The hint command is sent by Winboard to request a hint as to the best move for the opponent to play. This command is currently ignored by the engine.

### Format

`

      hint

`

##

The ics command

### Summary

The ics command is sent by Winboard when playing on an internet server. It currently causes the engine to send a hello message.

### Format

`

      ics [ics-inet-addr]

`

##

The nopost command

### Summary

The nopost command is used to stop the engine from sending thinking reports to Winboard.

### Format

`

      nopost

`

##

The otim command

### Summary

The otim command is sent by Winboard to tell the engine how much time is left on the opponents clock.

### Format

`

      otim centi-seconds

`

##

The post command

### Summary

The post command is used to enable thinking reports to be sent to Winboard.

### Format

`

      post

`

##

The protover version command

### Summary

The protover version command is sent by Winboard to inform the engine which version of the protocol is in use. The engine uses this to decide whether or not to send any particular feature requests, and whether to spend time creating it's internal KPK endgame table.

### Format

`

      protover version

`

##

The rejected command

### Summary

The rejected command is sent by Winboard in response to an invalid feature request. This command is currently ignored by the engine.

### Format

`

      rejected

`

##

The result command

### Summary

The result command is sent by Winboard at the end of a game. It is currently used to trigger TD learning, if it has been enabled (For more information on TD learning see the -td command line parameter.)

### Format

`

      result

`

##

The setboard command

### Summary

The setboard command is used to setup the current position in the engine.

### Format

`

      setb[oard] [fen-string]

`

##

The st command

### Summary

The st command is used to set a fixed time per move.

### Format

`

      st secs

`

##

The sd command

### Summary

The sd command is used to limit the maximum search depth.

### Format

`

      sd depth

`

##

The time command

### Summary

The time command is sent by Winboard to inform the engine how much time it has left on it's clock.

### Format

`

      time centisecs

`

##

The random command

### Summary

The random command is sent by Winboard to request that the evaluation has a random delta added to it, which will have the effect that no two games should be alike. This command is currently ignored by the engine.

### Format

`

      random

`

##

The variant command

### Summary

The variant command is sent by Winboard to inform the engine which variant of chess it is to play. This command is currently ignored by the engine.

### Format

`

      variant

`

##

The white command

### Summary

The white command is sent by WinBoard to tell the engine that it should play the white side.

### Format

`

      white

`

##

The xboard command

### Summary

The xboard command is sent by Winboard to inform the engine that it is being used by Winboard.

### Format

`

      xboard [off]

`

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Page last updated by Tim Foden on the 17th March 2003.