Chess

Description:

Introduction

This project is a Java-based chess game that provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for players to engage in a traditional game of chess. The game incorporates all standard chess pieces and rules, including pawn promotion, check, and checkmate detection. The classes and their interactions model the chess game’s logic and visual representation.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Classes Overview
  • Square
  • Piece
  • Rook
  • Queen
  • Pawn
  • Knight
  • King
  • GUI
  • Game
  • Board
  • Bishop
• Installation
• Usage
• Features
• Dependencies
• Configuration
• Documentation
• Examples
• Troubleshooting

Classes Overview

Square

The Square class extends JButton and represents a single square on the chessboard. Each Square object holds its position (row and column) and sets its size and color (red or white) based on its position to create a checkered pattern. It can display a piece symbol using the setPieceSymbol method and clear the piece symbol with the clearPiece method.

Piece

The Piece class is the base class for all chess pieces. It includes properties for the piece's position (row and column), color, and type. It provides methods to get and set these properties and to determine if a move is valid, though the latter is typically overridden by subclasses.

Rook

The Rook class extends Piece and represents a rook in the game of chess. The isValidMove method checks whether a move is valid by ensuring it moves in a straight line (either row or column) and that no pieces block its path.

Queen

The Queen class extends Piece and represents a queen in chess. The isValidMove method checks if the move is in a straight line (like a rook) or diagonal (like a bishop) and verifies that no pieces block its path.

Pawn

The Pawn class extends Piece and represents a pawn. It includes logic for pawn-specific movements such as moving forward one square, two squares from the starting position, and diagonal captures. It also handles promotion when a pawn reaches the opposite side of the board.

Knight

The Knight class extends Piece and represents a knight. Its isValidMove method checks for the characteristic L-shaped moves and ensures it can move to either an empty square or one occupied by an opponent’s piece.

King

The King class extends Piece and represents the king. The isValidMove method ensures that the king only moves one square in any direction and checks for both check and checkmate situations.

GUI

The GUI class extends JFrame and provides the visual interface for the chess game. It initializes the board with Square objects, handles piece selection and movement, and updates the display accordingly. The class also handles check, checkmate, and pawn promotion dialogs.

Game

The Game class manages the overall state of the game, including the board, the current player's turn, and checkmate status. It provides methods to move pieces, check for check and checkmate conditions, and handle pawn promotion. The handleSquareSelection method processes user input for selecting and moving pieces.

Board

The Board class represents the chessboard and manages the placement of pieces. It initializes the board with the standard chess setup, provides methods to get and set pieces at specific positions, and moves pieces on the board.

Bishop

The Bishop class extends Piece and represents a bishop. The isValidMove method checks if the move is along a diagonal and ensures no pieces block the path.

Installation

To install and run the chess game, follow these steps:

1. Ensure you have Java installed on your system.
2. Download or clone the project repository.
3. Compile the Java files:

   javac GUI.java

4. Run the GUI class to start the game:

   java GUI

Usage

• Launch the game using the instructions above.
• Click on a piece to select it, then click on a destination square to move it.
• The game will handle moves, detect checks and checkmates, and allow pawn promotion.

Features

• Full implementation of chess rules, including piece movements and captures.
• Graphical user interface for intuitive play.
• Check and checkmate detection.
• Pawn promotion with a selection dialog.

Dependencies

• Java Development Kit (JDK)
• Swing library for the graphical user interface

Configuration

The game does not require specific configuration beyond ensuring Java is installed and available in your system's PATH.

Documentation

For detailed documentation, refer to the comments within the source code files. Each class and method is documented to explain its purpose and functionality.

Examples

Example of starting a new game:

java GUI

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues running the game, ensure you have the correct version of Java installed and that all source files are compiled correctly.

Credits:

ChatGPT for this readme

Video Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3JcGyABt54