Sunday, November 22, 2009

Chess Recorder

What is yNotate Chess Recorder

yNotate is a Chess game recording application for the Google Android phones. It records your chess moves in PGN format while you move the chess pieces using your mobile phone's touch screen or trackball. Once the game is recorded, you can save/replay the game to/from your mobile device or email it for further analysis. Also you can import and export chess notations in PGN format for further analysis

Demo Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbSTXi61yE8&feature=youtu.be


y Notate?
I was looking for a simple & affordable mobile chess notations recording application for me and my kids to enhance our chess skills. Since I didn't find any, I created one for the Goodle Android platform. Main features of this application are:

a) Chess moves/notations are recorded and replayed correctly
b) Compliance with USCF rules for electronic Chess scoresheet
c) Import/Export of Chess notations from/to mobile phones SD card

yNotate application does NOT contain a Chess engine since USCF/FIDE rules prohibhit use of chess engine in electronic scorekeeping device

Features

- Record chess moves in PGN format using touchscreen or trackball
- Send game result as PGN attachment by Email. Since notations are in PGN, it can be replayed in popular tool like Fritz
- Replay games on the Mobile phone
- View notations in PGN format, including time taken for each move
- Allows games to be recorded in Practice or Tournament mode
- Option to enable/disable Chess rules
- Import/Export PDN

Tournament mode is designed to comply with USCF regulation for certification of an electronic scoresheet

Guidelines for certification of an electronic scoresheet

Supported platforms
Runs on all Google (Android) phones with API level 3 and above - Android O/S 1.5 and above

FAQs

Why does it say somteimes Invalid move when I make a legal move?

In touchscreen mode, application recognizes the selection only when the button receives the touch event. Sometimes the button doesn't receive the event if the touch is on an adjacent button where the move would be illegal. If your device supports a trackball, please verify by clicking on the trackball. If you still see issues, please let me know.

Feedback (as posted on the device)

"Useful app, does what it says and works nicely. Great work dev! Please add feature to import saved pgn files from SD card and will be perfect!"
-Mark

"Nice app! I like the time spent per move feature for recording OTB games." -Joe

Please direct your comments/suggestions to ynotate@gmail.com



23 comments:

  1. What a wonderful program. I coach chess and it is sad that the only electronic notating device approved costs far beyond what my students can afford. As VP of Kansas Scholastic Chess I will make it my goal to get this approved in our tournaments.

    I would like to see many others get involved in working out the final bugs and doing what is necessary to get approval from USCF.

    Thanks again for such dedication to the lives of young chess players.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like this application. Would also like to find an application, where you could record chess positions.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How about enabling recording in the replay mode? Would this help with reviewing games?

      Delete
  3. I have HTC Wildfire with Google account Android ver. 2.2.1 but Android market says my device is not compatible. In the specifications it is stated Android 1.5
    Instead of buying a useful tool I just wasted time. Could you provide download from your website, with PayPal as an option? Make it simple, man - 'cos you're loosing customers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So far I have only 2 requests to enable purchasing from 3rd party like PayPal. Let me review your request

      Delete
  4. Hi

    The minimum API level supported by the yNotate app is 3 (Android Ver 1.5) to ensure 100% coverage of Android devices in the market. I've check why in your case it says device is not compatible. Meanwhile did you check with Google?

    Thanks
    Chandru

    ReplyDelete
  5. does this app support position set up with FEN (a part of the PGN specificatio)?
    thanks
    Pete

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is a nice feature to have in the replay mode. I will add this to my to-do list

      Delete
  6. Replies
    1. I have not tried it on Kindle. It works on pure Android O/S. Since Kindle fire uses forked version of Android, I'm afraid it wont

      Delete
  7. I'm from South Africa, Cape Town. I would love to get my hands on this application, but I do not have access to any debit or credit cards. Is it possible to pay via phone billing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. Currently it's available only through Google PlayStore

      Delete
  8. I have bought and downloaded your app to my Samsung GT-I9305 (Android Version 4.3). But when I click "Install", the phone is installing, and installing, and installing ... for hours.Any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm unable to reproduce this at my end and. Can you check with Google support please?

      Delete
    2. I'm unable to reproduce this at my end and. Can you check with Google support please?

      Delete
  9. The demo video is marked as private, so not possible to watch! Is it possible to write notation as text, not only enter moves on the board?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can you please retry with the updated link in the blog for yNotate video

      Delete
  10. Are you referring to annotating the moves? If so, it's a very good idea and I will look into this based on user demand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes,both annotate and manually enter moves during games.

      Delete
    2. Yes,both annotate and manually enter moves during games.

      Delete
  11. I am almost certain I reported an issue with the way castling is denoted in the .pgn file. If I recall, Ynotate puts out 0-0 or 0-0-0 (with zeros) but most pgn readers choke on that and require the letter O(oh): O-O or O-O-O Can you check that please?

    ReplyDelete
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