Caïssa Board

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• Patch Notes·25 Jun 2026Official

  AI Hotfix

  Although the update isn't quite ready yet, while reviewing Steam's guidelines, I realized that AI prompts could be considered 'unmoderated content generation.' Therefore, I have removed the possibility to edit them.As for the other new features (audio and multiplayer), they aren't completely finished yet, but I needed to comply with Steam's rules without delay.
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• Patch Notes·15 Feb 2026Official

  Database Update

  Hello everyone, A significant update is rollling out today, focused on the backbone of Caïssa Board: the Database and Import systems. ⚠️ Important: This update is currently available on the Unstable Channel only. it will stay there until the network code is finalized. To access it: Right-click Caïssa Board in your Steam Library. Select Properties -> Betas. Select the unstable branch from the dropdown. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40641594/ecab7d20768e646a4f656582c38b204af507e7c0.png Here is what’s new in this version: Database & Performance Toggle Collections: You can now disable specific game collections. Doing this for large databases significantly speeds up application startup, reduces RAM usage, and excludes them from position searches. Live Connection: You can connect and disconnect from PostgreSQL without needing to restart or leave the application. Faster Lookups: We have introduced the ability to pre-cache positions. Since the first 5 moves take the longer time to be searched, and do not take that much space, for a large database it is a good compromise between speed and space. Search Fixes: Significant fixes have been applied to Filters and Position Search. New Content: 2 Million Games A collection of 2 million games has been added. These are official games from various chess events and tournaments. So, if you are a rated player there is a good chance that you can find some games of your next opponent here (heh heh heh...). {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40641594/641640e8ff8272806535d9caca747a1e635a098c.png Instant Access: These games are pre-cached for the first 20 moves. While this cache occupies about 4GB (around 160 million positions), it has been transferred to the server for near-instant lookup. Searching within the first 20 moves is immediate, and searching beyond that remains very fast. Importing Improvements Format Support: Multiple fixes for PGN, KIF, and UBB imports. The database has been prepared to support multiple notations per variant in the future (for example fo...
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• Patch Notes·16 Nov 2025Official

  Style Update

  The plan for leaving Early Access is to build out the help for each screen, while fixing issues and adding missing features. This update covers the Settings > Style menu, with new Xiangqi and Shogi board and piece styles. Issues related to pieces positioning and board scaling were fixed. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40641594/eee990b55925ac3950ad1b09f0396546dc817d93.png In order to check this update, please go to the unstable channel, as it won't go public until all topics are covered. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40641594/ecab7d20768e646a4f656582c38b204af507e7c0.png
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• Announcements·22 Oct 2025Official

  Help is on the way

  Hello chess players, Now that I've completed the major changes that I have mentioned in the previous posts, it is now time to leave the early access. To prepare for this, I'm following a simple method: I am writing the help documentation, and as I describe each feature, I am thoroughly checking (and debugging) it. For now, the help system is only available for the Settings screens (General, Display, and Style). Main Changes Added the help system, it is automatically displayed the first time a screen displayed but is also accessible via the F1 key. Fixed a crash in Capablanca Chess related to knight movement. Added an "Offset" option to Board Style. (Note: The mod editor project will need to be updated to support this.) Added new graphic settings such as view distance. This update is also available on the unstable channel. You can select it under "Properties" like so: {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40641594/ecab7d20768e646a4f656582c38b204af507e7c0.png A Note on Multiplayer Development Multiplayer is already functional and lets you travel to the Chess Island to spare with other players on the same map. This provides a great foundation, though the current functionalities are very basic and focused on simple interaction. The Plan As a solo developer, my top priority is to finalize the single-player mode and leave Early Access with a truly polished product. Therefore, all my initial resources and time are focused on completing the core experience. Once the single-player is complete and Early Access is behind us: if the community shows sufficient interest then fully developing the multiplayer features will become my next focus. I'm looking forward to building out this side of the game with your support!
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• Announcements·5 Oct 2025Official

  MODs, Database and Large Boards

  Greetings, chess players! A massive new update for Caïssa Board that has been brewing for over 15 months is now available for testing on the **Unstable** channel. This update introduces some very important features, including new variants, AI-powered game analysis, a complete database overhaul, and comprehensive modding support! IMPORTANT: This is an early, work-in-progress build. It contains major breaking changes, and you will likely encounter bugs, visual glitches, and other issues. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated to help stabilize it before the full public release! ✨ What's New in the Unstable Build ✨ ♟️ New Variants for Larger Boards We're expanding the world of chess on Caïssa Board! Three major variants have been added: Shogi (Japanese Chess): Master the art of the "drop" rule. Xiangqi (Chinese Chess): Command your army across the river. Capablanca Chess: Explore a classic 10x8 variant with two new powerful pieces. 🤖 AI-Powered Position Analysis Analyze your games like never before with a new generative AI prompt system. Natural Language Prompts: Ask questions about any position in plain English, such as "What is the best strategic plan for White?" or "Explain why my last move was a blunder." Run AI Models Locally: Powered by llama.cpp, you can now load local AI models (in GGUF format) to run analysis completely offline. This ensures your privacy, requires no internet connection, and has zero API costs. Be aware that this feature is mostly experimental and will not be likely to generate in the near future relevant or even accurate analysis. However there are many researchers out there who are working on it and this might help them a bit. 🗃️ Complete Database Overhaul Your game library is now more powerful and efficient than ever. Flexible Backends: The new database allows you to create and manage game collections using either PostgreSQL or SQLite. Optimized Format: The new file format, while not nearly as efficient (but much more flexible!) as SCID...
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