Several ways are available to set-up a chess position:
const { Position } = require('kokopu');
const position = new Position('empty'); // initialize the position with an empty board
position.square('a8', 'bk'); // put a black king on square a8
position.square('b6', 'wk'); // put a white king on square b6
position.square('a5', 'wr'); // put a white rook on square a5
console.log(position.ascii());
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | k | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | K | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | R | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// w - -
// Check whether the position is valid or not, according to the chess rules.
position.isLegal(); // false, because black king is in check, but White is to play
// Set-up Black to play the first move
position.turn('b');
position.isLegal(); // true, since the first player is now properly configured
console.log(position.ascii());
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | k | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | K | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | R | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// b - -
It is also possible to initialize the board from the usual starting position:
const { Position } = require('kokopu');
const position = new Position('start'); // initialize the position with the usual starting position
position.square('e5', 'wp'); // put a white pawn on square e5
position.square('e2', '-'); // clear square e2
position.square('d5', 'bp'); // put a black pawn on square d5
position.square('f5', 'bp'); // put a black pawn on square d5
position.square('d7', '-'); // clear square d7
position.square('f7', '-'); // clear square f7
position.enPassant('f'); // allow "en-passant" on file f
console.log(position.ascii());
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | r | n | b | q | k | b | n | r |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | p | p | p | | p | | p | p |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | p | P | p | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | P | P | P | P | | P | P | P |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | R | N | B | Q | K | B | N | R |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// w KQkq f6
position.isMoveLegal('e5', 'd6'); // false
position.isMoveLegal('e5', 'f6'); // returns an object that evaluates to true when converted into a boolean
const { Position } = require('kokopu');
const p1 = new Position('start');
p1.play('e4');
// Create a copy p2 of position p1. After the copy, each position can be modified without affecting the other.
const p2 = new Position(p1);
p1.play('e5');
p2.play('c5');
console.log(p1.ascii());
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | r | n | b | q | k | b | n | r |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | p | p | p | p | | p | p | p |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | p | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | P | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | P | P | P | P | | P | P | P |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | R | N | B | Q | K | B | N | R |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// w KQkq -
console.log(p2.ascii());
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | r | n | b | q | k | b | n | r |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | p | p | | p | p | p | p | p |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | p | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | P | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | P | P | P | P | | P | P | P |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | R | N | B | Q | K | B | N | R |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// w KQkq -
The Forsyth-Edwards Notation is a standard notation to describe a chess position, that it is supported by many chess softwares. Kokopu is capable of loading such FEN strings.
const { Position } = require('kokopu');
// Load the FEN that characterizes the beginning of the Italian game variation.
const position = new Position('r1bqkbnr/pppp1ppp/2n5/4p3/2B1P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R b KQkq - 3 3');
console.log(position.ascii());
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | r | | b | q | k | b | n | r |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | p | p | p | p | | p | p | p |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | n | | | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | p | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | B | | P | | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | | | | | | N | | |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | P | P | P | P | | P | P | P |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// | R | N | B | Q | K | | | R |
// +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
// b KQkq -
// Play some moves, and return the resulting FEN string.
position.play('d6');
position.play('h3');
position.fen(); // 'r1bqkbnr/ppp2ppp/2np4/4p3/2B1P3/5N1P/PPPP1PP1/RNBQK2R b KQkq - 0 1'