v4 x86_64 Engines Pack

[RandyR]

Hi Everyone,

For those who want to run v4 on an x86_64 Linux machine (running a Debian based OS) I have put together an engine pack that you can use to replace the /opt/picochess/engines folder (backup your original).

Once the PicoChess install scripts are able to set up a PicoChess installation on an x86 system perhaps Johan can provide this package as a resource. Note that some engines might require further apt packages or python modules to run, depending on your current setup.

Randy

Here is the link:

v4_x86_64_engines.7z  (2.8 GB)

[Johan Sjöblom]

Nice :-)

I will have a look at this and see if I can make it a "lite" package for Debian x86_64.

[Luigi Vogliobene]

Hi and Merry Christmas to everyone:

I wonder if the Johann's install-picochess.sh script asis do work in a x86_64 Debian 13.2 amd64 laptop (user account pi) or if

there are some further customization to get it work properly.

Thank you.

Luigi

[RandyR]

I have updated the x86_64 Engines Pack with a fixed MAME compile which was missing the no-nag code. Sorry for any frustrations caused. Hopefully, with the correct rom version, PicoChess should no longer freeze when using a rom with known issues (and no pop-up warning window should appear with retro artwork enabled). Perhaps Johan can update his x86_64_mame_lite.tar.gz resource file.

This also works in PicoChess v3.4 but requires more effort to install on x86_64.

The link to the Engines Pack is the same:

v4_x86_64_engines.7z  (2.8 GB)

If you just want the corrected MAME file (mess), you can download it here:

mess_0279_amd64.zip (17.7 MB)

Randy

[Ro Bert]

Hi Randy,

in my v4.2.1 installation only a few MAME engines are chooseable via the webinterface.

I did a "/install-picochess.sh lite" installation. Is there anything i should do to get access to

the full pack as in your v4_x86_64_engines.7z ?

Robert

[Randy Reade]

Hi Robert, 

The roms included with the engine packs or images are those that are freely available. That's why you only see those retro machines in the menu. That menu is based on the entries in /opt/picochess/engines/<architecture>/retro.ini where <architecture> depends on the hardware you are running on (e.g. aarch64 or x86_64). All retro machines currently supported and working in PicoChess are contained in the all_retro.ini file located in the /opt/picochess/engines/<architecture>/engines_ini folder, but in order to use them you need the corresponding rom(s) to be placed in the /opt/picochess/engines/mame_emulation/roms folder. The roms need to be compatible with the version of MAME (mess) in use - there are new rom dumps happening over time and MAME gets updated accordingly to accommodate the changed rom, as well as bug fixes and enhancements. Once you have the rom(s) placed into the mame_emulation/roms folder, you need to edit the retro.ini file, adding the applicable retro machine entry found in the all_retro.ini. Then restart or reboot PicoChess. If you have issues with the new machine, check the picochess.log or verify the rom(s) by running the following command in the terminal:

/opt/picochess/engines/mame_emulation/mess -verifyroms

to see if there are issues with your roms.

I won't tell you where to find roms but searching for them is not difficult.

Hope this helps.

Randy

PS. the engines in my x86_64 Engine Pack are the same ones available when you run 'install-picochess.sh lite' except these or x86_64 only and can be used in PicoChess v3.4 if desired. I would suggest using Johan's engine packs in v4 going forward.

[Ro Bert]

Hi Randy,

i am specially interested to run The King from Johan de Koning on my raspi 5.

But i haven't got a clue how to accomplish that.

Robert

[Randy Reade]

TASC R30 has The King program.

On Mon, Feb 9, 2026 at 10:33 AM Ro Bert <robert...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Randy,

[RandyR]

Here's an interesting article from Chessbase:

https://en.chessbase.com/post/the-wonderful-world-of-chess-machine-emulators

[Ro Bert]

Hi Randy,

thanks for the help. I found a rom on Hubers webpage and placed it in the /opt/picochess/engines/mame_emulation/roms folder.

Changed retro.ini with the corresponding entry for the tascr30.

Here is what i get from: /opt/picochess/engines/mame_emulation/mess -verifyroms

romset arb is best available

romset fscc6 is best available

romset ggm is best available

romset intel02 is best available

4 romsets found, 4 were OK.

picochess.log:

2026-02-10 08:56:31.658 WARNING     engine - error_line_received: <UciProtocol (pid=1953)>: stderr >> Warning: -video none doesn't make much sense without -seconds_to_run

2026-02-10 08:56:31.945 WARNING     engine - error_line_received: <UciProtocol (pid=1953)>: stderr >> lm24014w_0101.bin NOT FOUND (tried in lm24014h tascr30)

2026-02-10 08:56:31.945 WARNING     engine - error_line_received: <UciProtocol (pid=1953)>: stderr >> Fatal error: Required files are missing, the machine cannot be run.

~

what is missing here?

Robert

[RandyR]

It's normal to see those results from '-verifyroms'.

This line:

2026-02-10 08:56:31.945 WARNING     engine - error_line_received: <UciProtocol (pid=1953)>: stderr >> lm24014w_0101.bin NOT FOUND (tried in lm24014h tascr30)

shows that there is a file missing. Many machines require supporting roms for certain hardware, in this case it's for the Toshiba LCD screen. Try to locate the lm24014h.zip rom and add it to the roms folder. It will contain that missing .bin file.

Randy

[Ro Bert]

Hi Randy,

i hope i don't bother you but you seem to be very competent for this kind of problems.

I found the lm.. file and copied it to the roms folder. Now there are different errors.

I attached the log file with the messages right after the start of the tasc engine.

Thank you so much

Robert

[Randy Reade]

Can you replace the tascr30.lua file located in /opt/picochess/engines/mame_emulation/plugins/chessengine/interfaces with the one attached?

On Tue, Feb 10, 2026 at 9:43 AM Ro Bert <robert...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Randy,

[Ro Bert]

Maybe the rom file is not right the zip file contains this:

robert@RobertsMacBook-Pro tascr30 % ls -l
total 1792
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 robert  staff  131072  2 Mai   2004 0.31_h
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 robert  staff  131072  2 Mai   2004 0.31_l
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 robert  staff  131072 21 Juni  2019 r30_gideon_h
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 robert  staff  131072 21 Juni  2019 r30_gideon_l
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 robert  staff  131072 23 Feb.  2004 r30_hi_1.01_king_2.5
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 robert  staff  131072  6 Juni  2019 r30_v2.23_hi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 robert  staff  131072  6 Juni  2019 r30_v2.23_lo

Robert

[Ro Bert]

Hi Randy,

you are my buddy. Thanks that did the job. Can i adjust the Level of play to different strength?

The ini file has only time settings.

Robert

[Ro Bert]

found this uci file:

[DEFAULT]
; style = normal
style = offensive
; choices: defensive, solid, normal, active, offensive
; strength = expert
strength = moderate
; choices: expert, strong, moderate, novice

[0-5m novice]
strength = novice
level = 5 min/game
PicoTimeControl = 5 0

[01-5m game]
level = 5 min/game
PicoTimeControl = 5 0

[02-10m game]
level = 10 min/game
PicoTimeControl = 10 0

[03-15m game]
level = 15 min/game
PicoTimeControl = 15 0

[04-30m game]
level = 30 min/game
PicoTimeControl = 30 0

[05-60m game]
level = 60 min/game
PicoTimeControl = 60 0

[06-1s move]
level = 1 sec/move
PicoTimeControl = 1

[07-5s move]
level = 5 sec/move
PicoTimeControl = 5

[08-10s move]
level = 10 sec/move
PicoTimeControl = 10

[09-30s move]
level = 30 sec/move
PicoTimeControl = 30

[10-40/2h]
level = 40/2:00 moves/hrs
PicoTimeControl = 40 120 0



Is it mandatory to insert a new config for each time/strength/style variant or is there a better way?

Robert

[Randy Reade]

You can edit the tascr30.uci file located in /opt/picochess/engines/aarch64/mame and add any of these options:

$ ./mess -plugin chessengine tascr30
uci
id name Tasc R30 (The King 2.50) (pos+info)
id year 1995
option name Speed type spin default 100 min 0 max 10000
option name Level type string default 010 sec/move
option name Ponder type check default true
option name Style type combo default normal var defensive var solid var normal var active var offensive
option name Hash type check default true
option name Strength type combo default expert var expert var strong var moderate var novice
option name Book type combo default aegon var normal var aegon var off
option name Book Style type combo default random var random var tournament
uciok

In the .uci file, entries in the [DEFAULT] section (if it exists) apply for all levels unless overridden in the subsequent [<level name>] section. For example, in tascr30.uci, you could adjust the strength of all levels to strong by adding the entry to the top of the file:

[DEFAULT]

Strength = strong

[Level 01 - 5m game]
level = 5 min/game
PicoTimeControl = 5 1

[Level 02 - 10m game]

etc...

Be mindful of the capitalization (or lack thereof). To change a specific level (e.g. Level 01 - 5m game):

[Level 01 - 5m game]
level = 5 min/game
Strength = strong

Style = offensive

PicoTimeControl = 5 1

and so on. PicoTimeControl is used by PicoChess, not the retro engine.

And, before I forget, you can replace the attached files as well, which had the same typo.

Randy

On Tue, Feb 10, 2026 at 10:06 AM Ro Bert <robert...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Randy,

[Randy Reade]

Yes. If you run MAME from the command line and enter the 'uci' command, you will see the options available from the LUA interface file. 'uci' also initializes the machine (via init.lua). The entries in the .uci file need to be supported in the LUA file. See previous post. Note that this was run directly on my PC. If using SSH, you would need to alter the command to 'DISPLAY=:0 ./mess -plugin chessengine tascr30'

[Ro Bert]

O.K. now its clear. I will try with a different mame rom and see how far i will get.

I assume that the tascr40g.lua and tascr30g.lua are not essential for the tscr30 rom

and will be needed for the corresponding roms.

Huber has got tons of roms of most of the good old chess computers. What a fun!

Can't wait to run some of them.

Thanks for your patience i will try to find my way to more of it.

Robert

[Randy Reade]

No. They are not essential. Also, tascr40 isn't currently supported in PicoChess so you won't see it in the all_retro.ini file.

[Johan Sjöblom]

I updated the x86_64_mame_lite.tar.gz resource file. I replaced the older mess file with the one you linked above. No other changes.