Re: How accurate is this?
Randy Reade
AI is getting quite "intelligent", it will put most programmers out of a job in the next several years.This is the install procedure it made when I ask it how to install Picochess 4.2-----------------------Installing PicoChess 4.2 (specifically version 4.2.2 as of early 2026) generally follows a "manual" installation path over a clean Raspberry Pi OS, as full pre-baked images for the 4.x branch are often released for testing before a final stable image is finalized.
Here is the most reliable way to get it running on a Raspberry Pi.
1. Prepare the Base OS
It is highly recommended to use the latest Raspberry Pi OS Desktop (64-bit if using a Pi 4 or 5) rather than a Lite version, as it makes Bluetooth pairing and troubleshooting much easier.
* Use the Raspberry Pi Imager to flash a 32GB (or larger) SD card.
* Boot the Pi, complete the initial setup (username, password, Wi-Fi).
* Open a terminal and update the system:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
2. Install Dependencies
PicoChess requires several Python libraries and system utilities to communicate with the DGT board and clock.
sudo apt install git avahi-daemon sox python3-dev python3-pip libffi-dev libssl-dev -y
3. Download PicoChess 4.2
The development for version 4.x is hosted on the tosca07 fork, which is currently the most active.
* Navigate to the /opt directory (traditional for PicoChess):
cd /opt
sudo git clone https://github.com/tosca07/picochess.git
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /opt/picochess
* Install the required Python packages:
cd /opt/picochess
pip3 install --upgrade -r requirements.txt
4. Configuration
You need to tell PicoChess which board you are using (DGT, Revelation II, etc.).
* Create your config file from the example:
cp picochess.ini.example picochess.ini
nano picochess.ini
* Find the [BOARD] section and set board-type = dgt (or your specific board).
* Save and exit (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X).
5. Bluetooth Pairing (If using BT board)
If you aren't using a USB connection:
* Use the Raspberry Pi Desktop Bluetooth manager to find and pair your board.
* DGT Bluetooth PIN: 0000
* Revelation II PIN: 1234
* Once paired, set the device as "Trusted."
6. Running PicoChess
To start the program manually and check for errors:
python3 picochess.py
Pro Tips for v4.2:
* Web Interface: PicoChess 4.x has a heavy focus on the web server. Once running, you can usually access the interface by typing your Pi's IP address (e.g., http://192.168.1.50) into a browser on your phone or laptop.
* Auto-start: To make it start on boot, you will need to copy the picochess.service file from the /opt/picochess/etc folder to /etc/systemd/system/ and enable it using sudo systemctl enable picochess.
Would you like me to walk you through setting up the auto-start service or configuring specific engines like Stockfish?
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "PicoChess" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to picochess+...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/picochess/f3e7aee9-e21e-4468-9bdb-bebe897197b0n%40googlegroups.com.
