Hires Chess Trainer – drill the mistakes from your own chess games
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About Hires Chess Trainer – drill the mistakes from your own chess games
Hires Chess Trainer is an open-source desktop application for chess improvement. It allows users to import games from Chess.com and Lichess, analyze mistakes in tactics, openings, and endgames, and then drill those mistakes using spaced repetition until they become automatic. The trainer integrates Stockfish engine and Syzygy tablebases for analysis, features auto-tracking of mistakes in all modes, and provides personal statistics against reference PGN files. It also serves as a testbed for reinforcement-learning models of personalized chess learning. The application is designed primarily for Windows.
Key Features
Import games from Chess.com and Lichess
Spaced repetition for drilling mistakes
Auto-tracking of mistakes in tactics, openings, and endgames
Integration with Stockfish and Syzygy tablebases
Personal statistics against a reference PGN
Analysis with variations and annotations
Learning bases for tactics, opening repertoire, and endgames
Testbed for reinforcement-learning models of personalised learning
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free and open-source
- Uses strong chess engine Stockfish and Syzygy tablebases
- Imports games from Chess.com and Lichess
- Auto-tracks mistakes in all modes
- Spaced repetition for efficient learning
- Customizable learning bases
- Includes analysis tools (variations, annotations)
Cons
- Windows-first; limited cross-platform support (Linux/Mac not guaranteed)
- Requires technical setup (Python, Stockfish, Syzygy, dependencies)
- Desktop-only application, no mobile or web version
- User interface may be basic (terminal or minimal GUI)
Best For
Improve chess by drilling mistakes from personal gamesPractice tactics, openings, and endgames with spaced repetitionImport and analyze games from online platformsTrack personal progress and identify weak areasStudy positions with computer analysis and tablebase endgames