Chess Scanner lets you transform handwritten chess score sheets into digital games in seconds. Just take a photo, and ChessScanner’s OCR technology accurately detects each move, creating a full game record on your device.

Hi everyone! Today might be the day when chess players no longer need to enter their games manually into chess programs or keep score sheets they may never look at again. For over a year, I've been working on a chess app to make entering chess games much easier and faster. The app is now in a solid state and requires only a picture of a score sheet. Behind the scenes, it detects the grid and notations, then generates the moves based on the results. It's all self-written, so there's no need to send the score sheets to any third party. The game is generated in just a few seconds. If any moves are incorrectly detected, you can edit them directly on the board or by using move suggestions. After making a change, subsequent moves are automatically regenerated. Afterward, you can add game information (such as player name, tournament, etc.) and save the game in the app. In the best-case scenario (when all moves are recognized correctly), the entire process takes about a minute. Additional Features: - Scan up to two score sheets per player - Open and analyze games directly in Chess.com or Lichess - Export games as PGN - Filter and organize games by tournament, round, name and date Pricing: The scanning process is completely free. A subscription is required only to open games in Chess.com or Lichess and to export games as PGN files. This allows you to test the app with your own handwriting before deciding whether to support me and this project. Next Plans: I'm currently working on a web version for tournament directors. Feedback: All feedback is welcome! If you have suggestions or ideas for improving the app, please leave a comment below.

Does it have computer vision for the board? I dont understand the purpose of the app. Just converts your game to a png and then what? whats different of taking a picture from the board? and also i see no one writing the state of the game in that weird notation

@maxcompe In chess tournaments, players are required to record their moves on a score sheet. This isn’t just a snapshot of one position; it’s a full record of the entire game. Afterward, if players want to analyze the game with an engine or save it digitally, they need to manually enter each move into a computer or smartphone. Tournament directors also have to enter all games played in the tournament, which can be very time-consuming. This app speeds up and simplifies the process. By taking a picture of the scoresheet, users can convert the game into a digital format within seconds. From there, they can export it as a PGN file (Portable Game Notation, not an image format) or open and analyze the game directly on platforms like Lichess or Chess.com.

super cool genuine niche use case! How does it handle if there's an error on the sheet, e.g. you've notated the wrong end position, so the starting position for the next move of that piece is inconsistent? Would you have to manually fix it? Or could it infer where the error was and correct?

@jonnymiles Thanks! If it doesn’t find a llegal move that matches the detected notation, it checks multiple paths from this position and examines subsequent moves to find the most promising one. If the chosen move is incorrect, you can manually adjust it directly on the board or use move suggestions based on the detected notation. Once a change is made, the following moves are automatically regenerated, so you only need to correct any misnotated or incorrectly detected moves.

Chess Scanner

Scan score sheets and generate chess games in seconds.

Scan score sheets and generate chess games in seconds.

Chess Scanner

Scan score sheets and generate chess games in seconds.

Scan score sheets and generate chess games in seconds.

Do you use Chess Scanner?

Do you use Chess Scanner?