Show HN: I built a chess explorer that explains strategy instead of just stats https://ift.tt/vP9nJuG

Show HN: I built a chess explorer that explains strategy instead of just stats I built this because I got tired of Stockfish giving me evaluations (+0.5) without explaining the actual plan. Most opening explorers focus on statistics (Win/Loss/Draw). I wanted a tool that explains the strategic intent behind the moves (e.g., "White plays c4 to clamp down on d5" vs just "White plays c4"). The Project: Comprehensive Database: I’ve mapped and annotated over 3,500 named opening variations. It covers everything from main lines (Ruy Lopez, Sicilian) to deep sidelines. Strategic Visualization: The UI highlights key squares and draws arrows based on the textual explanation, linking the logic to the board state dynamically. Hybrid Architecture: For the 3,500+ core lines, it serves my proprietary strategic data. For anything deeper/rarer, it seamlessly falls back to the Lichess Master API so the explorer remains functional 20 moves deep. Stack: Next.js (App Router), MongoDB Atlas for the graph data, and Arcjet for security/rate-limiting. It is currently in Beta. I am working on expanding the annotated coverage, but the main theoretical landscape is mapped. Feedback on the UI/UX or the data structure is welcome. https://ift.tt/Fj4UeMQ January 21, 2026 at 09:26PM