PGN Utilities

PGN Standard

The PGN Standard can be downloaded in text format or in PDF format.

Extensions to the PGN Standard.

Alan Cowderoy (Palamede), Ben Bulsink (DGT Projects), Andrew Templeton (Palamede/Palview), Eric Bentzen (Enpassant.dk, Palamede), Mathias Feist (Chessbase) and Victor Zakharov (Chess Assistant) have started discussions on possible extensions to the PGN standard. The original standard was compiled by Steven J. Edwards but it hasn't been possible to contact him.

The new proposals can be read here.

PGC (PGN Compressed Format)

We have combined, in a PDF document, the manual for Description of the PGC (PGN Compressed format) prepared by Paul Onstad. The manual is available here or as part of a larger download including the files referred to in the Manual. This format is used in the U4 Chess utilities and the download included the source code and DLLs for the format.

An additional PGN Compressed Format can be found here.

The following PGN utilities are available to process your PGN chess data. The list of utilities will be expanded and reviews and tips to be added at a future date.

New Items

PGN Viewers and Writers

PGN Freeware and Shareware Utilities

Download the following PGN freeware and shareware utilities:
 
 

PGNUtils	PGNTRIM2.EXE uses user-modifiable PGNTRIM.SET to read a PGN file and crePGNutils.ZIP, Freeware DOS or Windows command-line utilities to normalize PGN:  PGNTRIM5, PGN2ECO2.EXE, PGNBEST2.EXE, PGN2ONE.EXE, and ONE2PGN.EXE provide PGN normalization, syntax corrections, assignment of [ECO and [Opening tags, and means to easily sort or select entire game records. User modifiable plain-text tables for best all-time GMs, and for opening lines.
Normal32 v. 1.6.1	NORMAL32 v1.6.1 - PGN Normalizer (1/02) Win95 and up. Produce quality PGN from most any chess notation. Proof scores. Used by archivists including TWIC & ICCF. Combine files and kill dups--including fuzzy dups. Prepare games for your database. Shareware with no nags, restrictions, or timeouts from U4Chess. -Paul Onstad. High ASCII contents in PGN headers now permitted without warning if high ASCII checkbox checked (Options|Configuration, then click "More" button for upper configuration display).
Chess Query Langauge	We have added a page detailing the recently released Chess Query Language. This freeware program allows for complex searches in PGN files which can then be extracted to a new file. The webpage gives many sample searches (and the neccessary code).
PGC Version 3 Developer's Kit	A PGC Version 3 developer's kit is now available. PGC is a compressed form of PGN (Portable Games Notation) which allows games to be easily searched and retrieved by header contents or position. PGC is compact--requiring only one-quarter as much disk space or memory as PGN. PGC is application independent. It can be accessed and manipulated by any language capable of calling a DLL. The format is suitable for databases, archives, and as a resource supporting chess web pages. All source for the DLL is provided but someone interested only in using the DLL will find a 200 line program (Delphi) that is complete--and when run will create a tiny database while using most of the important functions.
PGC2toPGC3 Converter	This programs converts a version 2 PGC database file to the new version 3 format.
PGNEdit v.2.1.0.1	Chess viewer and database. Win95/98. Select, edit, play through, and archive games that you collect. Games are viewed in large word-processor window for easy access, copy & paste. Save in compact database format to allow quick search and retrieval (there is no limit to base size), or save as PGN. Export games to, and launch, your favorite chess programs. Sophisticated searching.  Please note as the developer is deceased it is not possible at this time to purchase a shareware registration. This version is posted only for completeness.
PGNEdit Accessories	Accessories for PGNEdit, Versions 1.3 and forward. Contents: a dll and dat file required for using the packed options of PGNEdit's special Open Packed & Save As Packed menu options; a jpg file showing the advantages of packing (PGN to PGC format) in conserving hard disk space. -Paul Onstad, U4 Chess
PGNEdit v. 2.0.9.4	Chess viewer and database. Win95/98. Select, edit, play through, and archive games that you collect. Games are viewed in large word-processor window for easy access, copy & paste. Save in compact database format to allow quick search and retrieval (there is no limit to base size), or save as PGN. Export games to, and launch, your favorite chess programs. Sophisticated searching. This version, as opposed to other shareware versions, has no timesouts yet contains all the features of PGNEdit 2.1 (except for cleanup changes made to version 2.1.0.1). This version also deals with both PGC version 2 and version 3.
PGNEditLite	PGNEditLite - Chess editor/viewer - Win95/98. Select, edit, play through, and view your largest PGN chess files. Save in compact database format for quick search and retrieval (each base can hold over 1 million games). Export games to, and launch, your favorite chess program. Sophisticated searching. This version, as opposed to previous shareware versions, has no timesouts yet contains all the features of PGNEdit 1.5 (except that the Search menu setting now saved in the INI).
PGNEdit Boards	Boards for PGNEdit based on freeware fonts.
CChunk v. 4.1	CCHUNK PGN File Split/Combine v. 4.1-1999 For Win3.1/Win95/Win98. Splits huge PGN files into smaller ones of up to 16,000 games each. Combines smaller files into larger ones. Unlimited size input. Files can be split by number of games or at specified points. Latter works for any ASCII file. Combine, likewise. Freeware from U4 Chess, Paul Onstad.
Slinger v. 1.4.2	Slinger will collect and organize all the loose PGN on your machine....put it in compact database form or simply build some meaningful files from all the miscellaneous ones. It can be used to sort, deduplicate, and select games based on contents. Files can be combined, split, transferred, copied, and extracted. Possible uses,  - separate games by top players (high Elo) from the rest of us  - separate correspondence from OTB  - separate Event/Site data by other than leftmost data contents  - separate annotated from unannotated games  - order games by collating sequence of notation or header contents  - produce duplicate or fuzzy candidate sets for Normal32  - drop 100% identical games without any fuss at all Other selections include those by game number and ranges of game numbers. There is no effective limit to the size of data that can be handled.
PGNSort v. 4.2	PGNSort v. 4.2  Sort & de-duplicate PGN games - for Win95/3.1. Freeware. Sort on game headers or notation. Notation sorts can be adjusted to order on move segments into the game by being given a move number (from-to) range. (This is the same program now included with NORMAL32.exe for fuzzy dup finding.) Also randomizes files (good for statistical studies).U4 Shareware.
HighRank v. 3.5	HIGHRANK v. 3.5 PGN Player Ranking (1998) HighRank uses a fuzzy-name matcher to quickly and accurately standardize all player names in your PGN collections while assigning the Elo fields. On option, splits collections between top level players and amateurs. Comes complete with names and current ratings for top 1,500 world players.
PGNSite v. 2.0	(Feb 2001) Quick little utility to customize the contents of your game headers. Get them the way you want them to look. Handles files of up to 100,000 games. FREEWARE!
SEClean	3rd Version of March 2001 (Build 1.1.0.14, March 12, 2001 23:46:22) SEClean eliminates a Site or Event that is a substring of its opposing member. When both are equal, Site is retained. This version allows high-ASCII characters in the data portion of PGN headers.
(Ya)hooScore Converter to PGN v. 1.0	(Ya)hooScore v1.0 Converter to PGN (2/01) Converts native Yahoo game scores to PGN via simple copy/paste while archiving them to a single file. Process with NORMAL32.exe once games are in PGN format. Normal will convert the notation as well. Freeware from U4Chess.
CollEdit v. 3.0	CollEdit v. 3.0 (1997) A general-purpose ASCII editor which also performs operations not possible using word processors (changing the order of columns in tabular lists, removing columns, & adding new ones; handy for ratings lists). Isolate headers, sort and edit, then recombine--useful for cleaning Site names of  PGN games (view sorted). Any PGN field can be isolated--allowing a clear view of all occurrences in a game file. Alphabetize lists or sort numerically, ascending/descending.
ECOClass v.1.3.2	ECOClass classifies PGN collections and assigns ECO codes and Opening name descriptions.
PGNScan v. 1.0	PGNScan v1.0 Notation Searching (6/99) Freeware, Win95 and up. PGNScan searches for chess scores based on notation--thus providing a method of selection that would not be possible by other methods. Searches can be by notation strings; moves (in any order); "without," or conditions ("Kh1 precedes Qe1"). All strings, moves, and conditions can be given ranges of move numbers in which they should occur--or not occur. Good for investigating systems and themes; works on any size PGN file.
ChessU4 v. 3.5	ChessU4 PGN Reader/Publisher v3.5 (6/97) Helps you study and manage your PGN game collections. View, edit, search, and diagram games. Handles many chess fonts.Version adds reversable board and is set up for Win95 drag/drop; CM5000 and Waxman chess import/export. Header and notation search logic. "U4" shareware.
ChessU3 v. 3.1.1	Mini-max tree searcher. U4 shareware by Paul Onstad.
Class C 1995 version	Colorful classification of game openings from PGN files.  For MS-DOS. U4 shareware by Paul Onstad.
MyBase Demo	MYBASE DEMO of PPKDLV01.DLL DATABASE for Win3.1 and Win95. DLL Ppkdlv01 proposes a packed format for PGN (.PGP) allowing the creation of very large chess databases and archives (exceeding one million games). Database functions include sorting, deduplication, position searching and a query language. MyBase source code included. EXE can be used by non-technical users to construct an actual chess database. By Paul Onstad.
MultiBase Database v. 1.0	MultiBase Packed PGN Database v1.0 (Win95/3.1) Introduces the new .PGC (PGN compressed) archive format in a database than can maintain up to 2 million games (310 MB hard disk space) in 10 linked bases. Comprehensive game searching and easy to use menus; much faster than the earlier MyBase demo. All unpacking source code included. U4 Shareware by Paul Onstad.
MBase32 v. 2.1	MBase32 v2.1 (MultiBase) Chess Database May 6 2001, MBase32 succeeds the 16 bit MultBase. Small application builds million-game chess databases from PGN. Unique packed format saves 75% of disk space compared to PGN. Extensive search capabilities; kill doubles including fuzzy doubles. Use as a companion to PGNEdit.exe or as a stand-alone. FREEWARE from U4Chess. - Paul Onstad
ECOMast	ECOMast is a comprehensive list of openings (over 2600) and their associated ECO codes.
ECOMast in PGN	List of openings in PGN format
PGN-Extract	PGN-Extract (formerly known as Extract) v. 15.0 was released on September 14, 2001 with several new features. Features added in this version:  EPD (Extended Position Description) output.  SAN-style output in languages other than English. The piece letters to be used will be completely configurable by the user.  Retention of non-standard tags in the output (these were previously discarded).  User-defined output order for tags.  The ability to specify arguments such as -t, -v, -x and -z via a file rather than on the command line.  The ability to use FEN descriptions for positional matches   These are the sources for a program to extract selected games from a PGN format data file. There are several ways to specify the criteria on which to extract: textual move sequences, the position reached after a sequence of moves, information in the tag fields, and material balance in the ending. The program includes a semantic analyser which will report errors in game scores and it is also able to detect duplicate games found in one or more of its input files.  The range of input move formats accepted is fairly wide and includes recognition of lower-case piece letters for English and upper-case piece letters for Dutch and German.  Extracted games may be written out either including or excluding comments, NAGs, and variations. Games may be given ECO classifications derived from the accompanying file eco.pgn, or a customised version provided by the user.  The latest version is v. 16.7 and can be found at the link given at the left.
CBASCII	CBASCII is a utility for converting ChessBase CBF files to and from ASCII files. The most common type of ASCII file format used is Portable Game Notation (PGN) and many games on the Internet are published in this format. The source code is available here which includes the source code for other CBF utilities.
FGCRW	The free version of opening book multiconvertor Fritz-Genius-ChessMaster-Rebel-WChess.
Find Draw v. 2.2	FindDraw v. 2.2 by Matthias Gemuh detecting three-fold repetition in PGN files.
PGNSplit	PgnSplit v.1.2 by Odd Gunnar Malin. This commandline tool will take an inputfile in pgn-format with variations and output each variation as a separate game into the outputfile.
Yahoo2PGN converter	For those who like to play chess on the Yahoo chess servers then get their game history emailed to them, this free  page will convert the game from Yahoo format to PGN format.   There are a few improvements over some other converters found on the web: - correctly handles enpassant - works with firefox - handles unfinished games - correctly handles pawn promotion The link is here:   http://www.douglassdavis.com/pgnchess2006/

PGN Utilities Written in Perl

Links

 Chess Today

 Chess Assistant

 Chess Assistance

 Alpine Fonts  Alpine Electronics sells a variety of TrueType and PostScript chess fonts for both Windows or Macintosh computers. They can be used to create chess diagrams with six different borders and algebraic figurine notation with the complete set of Informant and New-In-Chess annotation symbols. There are three main styles or font families -- Linares, Hastings and Zurich.

Any questions or comments should be sent to the Webmaster .

Notification of Changes

Last amended on May 1, 2009.