Fedora and related desktops can take pychess-*-1.py312.noarch.rpm from the same GitHub tag as the Windows MSI. Source rpms also ship; everyday installs want the noarch package, not the src rpm.
Steps
- Open PyChess releases and confirm the py312 noarch rpm.
- Download that rpm.
- Install with your rpm tool, for example
sudo rpm -Uvh pychess-*-1.py312.noarch.rpm. That command remains UNVERIFIED here. - Launch PyChess and prove one local game.
If your distro already ships pychess, decide whether policy wants the distro package or the GitHub rpm. Mixing both on one user without notes causes confused uninstalls.
After install
Deb path: .deb. First hour: installed. Machine chooser: for this computer.
Write rpm on the ticket. Club images should not silently fall back to an older distro package after a reimage.
What this path is for
This rpm path is still a local chess client install. It is not a website signup and it is not a Windows MSI. Keep website boards as a fallback if the room wants live ratings.
Rank Timber maps filenames. Upstream remains at pychess.github.io. Related: releases and is it safe.
After the proof game, attach engines only if you need them. Engine notes: PGN and engines. Updates: update uninstall.
Lab notes for Fedora desks
Rpm and .deb are different doors. A mixed lab can still share one GitHub tag if Windows takes the MSI, Debian takes the .deb, and Fedora takes the py312 noarch rpm. Write those three names on the wall chart.
src.rpm files are for packagers. Everyday installs want the noarch rpm. If someone grabbed the source rpm by mistake, stop and take the noarch file instead.
SELinux or extra sandboxes may change how engines spawn. This guide does not claim to have tested those policies. Prove a local game first, then attach engines.
Keep website bookmarks for rated pools if the club wants them. The rpm path is still a local GTK client. Related: vs online chess sites.
Rank Timber maps the rpm filename. Upstream remains at pychess.github.io. After the proof game, document the engine policy so Hint Mode arrows do not point at a missing binary. Updates: update uninstall.
Shared-machine rhythm
Write the installer class on the ticket beside the OS version. After every reimage, take that same class from GitHub Releases, launch the GTK window, and replay one saved PGN. That three-step loop catches vanished packages and portal shortcuts that reappear from old bookmarks.
Keep engine binaries on a documented path. Keep the PGN folder off the package tree so uninstalls do not wipe club history. Keep website bookmarks if rated pools still matter, and keep them labelled as a different job.
Rank Timber publishes the install map. Upstream remains at pychess.github.io. Related doors stay under guides, releases, and installed.
Frequently asked questions
Is this chess guide free to follow?
Yes. Rank Timber publishes install steps without a paywall so anyone can follow the chess path. PyChess itself ships under GPL-3.0. Website billing stays your responsibility and is separate from the program licence. Extra engines such as Stockfish keep their own licences when you install them beside the client.
Where should I download the rpm chess setup?
Prefer GitHub Releases for pychess/pychess when you want named chess assets. Take pychess-*-mingw_x86_64_msvcrt_gnu.msi on Windows or python3-pychess_*.deb on Linux. Keep Softonic-style mirrors out of the loop. Document the update door on the machine ticket so the next bump stays honest for shared desks.
Does the chess client work offline after install?
After the first download, PyChess can play and analyze offline with the built-in engine and any engine already on disk. You still need network for the first MSI or .deb fetch, and for optional FICS or ICC later. A desk install does not require a website account before the first game.