Ironwood knowledge base

Understand your game.

Guides to playing, reviewing, saving, training, and online features. Start with a question or browse the topics below.

Set up Companion Download Companion Getting started Explore the full graph Lichess profiles Troubleshooting

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45 articles

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Getting started

Find a game, open the analysis workspace, and learn what to look at first.

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Playing a game

Start a local or online game, choose a position, and use the basic game controls.

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Import games

Import PGN, ZIP and Scid databases, fetch online games, or enter a handwritten scoresheet.

play

Puzzles

Solve Lichess puzzles and review mistakes with local progress.

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Playing online with FICS

Use the FICS window to connect, chat, find opponents, watch public games, and preview or review player history.

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Keyboard move input

Type chess moves with a translucent input overlay, and navigate game positions with arrow keys.

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Board and view settings

Switch between 2D and 3D, change notation, and adjust what the board shows.

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Import games from Lichess

Filter completed Lichess games by date and time control, fetch up to 200, or import one game by its link.

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Board themes and appearance

Choose and customize 2D or 3D themes, with guidance on artwork downloads, Retry, and offline use.

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Saved games and backups

Find your games, understand local browser storage, and preserve a backup.

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Train against AI

Choose a training engine, build a profile, play both colors, and follow your progress.

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Import a chess puzzle from another site

Bring a puzzle position into Ironwood with a FEN or a board screenshot.

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Taking notes and adding annotations

Use Annotations for drawings, written notes, and searchable chess symbols beside the board.

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Drawing arrows and highlighting squares

Draw arrows, square highlights, crosses, and ghost pieces; edit drawings, switch styles, and undo changes.

analysis

Tactical Map

Explore patterns, opponent threats, move changes, positional activity, knight routes, and pin-aware safety.

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Import games from Chess.com

Filter completed Chess.com games by date and time control, fetch up to 200, and choose which to save.

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Opening Explorer

Explore common opening moves and game results without changing your game.

analysis

Evaluation and the graph

What a positive or negative score means, and how to read a swing in the graph.

analysis

Expanded game analysis graph

Navigate the full graph, read capture markers, and inspect positions with drawings and engine arrows.

analysis

Compare saved analyses

Switch saved engine runs with numbered buttons or keys 1–9, and inspect each run's recorded settings.

analysis

Review time use and move quality

Read time-per-move bars, remaining-clock lines, and the time-versus-quality quadrant.

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Play on Lichess

Use the Lichess lobby, set up computer games, resume correspondence games, and chat during play.

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Lichess player profiles

Browse any player, compare ratings, inspect performance and activity, and preview notable games.

analysis

Move labels

Understand Best, Good, Inaccuracy, Mistake, and Blunder in Ironwood.

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Import a game from a scoresheet

Manually enter chess moves beside a scoresheet photo, with a board preview and live validation.

analysis

What do the move symbols mean?

A quick guide to the star, plus, question marks, and move notation shown during review.

terms

Accuracy and CPL

Read the side-by-side accuracy and average centipawn loss charts for both players and each game phase.

terms

Analysis glossary

Quick, plain-language definitions of the short labels and chess terms you may see in Ironwood.

analysis

Best move and engine line

Choose a prediction engine, compare candidate arrows and scores, and distinguish saved alternatives from live analysis.

terms

Search depth and settings

Set up Stockfish for play, realtime analysis, and full-game analysis, with defaults and lighter-PC suggestions.

settings

Set up Companion for Windows

Install Companion, connect your browser, and understand where your games are saved.

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Engines and storage with Companion

Install and manage desktop engines, choose an archive, and follow automatic imports.

settings

Companion troubleshooting

Resolve startup, connection, import, and update problems without losing your archive.

analysis

Game phases and critical moves

How Ironwood groups moves and chooses moments for a closer look.

settings

Optional usage statistics

Choose whether to share usage statistics and change your choice later.

analysis

Pawn structure, piece mobility, and king safety

Explore the positional insight tabs, compare pieces, and follow changes through a game.

analysis

Syzygy endgame tablebases

Read exact endgame outcomes, understand DTZ and DTM, and explore branching continuations on the board.

settings

Troubleshooting and recovery

Recover from a frozen page, diagnose loading problems, and protect locally saved games.

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Saving and sharing analysis

Understand saved games, PGN, analysis JSON, and printable reports.

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Lichess studies

Read chapters, explore variations, practice moves, and keep your own notes.

terms

What is FEN?

Learn how a FEN records one chess position and how to use it in Ironwood.

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What is PGN?

Understand the portable game file that records moves, results, and optional notes.

terms

How to read chess moves

A beginner's guide to board squares, piece letters, captures, check, and castling.

terms

What is Elo?

Understand chess ratings and Ironwood's illustrative Elo calculator.

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Using the Position Editor

Set up a board, import a screenshot, check position details, and start from your custom position.