{"id":69,"date":"2025-04-21T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-21T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.chessboardmagic.com\/?p=69"},"modified":"2025-09-28T22:04:24","modified_gmt":"2025-09-28T22:04:24","slug":"chess-repertoire-builder-beta-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.chessboardmagic.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/21\/chess-repertoire-builder-beta-update\/","title":{"rendered":"Chess Repertoire Builder Beta Update"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>\u201cI hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.\u201d \u2013 Confucius<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I released the Repertoire Builder Alpha on March 28th, I had no idea what to expect. I was genuinely surprised when over 700 users logged in to explore the platform, and even more so by the thoughtful feedback and encouragement from the community. The comments, suggestions, and bug reports have been incredibly helpful in refining the experience, and thanks to that support, I\u2019m excited to announce the launch of the Beta version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Start Building Your Repertoire Today!<br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/chessboardmagic.com\/repertoirebuilder\">https:\/\/chessboardmagic.com\/repertoirebuilder<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Since this is still a new platform and I\u2019m carefully monitoring performance, feedback, and usage, the&nbsp;<strong>Beta<\/strong>&nbsp;will be limited to&nbsp;<strong>3,000 total<\/strong>&nbsp;users<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lichess.org\/@\/HollowLeaf\/blog\/chess-repertoire-builder-beta-update\/hfMtn2Rs#alpha-recap--usage-stats--thank-you-for-the-incredible-support\"><\/a>Alpha Recap &amp; Usage Stats \u2013 Thank You for the Incredible Support<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before we dive into what\u2019s new in the Beta, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on how far things have come since the initial release. The Alpha launch wasn\u2019t just about testing infrastructure \u2014 it was about seeing whether this platform could genuinely help players study, build, and improve their openings.<br>Here\u2019s a quick recap of what the Alpha version included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A clean and intuitive\u00a0<strong>Repertoire Builder<\/strong>\u00a0for creating and organizing multiple repertoires<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Support for\u00a0<strong>importing PGNs and Lichess Studies<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A library of\u00a0<strong>pre-built repertoire templates<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The\u00a0<strong>Repertoire Wizard<\/strong>\u00a0to generate lines from any position<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Stockfish move suggestions<\/strong>\u00a0and full repertoire analysis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A\u00a0<strong>Master Games Database<\/strong>\u00a0for model study<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Interactive\u00a0<strong>Position and Repertoire Trainers<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Game import &amp; comparison<\/strong>\u00a0against your repertoire<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Seamless\u00a0<strong>PGN export<\/strong>\u00a0to give you full control over your data<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>With just a Lichess blog post and a few mentions elsewhere, I figured a handful of curious players might give it a try. Instead, I was blown away \u2014 not just by how many of you showed up, but by the thoughtful feedback, encouragement, and ideas that followed.<br>Here\u2019s what came out of the Alpha release:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>720<\/strong>\u00a0total users\u00a0<em>(yes, my user limiting system had a bug \u2014 so we accidentally sailed past the 500-user cap)<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>998<\/strong>\u00a0repertoires created<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>207,203<\/strong>\u00a0moves added<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>7,864<\/strong>\u00a0user games imported<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When I launched the Alpha, my goals were simple: to validate the infrastructure and to see if this could actually become a useful tool for real chess players. I\u2019m genuinely thrilled that so many of you not only gave it a shot \u2014 but kept coming back, building repertoires, training, and sharing feedback.<br>Based on that momentum \u2014 and all the valuable feedback \u2014 here\u2019s what\u2019s new in the Beta release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Just a peek behind the curtain for the curious: the Repertoire Builder and its features \u2013 from building to training and analysis \u2013 are the result of over 40,000 lines of code and more than 300 hours of evening work.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lichess.org\/@\/HollowLeaf\/blog\/chess-repertoire-builder-beta-update\/hfMtn2Rs#new-features\"><\/a>New Features<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I had a roadmap in mind when I first launched the Repertoire Builder, but honestly, many of the most impactful features came directly from your suggestions. So before anything else \u2014 a big thank you to everyone who took the time to share feedback, report bugs, and request features. Here are some of the key updates in the Beta version:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lichess.org\/@\/HollowLeaf\/blog\/chess-repertoire-builder-beta-update\/hfMtn2Rs#mobile-friendly-experience--train-anywhere\"><\/a>Mobile-Friendly Experience \u2013 Train Anywhere<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The Repertoire Builder is now fully optimized for mobile devices. Whether you&#8217;re building lines on your phone or reviewing a variation during a tournament break, the layout adjusts seamlessly to smaller screens. Navigation, editing, and training have all been redesigned to ensure a smooth experience, no matter the device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lichess.org\/@\/HollowLeaf\/blog\/chess-repertoire-builder-beta-update\/hfMtn2Rs#massive-training-update--smarter-practice-deeper-learning\"><\/a>Massive Training Update \u2013 Smarter Practice, Deeper Learning<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Training just got a major upgrade. The new&nbsp;<strong>Training Home<\/strong>&nbsp;gives you a central hub to track your progress with detailed stats like&nbsp;<strong>accuracy<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>average response time<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>daily activity<\/strong>, and&nbsp;<strong>training memory scores<\/strong>. These metrics help you stay on top of your improvement journey by showing not just how much you&#8217;re training, but how well you&#8217;re retaining what you&#8217;ve learned.<br>We&#8217;ve also introduced a powerful new system called&nbsp;<strong>Training Memory<\/strong>, a scoring model that evaluates every move you make \u2014 factoring in correctness, the number of mistakes, and how quickly you responded. This score is used to dynamically prioritize positions in both the&nbsp;<strong>Position Trainer<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Repertoire Trainer<\/strong>, gently surfacing weak spots without making them feel repetitive or predictable. Over time, the system naturally adjusts to your strengths and weaknesses, helping you improve with focused, efficient practice.<br>On top of that, we\u2019re launching two brand new training modes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Weakness Trainer<\/strong>: This mode targets the positions you\u2019ve consistently gotten wrong, offering laser-focused practice to help you convert those problem areas into solid strengths. You\u2019ll see your lowest-scoring positions from across all repertoires \u2014 just click and train.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Spaced Trainer<\/strong>: Based on the principles of\u00a0<strong>spaced repetition<\/strong>, this trainer schedules positions for review at just the right time \u2014 not too soon, not too late. It uses a memory model (FSRS) to estimate when you&#8217;re most likely to forget a move and brings it up\u00a0<em>just before<\/em>\u00a0that happens. The result? You review less often but retain far more. This mode is ideal for long-term mastery \u2014 perfect for locking in your repertoire with minimal effort over time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Master Game Review:<\/strong>\u00a0Want to see how top players handle the positions in your repertoire? This mode selects real master games that match positions from your lines, letting you explore how elite players continued. It\u2019s a great way to deepen your understanding and see your repertoire in action \u2014 played out on the biggest stage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>A big thank you for Marcus Buffett of&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/chessbook.com\/\">Chessbook<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;for pointing me to the technology to implement Spaced Training.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>And inside the&nbsp;<strong>Repertoire Builder<\/strong>, you can now view your openings by&nbsp;<strong>Training Accuracy<\/strong>, making it incredibly easy to identify which lines need more work \u2014 or celebrate the ones you&#8217;ve mastered.<br>This update is all about making your training&nbsp;<strong>smarter, more personalized, and more effective<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014 whether you&#8217;re prepping for tournaments or just aiming to play better moves more often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lichess.org\/@\/HollowLeaf\/blog\/chess-repertoire-builder-beta-update\/hfMtn2Rs#quality-of-life-enhancements--small-touches-big-impact\"><\/a>Quality of Life Enhancements \u2013 Small Touches, Big Impact<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Alongside the major features, I\u2019ve added a number of smaller improvements to make the overall experience smoother, more organized, and easier to navigate. Here are some of the key updates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Repertoire Organization with Folders<\/strong><br>The Repertoire Card has been upgraded to support folders and nested repertoires. Whether you&#8217;re prepping for specific opponents or organizing by color or theme, your workspace can now match how you think about your openings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Split Annotations into Categories<\/strong><br>Annotations are now more structured and meaningful. You can assign a single\u00a0<strong>Move Category<\/strong>\u00a0(like\u00a0<code>!!<\/code>\u00a0or\u00a0<code>?!<\/code>), a\u00a0<strong>Position Evaluation<\/strong>\u00a0(such as &#8220;White is better&#8221;), and multiple\u00a0<strong>Observations<\/strong>\u00a0(e.g. &#8220;Novelty&#8221;, &#8220;Counterplay&#8221;) \u2014 allowing for cleaner, more informative notes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Improved Move Highlighting<\/strong><br>The selected move now has a clearer visual indicator, helping you stay oriented in complex lines or when moving quickly through variations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Master Database Game Imports<\/strong><br>You can now bring in games from the Master Database directly into your repertoire, making it easier to learn from high-level play and integrate instructive examples into your study lines.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Recreated the Repertoire Templates with Stockfish Depth 20<\/strong><br>Repertoire templates were rebuilt from scratch using engine depth 20 for more accurate and better suggestions. The number of templates have been increased to 118.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cosmetic Changes<\/strong><br>Made numerous small cosmetic tweaks across the platform to improve visual consistency, layout spacing, and overall polish.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Increased Limits<\/strong><br>Based on usage patterns and costs, I have increased the limits of the free tier to 5,000 moves, 10 repertoires and 100 imported games.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lichess.org\/@\/HollowLeaf\/blog\/chess-repertoire-builder-beta-update\/hfMtn2Rs#bug-fixes--thank-you-for-helping-improve-the-platform\"><\/a>Bug Fixes \u2013 Thank You for Helping Improve the Platform<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A huge thank you to everyone who used the platform and reported bugs or areas for improvement. Your feedback has been invaluable in making the app more stable and reliable. Here&#8217;s a breakdown of the fixes included in this Beta release:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Limited PGN import file size to 1MB to prevent issues caused by unusually large files \u2014 and to be fair, that\u2019s already a pretty huge PGN.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fixed an issue where editing\u00a0<strong>user-imported games<\/strong>\u00a0didn\u2019t save correctly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fixed an issue where the rendering of arrows and square highlights was always from White\u2019s perspective; they now correctly reflect the board orientation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fixed an issue where using the left and right arrow keys while typing in the comment box would navigate the board, which was disruptive; navigation is now disabled while entering comments.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fixed connection stability issues \u2014 if a tab is left open for too long and becomes disconnected, the app now informs you so you\u2019re not unknowingly working in an inactive session.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Additionally, I\u2019ve implemented various backend performance and infrastructure improvements for better reliability, and added internal monitoring tools to help track performance and diagnose issues more accurately.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lichess.org\/@\/HollowLeaf\/blog\/chess-repertoire-builder-beta-update\/hfMtn2Rs#whats-coming-next\"><\/a>What\u2019s Coming Next<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With the Beta now live, I\u2019m shifting focus to the next wave of features and improvements. Some of these are already in motion, and others are part of the bigger roadmap for the full release. Here\u2019s a preview of what\u2019s ahead:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Redesign and Implement a Clean Transposition System<\/strong><br>I&#8217;m planning a deeper look into how the transposition system can be improved to make it more intuitive and give you greater control over how transpositions are represented. This new system will also be integrated into the wizard generators and templates for a more consistent and powerful repertoire-building experience.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Opponent Preparation Module<\/strong><br>One of the most exciting features in development. I already have tools for opponent prep on Chessboard Magic that compare two user accounts to find overlapping weaknesses. The goal now is to bring that functionality into the Repertoire Builder as a new module \u2014 allowing you to enter your opponent\u2019s Lichess or Chess.com profile and instantly identify lines in your repertoire where you\u2019re strong and they\u2019re weak.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Search by Move, PGN, or FEN with Highlighting<\/strong><br>Quickly find specific positions or lines by typing a move sequence, pasting a PGN, or entering a FEN \u2014 with matches clearly highlighted.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Repertoire Management<\/strong><br>I am working on a powerful set of tools to give you full control over your repertoire structure. You\u2019ll be able to\u00a0<strong>import PGNs or individual games directly into existing repertoires<\/strong>. In addition,\u00a0<strong>merge and split functionality<\/strong>\u00a0will let you combine related repertoires or break them into smaller, more focused sections \u2014 making it easier than ever to manage and refine your openings as your preparation evolves.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Localisation and Multi-language Support<\/strong><br>I plan to bring full localisation to the Repertoire Builder \u2014 just like Chessboard Magic, which already supports 12 languages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Enhance the User Game Import Experience<\/strong><br>Now that the Builder and Training systems have matured, I\u2019ll be focusing on improving the user game import flow, adding smarter tools to connect your games and repertoire more meaningfully.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Update to Stockfish 17<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Upgrade the engine used for analysis and repertoire generation to leverage the latest evaluation improvements and strength enhancements from Stockfish 17.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Your feedback will also heavily drive the next steps, so if there&#8217;s something you\u2019d love to see or improve, don\u2019t hesitate to reach out \u2014 this platform is being built with you, and for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I didn\u2019t plan on making this many updates so soon \u2014 as a parent of a two-year-old with multiple work commitments, I honestly wasn\u2019t sure how much time I\u2019d be able to dedicate. But your support, feedback, and encouragement have been incredibly energizing. It\u2019s been amazing to see the community engage with something I\u2019ve built, and I\u2019m genuinely excited about where this platform is heading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you haven\u2019t tried the Repertoire Builder yet, now\u2019s a great time to dive in and explore everything that\u2019s new in Beta. And if you\u2019ve already been using it \u2014 thank you. Your feedback and continued support have been the driving force behind this update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Start exploring here:<br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/chessboardmagic.com\/repertoirebuilder\">https:\/\/chessboardmagic.com\/repertoirebuilder<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Beta is currently limited to 3,000 total users, so if you&#8217;re interested, don\u2019t wait too long to jump in. I\u2019d love to hear your thoughts \u2014 feel free to send me a DM or join the conversation on&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/discord.gg\/c82jQuy9AM\">Discord<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cI hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.\u201d \u2013 Confucius When I released the Repertoire Builder Alpha on March 28th, I had no idea what to expect. I was genuinely surprised when over 700 users logged in to explore the platform, and even more so by the thoughtful [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":70,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.chessboardmagic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.chessboardmagic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.chessboardmagic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.chessboardmagic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.chessboardmagic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.chessboardmagic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":71,"href":"https:\/\/blog.chessboardmagic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69\/revisions\/71"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.chessboardmagic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/70"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.chessboardmagic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.chessboardmagic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.chessboardmagic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}