Lichess Broadcaster App

The free, cross-platform desktop application for automatically uploading PGN files (chess game notation) from your local computer to a live Lichess Broadcast.

Some smart chess boards used in OTB (over the board) events can write PGN files to a folder on your computer. This application monitors that folder and uploads the PGN file in real-time using the Lichess API. In practice, this means anyone with internet access can follow the ongoing OTB games live and with minimal additional effort from tournament organisers. Lichess freely provides the infrastructure to show the tournament games to thousands of spectators, which would otherwise be a costly or technically challenging task for organizers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Irhz7hH2kX8

Download

* Note that for MacOS, it is currently unsigned. To run, go to System Settings and allow apps from unidentified developers. We are working on adding signing.

Source

This is an open source application and the code is available on GitHub.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I set a delay?

A delay can be set when setting up the Broadcast in Lichess, on the second page - in advanced settings.

The software is sending a PGN, but it does not show on Lichess

Check that the White and Black players have their names included, Lichess will not show boards without player names.

Why are the boards out of order?

This can be due to incorrect ordering in the file, or due to the software sending the boards in the wrong order.
Use the "Reset round + Re-upload game PGNs" button to fix this issue.
In some cases, you can reorder directly through Lichess:

When can I close the software?

As soon as the final moves are submitted to the our servers, the software can be closed. The delay is done on our servers, so you do not need to wait for the delayed Broadcast to finish.

There is no games.pgn file in the folder

By default, DGT boards do not generate a games.pgn file. You will need to activate this manually under the "Combine PGNs per round" setting.

How can I share the Broadcast to other sites?

On the Lichess Broadcast page, navigate to the "Sharing is caring" page in the overview and use the provided links to distribute.

Why does Lichess show results when the game is still ongoing?

Lichess replicates what it received in the PGN files. This is most likely due to incorrect PGN files being sent by the board.

For further assistance, ask for help on our Discord or by emailing broadcast@lichess.org