# Install fairymax with Homebrew, apt, Nix AI for playing Chess variants. Version 5.0b via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:fairymax ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install fairymax ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install fairymax ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: fairymax from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#fairymax ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/fa/fairymax/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:fairymax - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 5.0b - **Source summary:** AI for playing Chess variants - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** LicenseRef-Homebrew-public-domain - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - fairymax (cli) - maxqi (cli) - shamax (cli) - fairymax (alias) - maxqi (alias) - shamax (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 5.0b - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.chessvariants.com/index/msdisplay.php?itemid=MSfairy-max - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage Fairy-Max is H.G. Muller's free, open-source chess-variant engine. It is derived from micro-Max and replaces fixed move tables with definitions loaded from fmax.ini, making it useful for experimenting with fairy pieces and variant rule sets. ### Project history The project was created to empirically evaluate fairy pieces by letting them play in checkmating chess games against orthodox pieces. Its design keeps the engine textual and protocol-oriented rather than graphical: Fairy-Max communicates through the WinBoard protocol and expects a GUI such as WinBoard or XBoard to handle display and game interaction. Fairy-Max also produced or shipped alongside specialized variants such as ShaMax for Shatranj-like behavior and MaxQi for Xiangqi-specific constraints, reflecting the same small-engine approach applied to variants that do not fit the generic fmax.ini model. ### Adoption history The official documentation says Fairy-Max became included in the standard WinBoard install as a ready-to-run engine. In package-manager culture it is notable because a small, configurable chess engine can be installed as a command-line program while still serving GUI users through the long-running WinBoard/XBoard engine ecosystem. ### How it is used Users edit fmax.ini to define piece moves, board sizes, and variant setups, then run Fairy-Max as a WinBoard-compatible engine. The same package commonly exposes related binaries such as fairymax, maxqi, and shamax for the generic engine and dedicated variant engines. ### Why package nerds care Fairy-Max is the sort of package that rewards distribution packaging: it is small, old-school, text-configurable, and useful only when installed together with the right data files and GUI protocol expectations. The fmax.ini file is part of the program's behavior, not just optional sample configuration. ### Timeline - Undated: H.G. Muller creates Fairy-Max as a chess-variant engine derived from micro-Max. - Undated: Fairy-Max is included with the standard WinBoard install as a ready-to-run engine. - Undated: Dedicated variants such as ShaMax and MaxQi are distributed with the Fairy-Max downloads. ### Related projects - Fairy-Max is closely related to micro-Max, WinBoard/XBoard, ShaMax, MaxQi, and other WinBoard-compatible chess-variant engines. ### Sources - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Configuration and credential file locations These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval. ## Configuration files - Unix: fmax.ini ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** fairymax - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - fairymax - 5.0b-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: fairymax from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | xboard compatible chess and chess-variant engine | https://home.hccnet.nl/h.g.muller/CVfairy.html - Nix - fairymax: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/fa/fairymax/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - fairymax - 5.0b-1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: fairymax from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | xboard compatible chess and chess-variant engine | http://home.hccnet.nl/h.g.muller/CVfairy.html ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Game and emulation packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/game-emulation-tools/) - Matched game or emulation metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [xboard](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/xboard/) - Popular package that depends on this formula. - [fairy-stockfish](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fairy-stockfish/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chess, chess-variants, cli, engine, games. - [lc0](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/lc0/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chess, cli, engine, games. - [stockfish](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/stockfish/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chess, cli, engine, games. - [gnu-chess](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gnu-chess/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chess, cli, games, xboard. - [polyglot](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/polyglot/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chess, cli, games, xboard. - [cheops](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cheops/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chess, cli, games. - [fheroes2](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fheroes2/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, engine, games. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/fairymax.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/fairymax.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph