# Lichess Open Chess Intelligence MCP > Lichess.org Open Chess Intelligence connects your AI client directly to the Lichess API. It pulls live tournament broadcasts, fetches real-time player ratings, and tracks who is currently playing on Lichess TV. You get raw chess data, match histories, and daily puzzles without writing custom API wrappers. ## Overview - **Category:** artificial-intelligence - **Price:** Free - **Tags:** chess, real-time-data, tournament-tracking, player-analytics, game-analysis, open-source ## Description You want to track chess matches, analyze player stats, or just see who is live right now. Doing this manually means refreshing browser tabs, copying PGN strings into analysis boards, and guessing who is actually online. This connector changes that. It gives your AI agent direct access to the entire Lichess ecosystem. Because it lives on Vinkius, you just connect your preferred client once and the data flows. You ask about a specific player, and your agent pulls their recent match history, ratings across different time controls, and current online status. You want to follow a major tournament, and your agent fetches the live broadcast feeds and board evaluations. It handles the API rate limits and data parsing behind the scenes. You just talk to your agent in plain English and get the exact chess intelligence you need. You can scout an opponent's opening repertoire, track a grandmaster's live stream, or just grab the daily puzzle to warm up. No custom API wrappers, no manual data entry, no switching between five different tabs just to figure out who is playing what. It turns a fragmented web interface into a single conversational command. ## Tools ### get_daily_puzzle Fetches the official chess puzzle of the day for tactical training. ### get_leaderboards Pulls the top player rankings and ratings across all chess variants. ### get_player_data Retrieves public profile information and ratings for a specific user. ### get_tv_channels Shows which grandmasters are currently playing live on Lichess TV. ### get_team_members Lists every player currently registered to a specific Lichess team. ### get_user_activity Pulls the recent activity log and game history for a specific player. ### get_user_games Fetches the detailed match history and PGN data for a user. ### get_users_online_status Checks if a specific list of players is currently online. ### list_broadcasts Lists all ongoing official tournament broadcasts and live matches. ### list_live_streamers Shows which chess streamers are currently broadcasting live. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Check which Grandmasters are currently playing live on Lichess TV. ``` **Response:** ``` Retrieving Lichess TV channels... I've identified that GM Magnus Carlsen is currently live in the Blitz channel, and GM Hikaru Nakamura is playing in the Bullet channel. Would you like to see the real-time board status for either match? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Retrieve the last 5 games for player 'UserX' and provide the PGN links. ``` **Response:** ``` Inspecting match history for UserX... I've retrieved 5 recent matches, including a victory against an IM. I have the technical results and the direct PGN download links for each. Shall I perform a move-by-move analysis for any of them? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Analyze the ongoing official broadcast for the 'Candidates Tournament 2024'. ``` **Response:** ``` Accessing official broadcast feed... The Candidates Tournament is currently live. I've identified 4 active boards. On Board 1, Nepomniachtchi has a slight technical advantage (+0.8) according to Stockfish analysis. Would you like the full move sequence for this game? ``` ## Capabilities ### Track live tournament broadcasts Fetch ongoing official tournament feeds and board evaluations in real time. ### Pull player match histories Retrieve recent games, PGN data, and activity logs for any specific user. ### Monitor who is playing right now Check live Lichess TV channels and see which grandmasters are currently online. ### Analyze player ratings and stats Get detailed profile data and rankings across all chess variants for a given account. ### Fetch daily training puzzles Grab the official puzzle of the day to use in tactical training routines. ### Inspect team rosters List all members belonging to a specific Lichess team or club. ## Use Cases ### Scouting an opponent before a tournament A coach needs to analyze an upcoming opponent. They ask their agent to run get_player_data and get_user_games. The agent pulls the opponent's rating history and last ten PGNs, giving the coach raw data to prepare a specific opening strategy. ### Tracking a live world championship A chess journalist is covering a major event. They use list_broadcasts to find the official tournament feed, then ask the agent to monitor get_tv_channels to see which boards are currently playing critical endgames. ### Scheduling a team simul A club captain needs to organize a weekend event. They run get_team_members to get the roster, then use get_users_online_status to see who is actually online right now to confirm attendance. ### Creating daily chess content A streamer needs material for their morning video. They ask the agent to fetch get_daily_puzzle for a tactical segment, then run get_leaderboards to see who moved up in the bullet rankings overnight. ## Benefits - Stop manually refreshing tournament pages. Use list_broadcasts to pull live official feeds and board evaluations directly into your chat window. - Scout opponents before your match. Run get_user_games to fetch their recent PGN data and analyze their opening repertoire without leaving your IDE. - Know exactly who is playing right now. Query get_tv_channels to see which grandmasters are live on Lichess TV and jump straight into the action. - Track player progress over time. Use get_user_activity to pull chronological activity logs and spot when a specific player is on a winning streak. - Organize club events faster. Run get_users_online_status to check which team members are actually at their keyboards before scheduling a rapid simul. ## How It Works The bottom line is you stop clicking through web tabs and just ask your agent for the exact chess data you need. 1. Subscribe to the connector and add your Lichess Personal Access Token if you need higher rate limits. 2. Connect it to your AI client like Cursor or Claude Desktop. 3. Ask your agent to pull live tournament data, fetch a player's recent games, or check who is streaming right now. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Does Lichess.org Open Chess Intelligence MCP let me play games?** No. This is a read-only data connector. It pulls stats, puzzles, and broadcast feeds, but it cannot execute moves or interact with active game boards. **Do I need a Lichess API key for Lichess.org Open Chess Intelligence MCP?** You do not need one to start, but adding your Personal Access Token in the settings significantly increases your rate limits for heavy data pulls. **Can Lichess.org Open Chess Intelligence MCP track live move-by-move engine evaluations?** No. It fetches the current state of live broadcasts and TV channels. For deep move-by-move engine analysis, you need to feed the pulled PGNs into a dedicated chess engine. **How many players can I check at once with Lichess.org Open Chess Intelligence MCP?** You can check multiple players at once using the online status tool, but you should keep the list under 50 usernames to avoid hitting API rate limits. **Does Lichess.org Open Chess Intelligence MCP work with Cursor and Claude Desktop?** Yes. It works with any MCP-compatible client, including Cursor, Claude Desktop, Windsurf, and VS Code. **Can Lichess.org Open Chess Intelligence MCP pull PGN files from official tournaments?** Yes. The list_broadcasts tool fetches active tournament feeds and extracts complete PGN data for every board. You get the raw move sequences to analyze tactical patterns without manual copying. **How do I get the daily puzzle using Lichess.org Open Chess Intelligence MCP?** The get_daily_puzzle tool pulls the current Lichess puzzle directly into your chat. It returns the FEN string and the solution moves so you can practice tactics immediately. **Does Lichess.org Open Chess Intelligence MCP show who is streaming right now?** Yes. The get_tv_channels tool checks the platform for active top-level games. Your agent will tell you exactly which Grandmasters are playing live on Lichess TV at that exact second. **Can my AI agent actually monitor a specific world championship game as it happens?** Yes! Use the `list_broadcasts` tool to find the tournament and then identify the specific match ID. The agent will retrieve technical updates and moves directly from the Lichess official transmission feed. **Do I need a paid account to access the Lichess technical data?** No. Lichess is a non-profit organization and all public data is free. However, providing a Personal Access Token (PAT) is highly recommended to ensure stable performance and higher rate limits during deep analysis sessions. **How do I see who are the top players currently competing in a specific variant like 'Crazyhouse'?** Simply ask the agent to run the `get_leaderboards` or `get_top_10_variant_leaderboard` tool. It will retrieve the elite rankings for all supported variants, including the player's rating and title status.