Board navigation
Create branches, toggle variants, and navigate variation lines with move/variation lists, keyboard shortcuts, and auto-play.
Variant test panel: create branches, toggle variant mode, then use move/variation lists (click or keyboard) to navigate and switch lines. Step back to a fork to see numbered variant arrows on the board; click an arrow to enter that line. Branch-nav (⎇< / ⎇>) jumps to the same fork points, not into a variation’s first move.
Annotation testing guide (keyboard)
Click the board once so it has the shortcut outline. Open Shortcuts on the toolbar for the full list. Arrows: drag from square to square, or click start then end square.
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl hold + draw | Live scratch overlay (temporary until saved or cleared) |
| Shift hold + draw | Annotation on the current move (persists in move list) |
| Enter or Ctrl+S | Save all live annotations to the current move |
| Ctrl+Escape | Clear all live annotations |
| Ctrl+Backspace | Remove the last annotation you added (undo one step) |
| Alt + click arrow | Delete that arrow |
| Alt + right-click arrow | Change arrow color |
| Backspace / Delete | Delete the selected arrow (click arrow first) |
| Escape | Cancel a half-drawn arrow (while dragging or after first click) |
Quick test flow
- Live scratch — Press Ctrl, draw two arrows on the board, release Ctrl. Navigate with → / ←: live arrows stay visible on every move until you clear or save them.
- Save to move — With live arrows showing, press Enter. They attach to the current move (badge in move list). Navigate away and back: saved arrows reappear on that move only.
- Clear live — Draw again with Ctrl, then Ctrl+Escape. All live overlays disappear; saved move annotations are unchanged.
- Undo one — Ctrl + draw three arrows, then Ctrl+Backspace three times (or until gone).
- Move-bound draw — Go to a move, hold Shift, draw a square or arrow, releaseShift. Leave and return to that move: markup is still there (no save step needed).
- Delete one arrow — Hold Ctrl or enable annotate mode, Alt+click an arrow, or click to select then Delete.
More controls and JSON panels:Live annotations comprehensive demo.
Auto-play
Use the toolbar Play control or call board.startAutoplay(). While auto-play is active, press Ctrl+Space to start, pause, or resume. At a variation fork (branching-aware on), type the numbered arrow (1–9, or 01 when there are ten or more) or click a variant arrow on the board.