Sources

The Sources tab is your central hub for managing all the PGN files you have imported into ChessMovio. Every piece of chess data in the app -- opening lines, reference games, personal games -- originates from a source. Understanding how sources work is key to organizing your chess training material effectively.

What Are Sources?

A source in ChessMovio represents a single imported PGN file. When you import a PGN file, ChessMovio parses it, extracts the positions and moves, and stores everything in its database. The source record keeps track of where the data came from, what type it is, and which color it covers.

Each source has the following properties:

• Name: The filename of the imported PGN.
• Type: One of four categories (see below).
• Color: Whether the lines are for White or Black.
• Game count: How many games or lines the file contained.

Source Types

ChessMovio classifies every imported PGN into one of four types. The type determines how the data is used throughout the app.

Ideas

Ideas are coach-curated opening repertoire files. These typically contain annotated variations with comments explaining the plans and ideas behind each move. Lines from Ideas sources appear in the Openings tab under the Ideas mode and form the core of your prepared repertoire. When you run an Opening Workout, you train on positions from Ideas sources.

Reference Games

Reference Games are master game collections imported for study. These appear in both the Reference Games tab (as a read-only library) and in the Openings tab under the Reference Games mode (as part of the opening tree). They provide practical examples of how strong players handle the same positions you are preparing.

User Games

User Games are your personal games. These appear in the My Games tab where you can annotate and analyze them. They also contribute to the Openings tab under the My Games mode, showing which openings you actually play in practice.

Inbox

Inbox is for uncategorized PGN imports. When you import a PGN without assigning it to a specific type (or when auto-detection finds no filename tag), it goes to the Inbox. Inbox games are available for browsing but do not build positions in the opening tree. You can promote individual games from the Inbox to Reference Games or My Games later using the context menu or toolbar actions.

The Sources List

The Sources tab displays all imported sources in a list format. You can filter the list by type using the segmented picker at the top (All, Ideas, Reference, My Games, Inbox) and search by name using the text filter field.

The Sources list with type indicators, color indicators, and game counts for each imported PGN.

Each entry in the list shows:

• Source name: The PGN filename.
• Type indicator: A visual label showing Ideas, Reference Games, User Games, or Inbox.
• Color indicator: Shows whether the source covers White or Black lines.
• Game count: The number of games or lines extracted from the file.

Viewing Source Games

Click on any source to open a sheet showing all games from that PGN file. From this view you can:

• Browse and search through the games in the source.
• Select a game to view it on the chess board with the full move tree.
• Use the Send to... menu or right-click context menu to send individual games to My Games, Reference Games, or Ideas. Sent games are also added to the opening positions tree.

Importing PGN Files

To import a new PGN file:

1. Tap the Import PGN button in the Sources tab toolbar.
2. Select a .pgn file from your device storage, iCloud Drive, or other connected location.
3. Configure the import settings:
   • Source type: Choose Inbox, Ideas, Reference Games, or My Games.
   • Color: Select White or Black, or let ChessMovio auto-detect from the filename.
4. Confirm the import. ChessMovio parses the file and adds the data to its database.

Auto-Detection from Filenames

ChessMovio can automatically detect both the source type and color from PGN filenames using bracket tags:

Color tags:

• [w] -- detected as White. Example: Sicilian Defense [w].pgn
• [b] -- detected as Black. Example: French Defense [b].pgn

Type tags:

• [w] or [b] -- Opening Ideas (with color).
• [rg] -- Reference Games. Example: World Championship [rg].pgn
• [my] or my-game -- My Games. Example: Tournament 2025 [my].pgn
• No tag -- Inbox (browse only).

When importing a folder, ChessMovio reads these tags to automatically assign the correct type and color to each file, saving you from configuring each one manually.

Tip: Organize your PGN files with descriptive names and the appropriate tags before importing. For example: Ruy Lopez - Main Lines [w].pgn or King's Indian - Classical [b].pgn. This makes both the import process and the Sources list easier to manage.

Demo PGN

macOS only: On macOS, the Sources tab includes a Demo PGN toggle. Activating this loads a built-in sample repertoire so you can explore ChessMovio's features without importing your own files. This is useful for trying out the app for the first time or for demonstration purposes. The demo data behaves just like any other imported source.

Deleting Sources

To remove a source and all its associated data:

1. In the Sources list, select the source you want to delete.
2. Use the delete action (swipe on iOS, or the delete button/context menu on macOS).
3. Confirm the deletion.

Deleting a source removes the source record and all positions and moves that were exclusively associated with it. Positions that are shared with other sources remain in the database.

Clearing the Database

If you want to start completely fresh, ChessMovio provides a clear database option:

1. Go to the Sources tab.
2. Use the Clear Database action.
3. Confirm that you want to remove all imported data.

This removes all sources, positions, moves, and associated training data. It is a destructive action and cannot be undone.

Tip: Consider exporting or backing up important data before clearing the database. You can always re-import your PGN files, but any annotations added within ChessMovio will be lost.