Pawnz - A Solana-powered chess platform with real-money wagering

Core Functionality: The platform enables users to play chess games with real SOL cryptocurrency wagering, featuring multiple bet amounts (0.1, 1, 5, 20, 50, 100 SOL), private game codes for friend matches, and a comprehensive rating system.

Project Architecture & Collaboration: The development follows a separated architecture approach with distinct frontend and backend repositories for better scalability and deployment flexibility, allowing for independent development and deployment cycles.

Frontend Development: The user interface was built using React 18 with TypeScript for type safety, Wouter for client-side routing, TanStack Query for server state management, and Tailwind CSS with shadcn/ui components for a modern, responsive design.

Backend Development: Server-side logic was developed using Express.js with JavaScript, featuring PostgreSQL database with Drizzle ORM for robust data management and schema validation.

API Development: A comprehensive REST API was created to manage game states, user authentication, leaderboards, and real-time game communication with proper input validation using Zod schemas.

Security Measures: A secure gaming system was implemented with SQL injection protection via Drizzle ORM, CORS protection, Helmet security headers, and wallet address verification for blockchain transactions.

Chess Engine Integration: A fully functional chess implementation was built using chess.js for game logic, featuring advanced bot AI, pawn promotion mechanics, move validation, and checkmate detection.

Blockchain Integration: The platform integrates with Solana blockchain for real cryptocurrency transactions, wallet balance checking, and secure escrow management for game wagers.

AI Integration: Advanced chess bot AI was implemented to provide challenging opponents with strategic gameplay, allowing for single-player practice and skill development.

Real-time Communication: WebSocket technology was used to provide real-time game updates, move synchronization, opponent notifications, and live game state management for multiplayer experiences.

Mobile Optimization: The platform features a mobile-first design with touch-responsive chess boards, optimized button sizes, swipe-friendly interfaces, and chess.com-style mobile interactions.

Technologies and Skills List: A comprehensive list of technologies and skills employed in the project includes: React 18, TypeScript, Wouter, TanStack Query, Tailwind CSS, shadcn/ui, Express.js, PostgreSQL, Drizzle ORM, WebSocket (ws), Solana Web3.js, chess.js, Zod validation, Helmet, CORS, Node.js, Vite, Vercel deployment, Railway hosting, and responsive design principles.

Game Features: The platform includes animated checkmate announcements, profit/loss displays, game history tracking, user profiles with customizable avatars, rating systems (1200 starting rating), and comprehensive game state management.

User Experience: Features include profile picture selection from normie and premium collections, username generation, transaction history tracking, deposit/withdrawal modals, and an intuitive game flow from matchmaking to results display.