fenparser.py

from itertools import chain
import re

class FenParser():
  def __init__(self, fen_str):
    self.fen_str = fen_str

  def parse(self):
    
    ranks = self.fen_str.split(" ")[0].split("/")
    pieces_on_all_ranks = [self.parse_rank(rank) for rank in ranks]
    return pieces_on_all_ranks

  def parse_rank(self, rank):
    rank_re = re.compile("(\d|[kqbnrpKQBNRP])")
    piece_tokens = rank_re.findall(rank)
    pieces = self.flatten(map(self.expand_or_noop, piece_tokens))
    return pieces

  def flatten(self, lst):
    return list(chain(*lst))

  def expand_or_noop(self, piece_str):
    piece_re = re.compile("([kqbnrpKQBNRP])")
    retval = ""
    if piece_re.match(piece_str):
      retval = piece_str
    else:
      retval = self.expand(piece_str)
    return retval

  def expand(self, num_str):
    return int(num_str)*" "