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Subject: Re: Best non Bitboard Open Source Chess Program

Author: Dann Corbit

Date: 17:43:57 07/08/04

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On July 08, 2004 at 06:48:00, Tord Romstad wrote:

>On July 08, 2004 at 05:05:15, Fabien Letouzey wrote:
>
>>On July 08, 2004 at 02:41:13, Suntinger Jürgen wrote:
>>
>>>As the subject explained I want to know which Programm is the best open source
>>>chess programm (+ source code) and what is its rating?
>>
>>>Thanks!
>>
>>It depends on what you mean by "best"; strongest?
>>
>>If so, I would say Fruit or Phalanx.
>>
>>Fruit is probably stronger at fast time controls.  You can download it from
>>http://wbec-ridderkerk.nl/
>
>You are too modest, Fabien!  I am sure Fruit is stronger, even at slow time
>controls.
>
>>Only few games have been played at slow time controls, so it has no rating that
>>I know of.  It is clearly weaker than Crafty but I don't think this has anything
>>to do with data structures.  Also that's nothing to be ashamed of.
>>
>>Note: GNU Chess *4* is IMO also an interesting study.
>
>It is, especially compared to the very ordinary GNU Chess 5.  I wonder
>why the rewrite was done.

Fruit is surely the strongest non-bitboard open source engine.
Another non-bitboard engine worthy of study is Scidlet

Open source engines rated by Leo:
Rank chg. Enginve version          Elo    delta  gms remark:
5    6    Crafty 19.12             2634   38     480 bitboard
26   0    Pepito 1.59              2502   12     504 bitboard
34   7    SlowChess 2.89b          2467   57     136 (this version is not open
source and is bitboard)
37   8    Phalanx XXII             2453   57     500 (first non-bitboard open
source program on Leo's list)
43   -1   Amy 0.8.7b               2417   10     448 bitboard
45   -1   Arasan 7.4               2384   -17    522 bitboard
55   -12  Resp 0.19                2312   -90    514 bitboard
57   -3   Scidlet 3.6              2289   -6     223 (Second non-bitboard
program in Leo's list)

Further down:
75   -8   GreKo 2.80               2169   -50    215

Other strong non-bitboard programs not rated by Leo
DanChess by Daniel Shawul
ExChess by Dan Homan

From LG's list:
 Place Program Rating RD Games Score
7(-2) Crafty 2484(-4) 19.6 536 322.5   (bitboard)
8(-5) SlowChess 2484(-18) 31.5 318 273.0  (bitboard and only older version
available)
16 Pepito 2435(+11) 20.5 439 242.5  (bitboard)
22(-3) Phalanx 2400(-14) 19.4 536 278.0  (non-bitboard)
40(-12) Amy 2341(-42) 19.4 536 261.0  bitboard

Phalanx is definitely the strongest from these lists.  But the code...
Not a pretty sight.

However, if you do get Phalanx's code ironed out and well understood there are
plenty of people who would like a rundown.

I would look at (in this order):
1.  TCSP (but don't use this -- just to get an overview)
2.  Fruit (strongest, and beautifully written)
3.  ExChess (nicely written)
4.  Scidlet (nicely written)

Don't bother with Phalanx, unless you are a glutton for punishment.



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