Author: Joe T. Pangilinan
Date: 13:59:38 11/17/98
Computer Chess MAGAZINE: Selective Search RATINGS UPDATED: 24/Sep 1998 My first involvement in Computer Chess appeared as an article in Mike Basman's Magazine 'Popular Chess', in which I suggested that the manufacturers were over-rating their Computers 'somewhat', and brought such a large response that I decided to pursue the matter further. I subsequently started my Magazine in 1985, then known as 'The Computer Chess News Sheet', and my current readership is a fairly steady 350. In some ways the RATING LIST remains a key to the Magazine, but all matters relating to Computer Chess are covered, including Articles and Reviews of latest machines and programs, 'Best-Buy' Guides, Tournament and Match results with games and analysis, occasional contributions by Programmers and leading Players, discussion on Computer Progress, Playing Styles, plus Readers' contributions, and much more. It is produced bi-monthly, and always includes updated and separate Rating Lists for Dedicated computers (top 100) and PC programs (top 48). I maintain a 'Top Ten' coverage here, updating it from time to time. The MAGAZINE Listings have more details, including Ratings from games/matches v. human opposition, so I hope Internet users will consider subscribing to it, as income I receive from 'SELECTIVE SEARCH' is an important part of my livelihood! SELECTIVE SEARCH RATINGS Each computer/program's rating figure is calculated by combining its computer-v-computer results WITH its results against graded players in proper tournaments. The level of the finished List is determined by the results v graded players. Of course more computer-v-computer games are played than those v-humans, as it is physically and financially impossible to obtain the number of games of the latter type that we would wish. We are aware that gradings from computer-v-computer results do not always match those of a computer-v-humans, because a program CAN be prepared specifically to do its best against other computers, OR it can be programmed to do its best against humans! The latter is what the USER will always want, but programmers inevitably have one eye on our Rating Lists, and are aware of the preponderance of computer-v-computer games which helps produce them! Even so, my view is that to have this type of Computer Rating List as an attempted measure for the programmers and other interested parties, and as a guide for prospective purchasers, is BETTER than to have no list at all, especially as SELECTIVE SEARCH combines all results! (Please also note that the results on which my Ratings are based do include, with permission, all the SSDF results). As the calculations combine SO MANY types of results, I hope that they achieve a high level of accuracy. The Ratings are initially calculated in British BCF figures, before being converted to Elo figures using the formula (BCF * 8) + 600 = Elo. The TOP RATINGS, including as far as possible all of the NEWEST PC programs and dedicated CHESS COMPUTERS, are:- PC PROGRAMS Ratings are based on Pentium Pro/MMX machines at 200-233MHz. ..............BCF.Elo...Program 250 2603 Fritz5 248 2589 Nimzo98 248 2585 Hiarcs6 245 2566 Rebel9 245 2560 Rebel8 244 2559 MChess Pro7 243 2549 MChess Pro6 243 2545 Chess Genius5 241 2530 Shredder2 239 2513 Gandalf3 234 2476 Junior4.6 231 2448 Kallisto2 227 2421 CS-Tal Others of interest, on Pentium/133 machines, which = a loss of approx. 80 Elo: [229 2435 Junior4.0] .... [229 2434 Chessmaster 5000+5500] .... [228 2430 Nimzo3.5] .... [227 2416 Shredder1] .... [224 2397 Fritz4] .... [221 2370 W Chess] .... [214 2317 Rebel Decade2.0] DEDICATED COMPUTERS Here I show the Computer, Elo grading, Price in U.K pounds, and a code to indicate the type of board. w=wood, auto-sensory, ps=press-sensory, pl=portable plug-in, pc=portable calculator. The * indicates a current model - others may not be so easily available! ..............BCF.Elo...Computer 224 2394 Tasc R30-1995 UK1199 w 220 2363 Mephisto LONDON 68030 UK1299 w 216 2334 Mephisto LONDON PRO 68020 UK649 ps 214 2312 Mephisto RISC2 UK949 w 207 2263 Kasparov SPARC UK899 w 205 2241 Mephisto MONTREUX UK449 ps 204 2236 Kasparov RISC 2500 UK399 ps 201 2208 Mephisto ATLANTA* UK379 ps 196 2175 Novag DIAMOND2* UK269 ps 192 2140 Mephisto MILANO PRO* UK249 ps Top port calculator: 196 2175 Novag SAPPHIRE2* UK225 pc Top port plug-in: 179 2033 Kasparov TRAVEL CHAMPION 2100* UK99 pl or 175 2005 Novag AMBER* UK139 pl
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