Most Fun And Interesting Chess Engines Or Programs

By Request...What Are The Most Interesting and Fun Chess Engines and Programs You Have Played Against? Any Chess Engines or Programs Not Listed please post with details and we can manually add them in later...
Thanks For Participating!!

Voted for Junior.

Tal-based, any day.

Hi there,

I can't give a vote.
I have around 30 favorites but no of my favorits are in the list.
From Hiarcs chess I like the Explorer (good work around PGN standards) and of course the strong opening book. I think the best available opening book because all must be hand tuned. Junior can play very nice computer chess. But not often enough. From time to time a genial game.

Ktulu have a great endgame with rocks and pawns. I gave Ktulu to Lokasoft for a longer time. Ktulu can play 72% of rook / pawn endgames without tablebases in perfection.

From Shredder I like the GUI, the mother GUI for the UCI protocol. GUI version 12 works fine, version 13 have different grafic bugs.

Chess System Tal I try out for many years, but never I can produced fast won games. The standard settings are very boring.

Stockfish is good for analyses, but not one of my favorits. My opinion to open-source is double-edged.

From Rebel I like Benjamin style. I am playing often vs. the first Gideon in DOS mode with one of the nice chessboards I have. An old love ... same for the chess computer "Nigel Short". Polgar ist a very boring program, better is Milano ... and absolutely great is "Nigel Short" and "MM V".

From Chessbase I like the ChessBase database software. I use ChessBase for my database organization. But often I am using Chess Explorer from Marc Uniacke.

TheKing is a nice program in chess computer times. The Chessmaster version 3.50 and 3.23 and so one are not able to play interesting chess. Can be see in SWCR database after many thousands of games. Johan have the advantage that in chess computer times a grandmaster helps for more knowledge for pawn endgames with rooks and queen. So TheKing have a here strong point many years.

From Chess OK I like the programmer Victor. A very nice guy and a 100% programmer, very patient. I helped him in Winboard times to check all the Winboard engines. For 12 engines he made special settings in two long nights. Many many fun with him! Same with Alfred from DGT ... a very nice guy.

So I like different things but engines I like ... are the great attacker.

01. Aristarch in the past.
02. Glaurung
03. Spark by Allard Siemelink ... a wonderful engine.
04. Hakkapelliita ... also a wonderful king attacker.
05. My favorite program Wasp ... strong with aggressive pawn after opening book moves.
06. SlowChess have a nice own GUI, a wonderful program ... very nice style of chess.
07. Booot ... wow ... one of the best attacker.
08. Andscacs ... wonderful chess, great king attacker.
09. Fizbo ... most speculative engine. No other program started earlier a king attack. But with different holes, so Fizbo lost many games to fast ... but 3/4 of games vs. max. 100 Elo stronger Fizbo won very fast.
10. Chrion ... never you can be sure for Chiron! Also a great attacker.
11. Texel ... sometimes Texel comes with wonderful combinations!
12. AnMon ... can start very fast great combinations and like to to try this with pawn moves from b-line or g-line. No other chess programs used the b-line or g-line. More the f-h lines. So AnMon is also able to lost very fast.
13. Phalanx in the past. I have a collection from Phalanx attacking games in times Fritz are the number 1. After 1.200 games vs. the number 1 Fritz = 109x fast won from Phalanx (below 50 moves) and only 21x fast lost. An fantastic attacker in Winboard times.
14. Gandalf 4.32f and Gandalf 4.32h ... later Gandalf lost the great style a bit.
15. Pedone play very nice chess ... strong and balanced. The programmer must have many chess knowledge because not all is tunded with parameters.

And so one ...
But no engines from the list here!
Stockfish ist the best attacker ever.
Stockfish is OK but I like others ... works by great programmers, know what they do and working alone.

Hiarcs are from this group the most interesting engine.
But Hiarcs often started a king attack or a strong midgame combination and forgot to finnished the combination. Good strategic moves but often Hiarcs are not able to bring the combination to an end.

That are engines where computer chess lovers like.
The 100% computer chess lovers ... where are able to look in stats for learn more.

Best
Frank

I phone often with Jan Lowman and he asked me for my opinion to playing styles. We have most of times the same opinion to engines and programmers. I think Bart in young years (Kallisto) can be the number 1. But Bart have other interest ... unfortunately. Walter Raveneck with his main interest ... the knight ... what Walter do ... wonderful. Great positional style Arthur have with many pieces on board and all the knowlegde abuthe the knight Walter collect. Many good programmers from The Netherlands all the years!

16. Kallisto ...
17. WChess ...
18. ETChess ...
19. Zarkov ...
20. BugChess ...
21. and so one ...

Many great chess programs ... Yace, Patzer ... so many nice programs!

Forgotten ...
Richard Lang is on the list!
Yes, the first program can play chess in endgames comes from King Richard.
In young years most of my friends dislike the style of Genius. Very expensive and boring openings, not enough tactic in the style (Roma best example).
We all have the opinion that Ed should better get the faster hardware but Ed never got the faster hardware.
Later with Risc and Ed is World Champion.
So, in young years 95% of people I know are more a fan from the work Ed Schröder (I too) and of course from Spracklen und Kittinger.

I think the better software in chesscard times is the program from Ed Schröder. Not so strong TheKing is in endgames but stronger in the midgames and much stronger in openings.
The good and old times ...

OK, can't give a vote ...
List must be longer ... most interesting things are forgotten!

Tal seems to be popular so far

Mclane wrote:

Tal seems to be popular so far

Got my vote. I remember it being great fun!

Sometimes, JavaScript engines embedded in web sites can be good fun, because of the limitations JavaScript in a web page puts on chess computing power - a throwback to when cheap dedicated computers used to be beatable by weak players like myself. On that basis, I'll add a vote for two categories not on the list:

* JavaScript engines in a web page

* early cheap dedicated machines like Fidelity Mini Sensory Chess Challenger (some of the early cheap dedicated chess computers were too weak to be fun: they were just bad)

However, in terms of fun, CS-Tal was in a class of its own. It was special!

Hi all,

I’d like to see Rodent on that list ....


Al.

Hi there,

for TheSelfImprover ...
You have to try out Java Pirarucu from Brazil.
Very strong java chess program, works well with good known graphical user interfaces like Shredder or what I do with Martin Blume in the past ... Arena.

Nice playing style, very own style. Not the best available jave engine (is chess22k .. I have not many knowledge with chess22k) but just great is in fact "Pirarucu". Thinking on coffee-house-chess in good old times, but mutch stronger ... the good "Pirarucu".

For Sc@lly:
Rodent lost a lot of the style in the last versions with standard settings. The group or Rodent fans like more "Open Tal". I will try out Open Tal ... the current Rodent with Tal settings and the current Rodent without any settings in the coming soon FCP Qualify Tourney-2021 with 46 programs. But I think the great attacker like Hakkapelliita are much more interesting.

Tip for yourself:
Please load later the database and please make your own analyzis. I read often program x or y is great but most of the things are "promotes the creation of legends". But for computer chess we don't need it because we have the games ... better as to ignore facts is to study the games.

I like the possibilities from Rodent ...
To added styles is great for users. The reason of success from Chessmaster (TheKing styles). But better is to do this with programs are more able for such things. I am looking forward what the three Rodent versions like to play in the coming soon tourney. I never try out "Open Rodent" ... maybe the most forgotten great engine?

Best
Frank

Ah, version 1.0 from Open Rodent is the secret-tip here.
Not the current version 1.1!
Links to all the programs can be found in my "Engine" selection and the configuration example in my selection "Engine-Configuration".

For the readers from Asia ... my name is Kwai-Sin-Sky ... I know that will be understand directly, so Qui-Sin-Sky.

Hi there,

I forgot yesterday ...
From the commercials I like a lot MChess.
Pur strategy with nice combination.
Often I am thinking the first chess program simulate grandmasters.

I forgot Tjes ...
A program from The Netherland with a very nice work on the own GUI. Nice for self playing. I am using since 20 years the full version of Tjes for self playing chess ... very, very nice chess Tjes can play.

I forgot so many others.
Often I am thinking older chess computer freaks have try out only 5% of that whats available and lost the view for the really nice things.

Zeus are great. A spain program ... in times Zeus are the winner of Spain-ch I think much stronger as the boring chess tiger style or Gambit-Tiger, full of mistakes in opening play.

So many nice things are all the years available ... if we are able to looking after the right site and the left site. And not in the mid-site for programs programmers have commercial intentions and dealers in questions of purchase such programs.

I dislike it a lot, the reason I create the Winboard page ... a page after a short time the number 1 in fide stats with vistors from over 200 countrys in the World.

Best
Frank

I find prodeo, rodent type engines more interesting as the configuration allows many different types of opponents. Also a question, are there any other tal based engines other than opental and cst?

koolaidsa wrote:

I find prodeo, rodent type engines more interesting as the configuration allows many different types of opponents. Also a question, are there any other tal based engines other than opental and cst?

I like the playing style of iCe.

http://rebel13.nl/download/download-engines.html#I

Admin wrote:

koolaidsa wrote:

I find prodeo, rodent type engines more interesting as the configuration allows many different types of opponents. Also a question, are there any other tal based engines other than opental and cst?

I like the playing style of iCe.

http://rebel13.nl/download/download-engines.html#I

Bit too strong to play against though, right?

Hi,

oh yes, iCE have a very own style of chess. Not the attacker but always danger what the engine like to play in the late midgame. A very nice program with an interesting eval. Often +1 higher as the others. If so ... iCE won the games later. That's really interesting!!

Best
Frank

Can we try to talk about interesting new engines , strength is IMO not important but style.
I would appreciate engines that play different then Stockfish.

Hello Thorsten,

I haven't enough information about all the "new" (new for me) and strong engines. With 360 games only (after the still running FCP Qualify-Tourney-2021) not enough games for really good stats. Maybe rough stats are possible.

Of course I am looking her in different of the games, 10 are still running to the same time. I can say that I have here a lot of fun with the tourney. 46 engines have an Elo average from 2840 ... thinking on times Shredder 12 are on position 1 in the World with 2800 Elo. Now 46 with an average of 2840. And this 46 are not the strongest ... the TOP-30 are not in the field (Wasp only).

My interest is to find out a bit to the playing styles.
Again ... very rough possible to the end of the tourney with more game material.

Best
Frank

Qui-Sin-Sky wrote:

Hi there,

for TheSelfImprover ...
You have to try out Java Pirarucu from Brazil.
Very strong java chess program, works well with good known graphical user interfaces like Shredder or what I do with Martin Blume in the past ... Arena.

Nice playing style, very own style. Not the best available jave engine (is chess22k .. I have not many knowledge with chess22k) but just great is in fact "Pirarucu". Thinking on coffee-house-chess in good old times, but mutch stronger ... the good "Pirarucu".

For Sc@lly:
Rodent lost a lot of the style in the last versions with standard settings. The group or Rodent fans like more "Open Tal". I will try out Open Tal ... the current Rodent with Tal settings and the current Rodent without any settings in the coming soon FCP Qualify Tourney-2021 with 46 programs. But I think the great attacker like Hakkapelliita are much more interesting.

Tip for yourself:
Please load later the database and please make your own analyzis. I read often program x or y is great but most of the things are "promotes the creation of legends". But for computer chess we don't need it because we have the games ... better as to ignore facts is to study the games.

I like the possibilities from Rodent ...

Ah, version 1.0 from Open Rodent is the secret-tip here.
Not the current version 1.1!
Links to all the programs can be found in my "Engine" selection and the configuration example in my selection "Engine-Configuration".

For the readers from Asia ... my name is Kwai-Sin-Sky ... I know that will be understand directly, so Qui-Sin-Sky.

Open Rodent v1.1..you mean the Original rodent series? Thats way back there...I have so many versions of Rodent you would not believe...some were bootlegs or knockoffs by other engine enthusiasts...
The poll only gives 10 slots..so Rodent and many others could not go in...otherwise Aristarch, Anmon...ZChess..LC0 ...LChess...Szint...and many other engines would have gone in...ice is a fantastic engine (mace). Also I had a ton of fun with Movei and Bugchess....Lately LizardChess has been quite enjoyable to watch play. ChessTiger (Gambit Suicide setting) is never boring (Doch Tactical) and Cosette and Monchester of late have come out..

And the winner is...

koolaidsa wrote:

I find prodeo, rodent type engines more interesting as the configuration allows many different types of opponents. Also a question, are there any other tal based engines other than opental and cst?

CyberNezh, a private engine, but often available for sparring on lichess.

It is one of the strongest Tal-like engines, if not the strongest (Chris Whittington's latest might surpass it). It is about Carlsen-strength, but its attacks are wild and fierce, with lots of daring sacs that aren't always sound.

https://lichess.org/@/Nezh-BOT

Qui-Sin-Sky wrote:

Hi there,

for TheSelfImprover ...
You have to try out Java Pirarucu from Brazil.
Very strong java chess program, works well with good known graphical user interfaces like Shredder or what I do with Martin Blume in the past ... Arena.

Nice playing style, very own style. Not the best available jave engine (is chess22k .. I have not many knowledge with chess22k) but just great is in fact "Pirarucu". Thinking on coffee-house-chess in good old times, but mutch stronger ... the good "Pirarucu".

Hey Frank Q...On Pirarucu and Chess22k......I was never able to get them to work in w32 Fritz..Shredder or Chess Ok Gui's at all and not on w64 GUI's either..they are both w64 correct? What are they xboard or uci? You every able to get Fischerle (java) to work in w32 or w64? Only Gui I ever saw it work in was ChessJava Gui..Thx, KC

Benjamin, especially 2.0, plays in a sacrificial and speculative style, but v1.0 has the better balance between soundness and risk-taking.

I recall Brendan posted about the old Rebel Storm personality at talkchess not long ago along with an example of its suicidal all-out attacking style - a little too unsound, but extremely exciting to watch in action.


[Personality = Storm.ENG] * Rebel 12.00.02 (January 2004)
[Pawn Value = 100]
[Knight Value = 100]
[Bishop Value = 100]
[Rook Value = 100]
[Queen Value = 100]
[King Safety = 500]
[Mobility = 101]
[Pawn Structure = 100]
[Passed Pawns = 100]
[Pins = 200]
[Bishop Pair = 100]
[Chess Knowledge = 200]
[Attractiveness = 125]
[Attacking = 150]
[Strength of Play = 100]
[Draw Contempt Factor = 0.00]
[Selective Search = 100]
[Search Technique = NULLMOVE]
[Engine Learner = off] * off|on
[Book Learner = aggressive] * off|passive|moderate|strong|aggressive
[Position Learner = on] * off|on
[Extended Book Learner = off] * off|read|write|read&write
[Pruning = MISC_25] *
[Pruning = MISC_37] *
[Pruning = MISC_40] *
[Pruning = MISC_66] *
[Center Control = 25] * 25
[Bishop Mobility = 25] * 25
[Right to Move = 75] * 75
[Strong Squares = 125] * 125
[ANTI-GM = OFF]
[EVALUATION = SMART] * NORMAL|SMART
[Extensions (remaining)= 3]
[Extensions (checks)= 0]
[Extensions (captures)= 0]

slightly tangential, but I find on the Pi:

Program.....Crystal .....calculates the most Tal-like, attacking and entertaining games (not always, as Crystal then, sometimes, just slowly strangles opponents).

Nezhman wrote:

koolaidsa wrote:

I find prodeo, rodent type engines more interesting as the configuration allows many different types of opponents. Also a question, are there any other tal based engines other than opental and cst?

CyberNezh, a private engine, but often available for sparring on lichess.

It is one of the strongest Tal-like engines, if not the strongest (Chris Whittington's latest might surpass it). It is about Carlsen-strength, but its attacks are wild and fierce, with lots of daring sacs that aren't always sound.

https://lichess.org/@/Nezh-BOT

If yours can play ICC mode on nightmare.nl, we could prearrange a match?

I'd have to try to figure out how to connect to nightmare.nl - but I know it can definitely play on FICS or ICC - I don't have a (C) account but I can connect as a guest.

Here is a sample of Nezh's play from today's action. A rapid game vs a competent (2200+) human opponent.

[pgn]
[Event "Casual Rapid game"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/nUdvdThF"]
[Date "2020.12.05"]
[White "OnkelOnkel"]
[Black "Nezh-BOT"]
[Result "0-1"]
[UTCDate "2020.12.05"]
[UTCTime "21"]
[WhiteElo "2230"]
[BlackElo "2458"]
[BlackTitle "BOT"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[TimeControl "900+0"]
[ECO "A20"]
[Opening "English Opening: King's English Variation"]
[Termination "Normal"]

1. c4 e5 2. g3 d5 3. cxd5 c6 4. dxc6 Nxc6 5. Bg2 Nf6 6. Nc3 h6 7. Nf3 e4 8. Ng1 Bc5 9. Nxe4 Nxe4 10. Bxe4 O-O 11. d3 Qb6 12. e3 Re8 13. Ne2 Rxe4 14. dxe4 Bh3 15. Nf4 Rd8 16. Nd5 Rxd5 17. Qxd5 Bb4+ 18. Bd2 Be6 19. Qd3 Ne5 0-1
[/pgn]

The book consisted of just one move (1...e5), a move it plays on its own anyway, most of the time.

Forgot to mention ShashChess with its Tal personality.