Rybka, Fritz lead on the computer rating lists

SSDF Rating List January 17, 2009

The Swedish Chess Computer Association – Svenska schackdatorföreningen, SSDF – is an organization that tests computer chess software by playing chess programs against one another and producing a rating list. On September 26, 2008, the list was released with Deep Rybka 3 leading with an estimated Elo rating of 3238.

The SSDF list is one of the only statistically significant measures of chess engine strength, especially compared to tournaments, because it incorporates the results of thousands of games played on standard hardware at tournament time controls. The list reports not only absolute rating, but also error bars, winning percentages, and recorded moves of played games. After it came under criticism because of its use of sub-standard computers the SSDF started testing with an Intel Core 2 Quad 6600 2.4 GHz with 2 GB of RAM-memory and a 64-bit operating system.

For the first time SSDF has tested a chess program made by Alexandar Naumov. When we began to test Naum 3.1 on Q6600 2.4 GHz it was his latest program version. After 358 tournament games it´s rating is 3046, which makes it the fourth strongest program on the SSDF Rating List.

Frans Morschs Deep Fritz 11 running on Q6600 2.4 GHz takes the second place on the list with 3085! Compared to Fritz 11 on Athlon 1200 MHz, the rating increase is 166 points. Deep Rybka 3 has now also been tested on Athlon 1200 MHz, which resulted in a rating of 3066. As expected Vas Rajlich's program is strongest also on this slower single processor. On this hardware Deep Rybka 3 has 141 points more than Rybka 2.3.1 A1200, and 161 points less than on Q6600 2.4 GHz.

Here's how the top programs fared in recent games:

• SSDF home page (not up-to-date)
• Full January 16th SSDF computer rating list in TXT or in PDF format

Rybka 3 – Computer Chess World Champion

Rybka 3, the world’s strongest chess program, leads all ranking lists clearly, with ratings well above Elo 3000. The name translates to "little fish", and Rybka is the shooting star of computer chess and the reigning world champion, having won its title in Amsterdam 2007. But strength is not everything. Today the main use of chess software is interactive analysis. Rybka's superior playing strength helps you to quickly assess a position. But analysis with Rybka 3 is much more than just evaluations and best moves. In the user interface designed by ChessBase, Rybka 3 introduces several ground-breaking new analysis features.

Prices

Note that Rybka 3 includes a database of one million games, and that the purchase of the program entitles you to one year of access to the chess server Playchess.com. Rybka 3 is a UCI engine, with 32 and 64-bit versions included in the package. Rybka can be made the default engine in ChessBase 10. Order Rybka now!

Links

• Not just the strongest chess program in the world
• All you need to know about Rybka
• Rybka defends Chess960 title
• The Dzindzi – Rybka 3 Handicap Match
• Rybka vs Meyer – pawn and two move handicap match

FRITZ 11 and Deep Fritz 11

A year ago Fritz became the first commercial chess program in history to defeat a reigning World Champion in a formal match. Hundreds of thousands of chess fans followed the event on the Internet. In its games against Vladimir Kramnik Fritz displayed an astonishing degree of strategic understanding, underscoring its reputation as one of the strongest and best-loved chess programs in the world.

The new Fritz 11 – now availabe in the ChessBase Shop – has been vastly improved, compared to the version that beat the world champion. Its playing strength has improved by 80 Elo points. But it is also the entire package of new features that will impress chess fans. The program helps you with practical play, training and analysis, and does so in an entertaining way that fosters learning and understanding.

The main Fritz database contains over one million games, ranging from the years 1625 to 2007 – from the early beginnings of chess history to the latest top-level tournaments. The revised and extended openings book is more diverse and better tuned to the strengths and preferences of Fritz. A complete new feature, the “magic eye”, visualizes the thought processes of the engine on the 3D chessboard. You can directly follow the ideas that are going through the “mind” of the program.

Here's an interesting article on the Advantages of Deep Fritz 11, written by one of it's programmers, Mathias Feist.

System requirements: Pentium III 1.4 GHz or higher, 256 MB RAM, Windows XP or Windows Vista, GeForce5 or compatible graphics card with 128 MB RAM or higher, 100% DirectX compatible sound card, Windows Media Player 9, DVD ROM drive. Fritz 11 costs 49.99 €uros Deep Fritz 11 costs 99.90 €uros A full description of Deep Fritz 11 Explore more functions Buy Fritz 11 now Buy Deep Fritz 11