Cheap member

[rjand]

Apparently most the members here have much deeper pockets than I do but maybe someone would be so kind to offer some advice. What is the least expensive computer I would need and best free chess engine to get to have a Super Grandmaster setup? Like the others here I have a passion for computer chess but I just can't afford a monster system.

[elcabesa]

I don't know what you mean by "Super GrandMaster setup" but i think you could get stockfish as the best free engine and any pc you want, I use a 5 years old pc and I don't need more power to analize my games and study.

[velmarin]

The computer, that is very personal, as its economy.
Do not know where I got deep pocket, at least in this forum.

But for the latter is the list CCRL.
http://www.computerchess.org.uk/ccrl/40 ... t_all.html
There ist links to almost all engines.

As Marco said Stockfish is the number one free, and this well-deserved fashion.


It Houdini 1.5, Critter, Komodo 3 and endless engines.
To bored to try.

[Don]

Apparently most the members here have much deeper pockets than I do but maybe someone would be so kind to offer some advice. What is the least expensive computer I would need and best free chess engine to get to have a Super Grandmaster setup? Like the others here I have a passion for computer chess but I just can't afford a monster system.

The best free engine is Houdini 1.5. Second best would be a very close call between Critter and the new Stockfish 3.

I would probably go for Stockfish 3 as the difference is relatively minor and it is open source and constantly improving.

If you are willing to put your own computer together you can save a few bucks but you will get super grandmaster play out of any modern desktop Intel based machine - probably the i5 if budget is your primary concern. You do not have to get the fastest possible chip to get super GM play with these programs.

If you want to tweak this and have the money, go for the higher end i7 models. Generally you can pay more to get a bit faster performance but it's probably not worth it if you are on a budget. No matter what you get you will be able to do better in about a year, no matter when you buy as technology is progressing very rapidly.

Memory is not a big issue as long as you are not memory bound, make sure you have a reasonable amount of that.

Don

[rjand]

Thanks for the very informative answer Don. If I hit the powerball i'll hook you up with a monster system for your help.
Best,
Rick

[geots]

Apparently most the members here have much deeper pockets than I do but maybe someone would be so kind to offer some advice. What is the least expensive computer I would need and best free chess engine to get to have a Super Grandmaster setup? Like the others here I have a passion for computer chess but I just can't afford a monster system.

How unfair. I sent flowers to your funeral, and now you are posting from where- the grave? But from wherever, glad to hear from you. BTW, you have my phone numbers, all of them. Call me and we can discuss this.


Best,

george

[jdart]

Strength is always relative. If you want to play competitively (for example on a chess server, or in correspondence chess) and not lose, then typically the top players have multi thousands of dollars of computer equipment. So I assume you are not in that category of player.

If you just want a computer that can beat you .. for most people that is easy, and you don't need high-end hardware at all. And as others have noted there is free software.

If you want to analyze games offline, a slower computer will just take longer to do that. You would find a higher end machine (quad-core or better) more useful but it's not strictly necessary.

There are used computers on ebay. Prices vary a lot and they are not always bargains. Here for example is an older quad-core for $170:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-DT-OptiPle ... 2ec7f51031

--Jon

[fern]

Man, there are people trowing his comps after a couple of years, so surely you can get one for free better than any I have here, and I do have deep pockets, but also common sense and so i know how silly is to try to be always in the edge of technology, no matter what your needs are.
You can get you SGM with purely free stuff these days...

fern

[Don]

Man, there are people trowing his comps after a couple of years, so surely you can get one for free better than any I have here, and I do have deep pockets, but also common sense and so i know how silly is to try to be always in the edge of technology, no matter what your needs are.
You can get you SGM with purely free stuff these days...

fern

Actually, if you view computer purchases as a game and the game is to have the most computer for the least price, it is better to upgrade frequently than it is to buy something cutting edge but must less frequently. On average you will have more CPU power.

So I try to upgrade about every 18-24 months and I buy something that is inexpensive but not entry level substandard. When I bought the i5 desktop I have now it was priced very nicely, great performance, low price and right there near the point of diminishing returns where you have to pay a lot more for a little improvement.

Don

[Graham Banks]

When I bought the i5 desktop I have now it was priced very nicely, great performance, low price and right there near the point of diminishing returns where you have to pay a lot more for a little improvement.

Don

The i5 is great value for money.