is the new houdini worth the money

[lkaufman]

For once I am on Robert's side on this. Houdini 3 will find the same quality move on average (and very often the exact same move) as either Houdini 1.5 or Critter 1.6 (the top strongest free engines) in about half the time, as the rating gap corresponds to about a two to one time handicap. Therefore you can accomplish the same quality analysis in about half the time. If you use the engine frequently the $52 cost is surely worth the time saved over a year, the typical lifespan of the top engine before it is toppled.

[A Distel]

I know it is about 90 points stronger than the next engine, and am wondering if this is enough of an improvement to spend 80 dollars. After all the engine-origin discussion, i feel a little jaded about paying money for an engine.

I use engines mostly to analyze my games.

Do you think it is worth the money?

The price of Houdini 3 Standard is 39.95 EUR or about 52 dollars.
I don't know whether that is a reasonable price for the strongest chess engine ever. Probably not.

Robert

Life in Belgium is very expensive... bread, fresh milk, eggs, sugar, crisps, clothes, used cars, postal rates, internet and telephone charges, water, electricity .... the list goes on ...but there is one exception... Chess Programs!
Your price is quite reasonable .... thank You Sir!

[ozziejoe]

ok, here is the big question. Can I get houdini to run in a mac environment (does not look like i can), though i could run it on parellels

[Kyodai]

I am looking at this, where it looks like the advantage of houdini is much bigger

http://www.computerchess.org.uk/ccrl/4040/

Also there is this ratinglist

http://www.husvankempen.de/nunn/40_40%2 ... liste.html

with different starting numbers and so - but the difference in elo is the vital
thing. Not all engines are tested (yet) but so far we see four above the
special limit of 3000 (The "4 big). x64 - 4 cpus

Houdini 3 = 3153

Critter 1.6 = 3057

Stockfish 2.3 = 3050

Deep Rybka 4.0 = 3050


(btw 3080 for the free Houdini 1.5...)

Just below the holy grail Komodo 5.0 2996 (just 1 cpu !!)

Interesting and a real rising star is Bouquet which at the moment
is +20 p vs Komodo 5 and -30 vs Stockfish in CCRL - should correspond
to about 3020 in CEGT - and a new member in the high society

Bouquet is really flourishing right now..
Then we wait for Komodo with mps...

Graham is testing some other interesting creatures like Sting in his
tourneys (check those threads). Think its a variant of Stockfish.

All in all - if engines are worth the money or not depends on what your´
use is. If professional or competative purposes I would go for Houdini.
If not I would go for the tremendeus strong free engines like Critter -
Stockfish - Bouquet and others..

[M ANSARI]

I think for everyone on this site, having the strongest engine in the world is most certainly worth it. When you look at what $50 will get you today, then it really is a no brainer.

[lech]

Keep free Sting SF 2.
In the near future, computers will be 100 or more times faster and it will be the end of the Houdini 3.

[carldaman]

Agreed, the new Houdini is a noticeable step up from Houdini 2/1.5 -- good job, RH!

Regards,
CL

[S.Taylor]

I know it is about 90 points stronger than the next engine, and am wondering if this is enough of an improvement to spend 80 dollars. After all the engine-origin discussion, i feel a little jaded about paying money for an engine.

I use engines mostly to analyze my games.

Do you think it is worth the money?

The price of Houdini 3 Standard is 39.95 EUR or about 52 dollars.
I don't know whether that is a reasonable price for the strongest chess engine ever. Probably not.

Robert

I appreaciate this.
But right after Houdini 3 was released, i sent a PM for help how to purchase it and set it up to work well on my system. But the PM is not yet answered, and in the meantime i purchased Hiarcs 14 online and i've never had a good day with it. So i couldn't be bothered begging for help any more, until i have a few days to keep on at it, with nothing more important to deal with in life.
If i could get Houdini which works as easily as the old programs on disk did, with easy take back etc everything instantly usable during game, i would get it any day.
Arena let me down, Hiarcs let me down, Houdini PM unanswered.

[A Distel]

I know it is about 90 points stronger than the next engine, and am wondering if this is enough of an improvement to spend 80 dollars. After all the engine-origin discussion, i feel a little jaded about paying money for an engine.

I use engines mostly to analyze my games.

Do you think it is worth the money?

The price of Houdini 3 Standard is 39.95 EUR or about 52 dollars.
I don't know whether that is a reasonable price for the strongest chess engine ever. Probably not.

Robert

I appreaciate this.
But right after Houdini 3 was released, i sent a PM for help how to purchase it and set it up to work well on my system. But the PM is not yet answered, and in the meantime i purchased Hiarcs 14 online and i've never had a good day with it. So i couldn't be bothered begging for help any more, until i have a few days to keep on at it, with nothing more important to deal with in life.
If i could get Houdini which works as easily as the old programs on disk did, with easy take back etc everything instantly usable during game, i would get it any day.
Arena let me down, Hiarcs let me down, Houdini PM unanswered.

Houdini 3 works as easily as the old programs! Buy it with the Deep Fritz 13 user interface on DVD ... you can find it at the ChessBase Shop!

[gerold]

I know it is about 90 points stronger than the next engine, and am wondering if this is enough of an improvement to spend 80 dollars. After all the engine-origin discussion, i feel a little jaded about paying money for an engine.

I use engines mostly to analyze my games.

Do you think it is worth the money?

The price of Houdini 3 Standard is 39.95 EUR or about 52 dollars.
I don't know whether that is a reasonable price for the strongest chess engine ever. Probably not.

Robert

I appreaciate this.
But right after Houdini 3 was released, i sent a PM for help how to purchase it and set it up to work well on my system. But the PM is not yet answered, and in the meantime i purchased Hiarcs 14 online and i've never had a good day with it. So i couldn't be bothered begging for help any more, until i have a few days to keep on at it, with nothing more important to deal with in life.
If i could get Houdini which works as easily as the old programs on disk did, with easy take back etc everything instantly usable during game, i would get it any day.
Arena let me down, Hiarcs let me down, Houdini PM unanswered.

Have you run Houdini or any other program in Arena ? Works for me.

Best,
Gerold.