TalkChess.com

Hey guys,

Just trying to compile a list of the engines that play in the most beautiful, positional, aggressive, human-like etc styles.

You guys are the experts...let me know if I've missed any.

• Zappa Mexico Dissident Aggressor
  Komodo Kinghunter
  Deep Fritz 10
  Frenzee (Capablanca-like play in my opinion)
  Hiarcs 8 Bareev
  Deep Junior 7
  Prodeo (numerous great personalities)
  WChess 1.6
  Zarkov
  Wasp (a new fav)
  Toga 3.1.2 Checkov
  Nimzo
  Tao 5.6
  Thinker (a few versions I love)
  ZChess 2.00
  Rybka Winfinder 2.2
  King 3.23 Tribute
  Vitruvius 0.84b
  Ktulu 5.1
  Phalanx
  Critter 0.70
  Rhetoric (material at 50)
  Hiarcs 2007 Paderborn
  Shredder 7.04
  Gandalf 4.32
  Gambit Tiger 2.0
  Rodent II Henny/Remy
  DisasterArea Cognac
  Gambit Fruit Cognac
  Twisted Logic Cognac
  Nejmet
  Maverick 1.0 (nice aggression in several types of position)
  Little Goliath Evolution

Clearly I'm a guy who cares more for style than strength.

There are also a handful of personalities I am working on but still testing.

Have I missed any great current or historial engines in my list (which is in random order I should mention)?

BrendanJNorman wrote:Have I missed any great current or historial engines in my list (which is in random order I should mention)?

Definitely missing are Gothmog and Muse, both playing real positional sacrifices. My favourite is Amyan with a very balanced Karpov style.

Nice list, Brendan - I would have added Amyan but Alexander beat me to it.

At the higher end of the spectrum, let's not forget about Hakkapeliitta and SmarThink. Also, I'd mention Alfil 15.07, ok, maybe less original than most, but just look at the style - it is one of the most brutal attacking engine players out there. Chiron is also a fine attacker and Hannibal's earlier versions could play quite speculatively at times. Fizbo can be a wild attacker, too, if you take a look at earlier versions rated between roughly 2800-2900.

I think Komodo 10 can also be tweaked into a modern kinghunter mode, if you know what I mean. Just play around with those parameters...

Further down the rating list I'd have a look at Gaia. I haven't had much time to test it, but it has an interesting reputation as a more strategic player. Also, earlier versions of Ares were supposed to be more human-like.

EDIT: CSTal deserves a mention here as well.

Cheers,
CL

BrendanJNorman wrote:Hey guys,

Just trying to compile a list of the engines that play in the most beautiful, positional, aggressive, human-like etc styles.

You guys are the experts...let me know if I've missed any.

• Zappa Mexico Dissident Aggressor
  Komodo Kinghunter
  Deep Fritz 10
  Frenzee (Capablanca-like play in my opinion)
  Hiarcs 8 Bareev
  Deep Junior 7
  Prodeo (numerous great personalities)
  WChess 1.6
  Zarkov
  Wasp (a new fav)
  Toga 3.1.2 Checkov
  Nimzo
  Tao 5.6
  Thinker (a few versions I love)
  ZChess 2.00
  Rybka Winfinder 2.2
  King 3.23 Tribute
  Vitruvius 0.84b
  Ktulu 5.1
  Phalanx
  Critter 0.70
  Rhetoric (material at 50)
  Hiarcs 2007 Paderborn
  Shredder 7.04
  Gandalf 4.32
  Gambit Tiger 2.0
  Rodent II Henny/Remy
  DisasterArea Cognac
  Gambit Fruit Cognac
  Twisted Logic Cognac
  Nejmet
  Maverick 1.0 (nice aggression in several types of position)
  Little Goliath Evolution

Clearly I'm a guy who cares more for style than strength.

There are also a handful of personalities I am working on but still testing.

Have I missed any great current or historial engines in my list (which is in random order I should mention)?

Which style do you mean.

This website mentions a few:

http://www.chesspersonality.com/

+ the old Spark/Bright
+ the recent Hakkapeliitta

The old Comet A90. In my opinion a unique style.

You like Amyan?
Curious.
The author is Chilean like me, I do not know if he finished his engineering studies. Curiously too, I have played Amyan...

Fern

BrendanJNorman wrote:Hey guys,

Just trying to compile a list of the engines that play in the most beautiful, positional, aggressive, human-like etc styles.

You guys are the experts...let me know if I've missed any.

• Zappa Mexico Dissident Aggressor
  Komodo Kinghunter
  Deep Fritz 10
  Frenzee (Capablanca-like play in my opinion)
  Hiarcs 8 Bareev
  Deep Junior 7
  Prodeo (numerous great personalities)
  WChess 1.6
  Zarkov
  Wasp (a new fav)
  Toga 3.1.2 Checkov
  Nimzo
  Tao 5.6
  Thinker (a few versions I love)
  ZChess 2.00
  Rybka Winfinder 2.2
  King 3.23 Tribute
  Vitruvius 0.84b
  Ktulu 5.1
  Phalanx
  Critter 0.70
  Rhetoric (material at 50)
  Hiarcs 2007 Paderborn
  Shredder 7.04
  Gandalf 4.32
  Gambit Tiger 2.0
  Rodent II Henny/Remy
  DisasterArea Cognac
  Gambit Fruit Cognac
  Twisted Logic Cognac
  Nejmet
  Maverick 1.0 (nice aggression in several types of position)
  Little Goliath Evolution

Clearly I'm a guy who cares more for style than strength.

There are also a handful of personalities I am working on but still testing.

Have I missed any great current or historial engines in my list (which is in random order I should mention)?

Nice to see my Dissident Aggressor settings made the list, but also at the top. Who could ask for more?

Nimzo 99, Rebel 12 and Chess Tiger 12.0.

Hiarcs 7 DOS also had a very interesting style (very seat-of-the-pants to watch...)

-elc.

Can anyone recommend some 'weaker' (2400, 2200, 2000, 1800) engines, preferably UCI, that exhibit good style?