Synapse Chess

[mjlef]

I just want to warn people again that Synapse Chess is just stolen versions of other programs (depending on the version, it is Gull, Stockfish or Komodo). This is easily proven by comparing Synapse output to other strong programs.

Please do not support these people. And please do not give anyone copies of their pirated programs. You could be held liable for copyright infringement. The Synapse programmers only skill seems to be writing wrapper programs to hide the real version they steal. Very sad.

Mark

[supersharp77]

They stole Stockfish and Komodo too? Unreal.....how did they do it? AR

[tttony]

I thought that it was a dead engine, its site http://www.synapse-chess.com/ expired

[mjlef]

Well, I did have the site taken down when I proved to the hosting service they were just stealing software, and putting some kind of a wrapper around it to hide the truth. But identical nodes, PVs and scores show they just pirate software. The "added value" they add is injecting nonsense like this:

IDDFS_O(bd) 81449233513260

in the UCI output. Oh, they also end up slowing the software down by this junk.

If any of you have sent them money, please let me know. Ask for a refund (good luck). I intend to ask they again be shut down, and the try to get paypay to stop letting them steal money from people and refund people. Perhaps one of you knows a good lawyer willing to devote a little time to stopping these cheats?

Mark

[velmarin]

Ethically very evil, and in addition the pay-pay....



This response results curious in Chess2u Forum, the combination of motors in the same exe...
http://www.chess2u.com/t10099-compariso ... sh-synapse

Code: Select all

Re: Comparison between last versions of Komodo-Stockfish-Synapse
Mensaje el Mar Ene 12, 2016 12:11 am por 
Alexa1978
Having spent many hours studying the unpacked file of this mysterious engine called synapse I can finally say with certainty what it is.
It comes as a stand-alone .exe file, and corresponds to a chess engine in UCI form, and so far nothing strange or new. But how does? is an original engine? these questions I can finally give a definite answer, but before i must mentioning two old programs: Triplebrain and Chesscombi.
Synapse is in fact the result of the evolution of these programs, is the result of the combination of two other chess engines that, depending on the choices of programmers, takes on characteristics similar to this and that engine.
The very news is that the engine is delivered to the user in the final version, so already set, no need to "mount" each time as to chesscombi.
Analyzing the file emerges a sort of hybrid code, my opinion is that programmers use systems capable not only to unite but also to make compatible and perfectly coexisting two different chess engines in one.
The first part of the file is represented by engine "main". The second part of the file is represented by engine "secondary" more the part that manages the entire file and allows it to function properly.
According to Alejandro Torres, "Synapse uses ideas of engines freely distributed."
....closed story for me!

[mjlef]

If anyone who has communicated with the Synapse Chess guys recently has an email you can share, please let me know. They seem to be hiding again.

Mark

[mjlef]

Ethically very evil, and in addition the pay-pay....



This response results curious in Chess2u Forum, the combination of motors in the same exe...
http://www.chess2u.com/t10099-compariso ... sh-synapse

Code: Select all

Re: Comparison between last versions of Komodo-Stockfish-Synapse
Mensaje el Mar Ene 12, 2016 12:11 am por 
Alexa1978
Having spent many hours studying the unpacked file of this mysterious engine called synapse I can finally say with certainty what it is.
It comes as a stand-alone .exe file, and corresponds to a chess engine in UCI form, and so far nothing strange or new. But how does? is an original engine? these questions I can finally give a definite answer, but before i must mentioning two old programs: Triplebrain and Chesscombi.
Synapse is in fact the result of the evolution of these programs, is the result of the combination of two other chess engines that, depending on the choices of programmers, takes on characteristics similar to this and that engine.
The very news is that the engine is delivered to the user in the final version, so already set, no need to "mount" each time as to chesscombi.
Analyzing the file emerges a sort of hybrid code, my opinion is that programmers use systems capable not only to unite but also to make compatible and perfectly coexisting two different chess engines in one.
The first part of the file is represented by engine "main". The second part of the file is represented by engine "secondary" more the part that manages the entire file and allows it to function properly.
According to Alejandro Torres, "Synapse uses ideas of engines freely distributed."
....closed story for me!

They may claim that it is a combination of several engines, but my tests have just shown one engine in the few versions I have. One is Gull, another Stockfish and a third Komodo. Just compare scores and PVs in a fixed depth search. It is identical. They add nothing but a program slowdown and obfuscation.

[mjlef]

If anyone who has communicated with the Synapse Chess guys recently has an email you can share, please let me know. They seem to be hiding again.

Mark

Also, if you know of anyone who sent the Synapse Chess people money, let me know. We can file a fraud claim via PayPal and try and get your money back.

Attempts to contact the Synapse guys have bounced back. Looks like they are drawling back under a rock. So sad.

Mark

[jefk]

>Attempts to contact the Synapse guys have bounced back

don't understand why you are so critical about this program;
had a look at it, and it appears to be a neural network (as the name also already suggests), a bit like AlphaGo, and then probably only using Stockfish and Komodo for some tuning or treesearch; in fact having analyzed Ed S's huge book now with Synapse, i found to get overwhelming advantage for 1.c4! (1.d4 doesn't work anymore because of some improve Gruenfeld variations for Black); so although i used to think that chess is a draw with best play, it now appears that White can win, although solving the game with the updated English variations will still take me some months. And this all thanks to Synapse !
jef

[Steve Maughan]

Jef,

[...]although solving the game with the updated English variations will still take me some months[...]

ROTFL!

This type of statement vaporizes credibility in this community.

(or is it an early April Fools joke )

- Steve