Release : Chess System Tal EXTREME

[chrisw]

It’s very pleasing to see the positive comments here on Chess System Tal Extreme. Credit for wild extremism goes to Ed Schroeder who did all the research, design, ground work and donkey work. I get the impression he is not finished yet!

[Dann Corbit]

Thanks, I got a copy.
I have always enjoyed the pirates over the wall style of CSTal.

[chrisw]

Thanks, I got a copy.
I have always enjoyed the pirates over the wall style of CSTal.

When you next speak to Ed, suggest he ramp up the extremism to absurd levels. This will produce even more wild games but will reduce Elo even more. No matter, the Elo is way above GM level anyway, so crippling it down more with wild play could bring it down to the level of ordinary strong humans, which would be a big bonus, no?

[Peter Berger]

I want to share the following amazing game that I had the great pleasure of watching live, enjoy.

[pgn]

[Event "Lang 120min+10sek"]
[Site "Berlin"]
[Date "2026.01.27"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Crafty 25.6"]
[Black "Chess System Tal Extreme"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D06"]
[PlyCount "56"]
[TimeControl "7200+10"]

{4096MB, DESKTOP-8OCGGEO} 1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d5 {[%eval 37,27] [%emt 0:03:12]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Nf6 {[%eval 6,22] [%emt 0:01:14]} 3. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:07] (cxd5)} Bf5 {[%eval 16,27] [%emt 0:03:05]} 4. Qb3 {[%emt 0:03:09] (Sf3)} e6 {[%eval 12,27] [%emt 0:10:57]} 5. Qxb7 {[%emt 0:04:29] (Sf3)} Nbd7 {[%eval 25,27] [%emt 0:10:40]} 6. c5 {[%emt 0:02:53]} Rb8 {[%eval 35,28] [%emt 0:06:33]} 7. Qc6 {[%emt 0:04:12]} Be7 {[%eval 22,30] [%emt 0:02:09]} 8. Bf4 {[%emt 0:02:32] (e3)} O-O {[%eval -77,26] [%emt 0:02:57]} 9. e4 {[%emt 0:01:08]} Bxe4 {[%eval -77,29] [%emt 0:07:28]} 10. Bxc7 {[%emt 0:03:27] (Sxe4)} Qe8 {[%eval -87,29] [%emt 0:04:30]} 11. Bxb8 {[%emt 0:02:40]} Qxb8 {[%eval -44,28] [%emt 0:04:49]} 12. Qb5 {[%emt 0:03:29]} Qc7 {[%eval -60,30] [%emt 0:01:24]} 13. f3 {[%emt 0:01:55] (Sf3)} Bg6 {[%eval -113,26] [%emt 0:02:29]} 14. Qa4 {[%emt 0:08:04]} e5 {[%eval -193,29] [%emt 0:03:16]} 15. Nb5 {[%emt 0:00:46]} Qc6 {[%eval -205,28] [%emt 0:01:51]} 16. b4 {[%emt 0:00:42] (Da5)} exd4 {[%eval -274,25] [%emt 0:01:28]} 17. Ne2 {[%emt 0:02:02] (Td1)} Re8 {[%eval -260,26] [%emt 0:01:24]} 18. Kd1 {[%emt 0:00:30]} Ng4 {[%eval -262,28] [%emt 0:01:24]} 19. fxg4 {[%emt 0:03:15]} d3 {[%eval -313,29] [%emt 0:03:05]} 20. Qb3 {[%emt 0:00:09]} Qe6 {[%eval -379,25] [%emt 0:02:41]} 21. Rb1 {[%emt 0:09:39]} Bxc5 {[%eval -437,31] [%emt 0:13:54]} 22. Rb2 {[%emt 0:02:26]} Bb6 {[%eval -482,30] [%emt 0:03:33]} 23. Qc3 {[%emt 0:05:35] (Sd6)} Nf6 {[%eval -626,27] [%emt 0:01:20]} 24. Ned4 {[%emt 0:01:23]} Qxg4+ {[%eval -639,30] [%emt 0:02:19]} 25. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Ne4 {[%eval -665,30] [%emt 0:01:23]} 26. Qc6 {[%emt 0:02:04]} Rc8 {[%eval -697,31] [%emt 0:01:06]} 27. h3 {[%emt 0:01:31] (Dxc8+)} Qf5 {[%eval -724,28] [%emt 0:00:52]} 28. Qxc8+ {[%emt 0:00:53]} Qxc8 {[%eval -721,30] [%emt 0:00:46]} 0-1

[/pgn]

As someone who used to play the Baltic defense years ago, this setup with 2. ...Nf6 and 3. ...Bf5 I have never seen before also feels theoretically relevant to me. If black can get this to work, both variations supposed to refute the Baltic would be avoided.

[chrisw]

I want to share the following amazing game that I had the great pleasure of watching live, enjoy.

[pgn]

[Event "Lang 120min+10sek"]
[Site "Berlin"]
[Date "2026.01.27"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Crafty 25.6"]
[Black "Chess System Tal Extreme"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D06"]
[PlyCount "56"]
[TimeControl "7200+10"]

{4096MB, DESKTOP-8OCGGEO} 1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d5 {[%eval 37,27] [%emt 0:03:12]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Nf6 {[%eval 6,22] [%emt 0:01:14]} 3. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:07] (cxd5)} Bf5 {[%eval 16,27] [%emt 0:03:05]} 4. Qb3 {[%emt 0:03:09] (Sf3)} e6 {[%eval 12,27] [%emt 0:10:57]} 5. Qxb7 {[%emt 0:04:29] (Sf3)} Nbd7 {[%eval 25,27] [%emt 0:10:40]} 6. c5 {[%emt 0:02:53]} Rb8 {[%eval 35,28] [%emt 0:06:33]} 7. Qc6 {[%emt 0:04:12]} Be7 {[%eval 22,30] [%emt 0:02:09]} 8. Bf4 {[%emt 0:02:32] (e3)} O-O {[%eval -77,26] [%emt 0:02:57]} 9. e4 {[%emt 0:01:08]} Bxe4 {[%eval -77,29] [%emt 0:07:28]} 10. Bxc7 {[%emt 0:03:27] (Sxe4)} Qe8 {[%eval -87,29] [%emt 0:04:30]} 11. Bxb8 {[%emt 0:02:40]} Qxb8 {[%eval -44,28] [%emt 0:04:49]} 12. Qb5 {[%emt 0:03:29]} Qc7 {[%eval -60,30] [%emt 0:01:24]} 13. f3 {[%emt 0:01:55] (Sf3)} Bg6 {[%eval -113,26] [%emt 0:02:29]} 14. Qa4 {[%emt 0:08:04]} e5 {[%eval -193,29] [%emt 0:03:16]} 15. Nb5 {[%emt 0:00:46]} Qc6 {[%eval -205,28] [%emt 0:01:51]} 16. b4 {[%emt 0:00:42] (Da5)} exd4 {[%eval -274,25] [%emt 0:01:28]} 17. Ne2 {[%emt 0:02:02] (Td1)} Re8 {[%eval -260,26] [%emt 0:01:24]} 18. Kd1 {[%emt 0:00:30]} Ng4 {[%eval -262,28] [%emt 0:01:24]} 19. fxg4 {[%emt 0:03:15]} d3 {[%eval -313,29] [%emt 0:03:05]} 20. Qb3 {[%emt 0:00:09]} Qe6 {[%eval -379,25] [%emt 0:02:41]} 21. Rb1 {[%emt 0:09:39]} Bxc5 {[%eval -437,31] [%emt 0:13:54]} 22. Rb2 {[%emt 0:02:26]} Bb6 {[%eval -482,30] [%emt 0:03:33]} 23. Qc3 {[%emt 0:05:35] (Sd6)} Nf6 {[%eval -626,27] [%emt 0:01:20]} 24. Ned4 {[%emt 0:01:23]} Qxg4+ {[%eval -639,30] [%emt 0:02:19]} 25. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Ne4 {[%eval -665,30] [%emt 0:01:23]} 26. Qc6 {[%emt 0:02:04]} Rc8 {[%eval -697,31] [%emt 0:01:06]} 27. h3 {[%emt 0:01:31] (Dxc8+)} Qf5 {[%eval -724,28] [%emt 0:00:52]} 28. Qxc8+ {[%emt 0:00:53]} Qxc8 {[%eval -721,30] [%emt 0:00:46]} 0-1

[/pgn]

As someone who used to play the Baltic defense years ago, this setup with 2. ...Nf6 and 3. ...Bf5 I have never seen before also feels theoretically relevant to me. If black can get this to work, both variations supposed to refute the Baltic would be avoided.

Bishop pair from hell, amongst other things

[Dann Corbit]

Thanks, I got a copy.
I have always enjoyed the pirates over the wall style of CSTal.

When you next speak to Ed, suggest he ramp up the extremism to absurd levels. This will produce even more wild games but will reduce Elo even more. No matter, the Elo is way above GM level anyway, so crippling it down more with wild play could bring it down to the level of ordinary strong humans, which would be a big bonus, no?

I would definitely like that as a UCI option

[Werewolf]

Thanks, I got a copy.
I have always enjoyed the pirates over the wall style of CSTal.

When you next speak to Ed, suggest he ramp up the extremism to absurd levels. This will produce even more wild games but will reduce Elo even more. No matter, the Elo is way above GM level anyway, so crippling it down more with wild play could bring it down to the level of ordinary strong humans, which would be a big bonus, no?

Yes. It is far more useful to me to have a 3000 Elo engine that goes nuts than a 3200 Elo one that is only a bit daft.

[Rebel]

Thanks, I got a copy.
I have always enjoyed the pirates over the wall style of CSTal.

When you next speak to Ed, suggest he ramp up the extremism to absurd levels. This will produce even more wild games but will reduce Elo even more. No matter, the Elo is way above GM level anyway, so crippling it down more with wild play could bring it down to the level of ordinary strong humans, which would be a big bonus, no?

It certainly can be done, most simple way, create more aggressive neural nets.

[Werewolf]

Thanks, I got a copy.
I have always enjoyed the pirates over the wall style of CSTal.

When you next speak to Ed, suggest he ramp up the extremism to absurd levels. This will produce even more wild games but will reduce Elo even more. No matter, the Elo is way above GM level anyway, so crippling it down more with wild play could bring it down to the level of ordinary strong humans, which would be a big bonus, no?

It certainly can be done, most simple way, create more aggressive neural nets.

Please do. The chess world doesn't need another world-class engine as much as it needs this.

[Rebel]

Thanks, I got a copy.
I have always enjoyed the pirates over the wall style of CSTal.

When you next speak to Ed, suggest he ramp up the extremism to absurd levels. This will produce even more wild games but will reduce Elo even more. No matter, the Elo is way above GM level anyway, so crippling it down more with wild play could bring it down to the level of ordinary strong humans, which would be a big bonus, no?

It certainly can be done, most simple way, create more aggressive neural nets.

Please do. The chess world doesn't need another world-class engine as much as it needs this.

Something like this ?

Absurd version 1.0

Code: Select all

Playing Style Rating-list  Wed Feb  4 17:13:41 2026
 STYLE   King          Short           
 Total  Attack   %     Games   %     Sacs    %    Engine
671175  202455 22.5%  185779 51.0%  282941 55.9%  Absurd 1.0  
481331  189556 25.9%  133970 53.4%  157805 38.4%  Chess System Tal Extreme  
462072  187137 26.2%  129612 53.0%  145323 36.9%  Rebel Extreme 1.1  
427703  162557 23.9%  132348 55.2%  132798 35.5%  CSTal 2.1 EAS  
418894  143209 23.6%  131425 52.8%  144260 38.9%  Patricia 3.01  
373990  149388 27.4%   84604 45.2%  139998 38.5%  Patricia 5 xtremeEAS  

or EAS :

Code: Select all

                         early           bad  avg.win 
Rank  EAS-Score  sacs    sacs   shorts  draws  moves  Engine/player 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   1   1660248  60.55%  37.88%  82.57%  04.63%   46   Absurd-1.0  
   2    749461  52.00%  21.44%  54.30%  05.60%   48   Chess-System-Tal-Extreme  
   3    713389  48.36%  20.68%  53.63%  06.40%   48   Rebel-Extreme-1.1  
   4    678346  56.72%  22.42%  45.22%  04.26%   52   Patricia-5-xtremeEAS  
   5    662116  47.97%  23.10%  44.80%  05.02%   53   Patricia-3.01  

Still 3000+ elo.