SSDF list: why Chessmaster is not tested anymore?

[Ponti]

Last Chessmaster tested version is CM 9000.
There`s no CM 10000 and no CM Challenge ("11000"). Why ?
IMHO it must be tested, it is the #1 seller all over the world!
Here in Brazil a full copy of CM 10000 sells at US$15 only - much cheaper than Rybka or Fritz.

[lmader]

Although CM10k and CM11k have slightly newer versions of "The King" engine, even the author of the engine admits that there haven't been major improvements in playing strength, and that it would take a major overhaul to bring it up to current standards. But don't let that bother you. It's still a great engine and great program.

[Terry McCracken]

It Sucks!

[Ovyron]

It Sucks!

Perhaps, but then you can create a personality for it that doesn't suck

[swami]

It Sucks!

CM is a 2800 elo program. Better than most out there, It's sole purpose was to provide people an entertainment, and it suceeded.

[Dann Corbit]

Last Chessmaster tested version is CM 9000.
There`s no CM 10000 and no CM Challenge ("11000"). Why ?
IMHO it must be tested, it is the #1 seller all over the world!
Here in Brazil a full copy of CM 10000 sells at US$15 only - much cheaper than Rybka or Fritz.

It is very difficult to test it in the native way like the other SSDF engines are tested. Imagine the effort of *manually* playing 800 games at 40 moves in 2 hours. I shudder to think of it.

However, the engine itself can be decoupled from the chess system and tested as a Winboard engine. Look at this:
http://www.husvankempen.de/nunn/40_40%2 ... n/260.html

[Nimzovik]

Let us not forget that -if I recall correctly -that one time chessmaster 9000 was briefly at the TOP of the SSDF list. It does not 's***' at chess. It is however not competitive at the top level of programs today. It is still however a good learning tool and indeed cheap. It has nice graphical "eye candy" as well which in my opinion can facilitate the motivation and creativity of many chess afficionados. The easily customizable personalities are a plus for many users. I frankly prefer some of the boards in CM 9000 as opposed to the 11th edition. Much research has gone into finding the optimum strength of the engine via tweaking the personalities by reputable contributors of this forum such as Kurt Utzinger (I hope I did not mispell his name) So enjoy!

[Terry McCracken]

It Sucks!

CM is a 2800 elo program. Better than most out there, It's sole purpose was to provide people an entertainment, and it suceeded.

You got the later right, the former wrong.

[S.Taylor]

It Sucks!

CM is a 2800 elo program. Better than most out there, It's sole purpose was to provide people an entertainment, and it suceeded.

You got the later right, the former wrong.

It is always hard to take something so much weaker than Rybka 3, when Rybka 3 is already with us.
But if it (the best CM) outplays atleast Shredder 7.04 in all positions, then I think that any entertainment it has, has something good backing it up.

[swami]

It Sucks!

CM is a 2800 elo program. Better than most out there, It's sole purpose was to provide people an entertainment, and it suceeded.

You got the later right, the former wrong.

Look up several comp chess ratings list. If you mean FIDE equivalent, then I think The King MP is rated maybe around 2650-2700 which is still good enough.