Chess engine specialization

[Kempelen]

Most engines are designed to play all openings and all kind of positions. They are specialized in play almost all.

Are there any try to make an engine with a limited set of opening lines, and specially designed to play corresponding positions? I would suspect such an engine would be better to tune, better to see result and better to test. Maybe better results.....

Humans specialize in two openings for white, and maybe two openings for d4 and two openings against e4, so they can focus better. Why not the same for a chess engine????

[Fguy64]

As for specializing in certain openings, I think that modern programs with their extensive opening trees can be configured to specialize in any opening you want.

As for specializing in certain positions, well we sort of have that with endgame tablebases. Also who knows what goes on under the hood with programs like Fritz or Rybkka, maybe they do have routines that are called in certain types of positions.

Marketability is a big consideration. It's one thing to limit an engine to certain types of positions, but will people purchase it?

[IanO]

Chess System Tal was specialized for attacking lines, I think. (I've never understood why it wasn't adapted to a dedicated computer.)

Rybka was apparently unusual in tuning for obtaining won positions in real games rather than solving tactical problems.