Fritz 5.32 - is it a free engine?

[Kirill Kryukov]

Hi all. I am curious whether Fritz 5.32 can be considered a "free" engine. Was it ever available as a part of any free download? (Like Chessbase Light or Playchess.com client, or anything else, or standalone). Any information will be appreciated. Thanks!

(I know that Firtz 5.32 is bundled with some commercial Chessbase offerings, but I am not sure it's enough to call it "free")

[M ANSARI]

Yes it is, and also there is a Fritz 6 light which is also freeware. Although mighty when it was first introduced, it is very weak in comparison to today's engines.

[Sylwy]

YES !
Try the following link:

http://www.pcgo.de/aktuell/ausgabe0103/default.php

The installer is for the old GUI.

Regards,
Sylwy

[Kirill Kryukov]

Yes it is, and also there is a Fritz 6 light which is also freeware. Although mighty when it was first introduced, it is very weak in comparison to today's engines.

Thanks for reply. I know about Fritz 6 Light, which was available as part of free Playchess.com client software. (May be it still is).

Do you know which free download contained Fritz 5.32? Is it still available online? If not, in which year/month it was available, approximately?

[Kirill Kryukov]

YES !
Try the following link:

http://www.pcgo.de/aktuell/ausgabe0103/default.php

The installer is for the old GUI.

Regards,
Sylwy

Thanks! I downloaded and installed it, and I could not locate any *.eng file there which I could use in another GUI (which is what I need for automatic engine-engine testing). It seems that engine was integrated with GUI that time. So, the question is still open.

[Mike S.]

The latest version of the Fritz 5.32 engine of Oct. 14th, 2001 was included in the old free ChessBase Light version (based on CB 6.0). The new free ChessBase Light version 2007 contains a Fritz 6 engine of Dec. 16th, 2000 as the analysis module for CB.

[Sylwy]

Hi Kirill !

Fritz 5.32 is a native engine (not a free protocol-like UCI & Winboard).You can use this engine in eng.vs eng. matches only:
1.on ChessBase GUI-s
2.using an Auto 232

Regards,
Sylwy

[Kirill Kryukov]

Hi Kirill !

Fritz 5.32 is a native engine (not a free protocol-like UCI & Winboard).You can use this engine in eng.vs eng. matches only:
1.on ChessBase GUI-s
2.using an Auto 232

Regards,
Sylwy

Dear Sylwy, the download you pointed in your previous post does not contain any .eng files. I know that Fritz 5.32 is a native engine, however the download contained only an integrated GUI+engine. There was no separagte .eng file.

If you know any location where I can (legally) download Fritz 5.32 as an .eng file, please post!

[Kirill Kryukov]

The latest version of the Fritz 5.32 engine of Oct. 14th, 2001 was included in the old free ChessBase Light version (based on CB 6.0). The new free ChessBase Light version 2007 contains a Fritz 6 engine of Dec. 16th, 2000 as the analysis module for CB.

Thank you very much for confirmation!

This means Fritz 5.32 was available as part of free download at least for some time. Which probably means we can call it "Free engine".

[Sylwy]

Hi Kirill !
The engine is on your computer !
After the program was installed you find in your address the folder ChessBase with five sub-folders:
1.Default. cko
2.Devices
3.Engines (HERE is the Fritz 5-32.eng file-124KB)
4.Fritz 5.32
5.Sounds

Regards,
Sylwy

NB:Again-Fritz 5.32 is writed in a private protocol.Fritz 5.32 cannot be run in DOS mode.