CCRL 40/4 - Updated Free Single-CPU comparison

[Mike S.]

If I can have the free Rybka 2.2n then why would a computer chess addict like me buy Rybka 3 other than for the aquarium GUI? (...) As I have stated many times, I wont buy/Use any Chessbase products unless they start supporting wb protocol the same way they support UCI.

I would ask myself the same question, wouldn't I have bought Rybka 2.3.2a already. But also, the strength difference to 232a seems to be +100, at least. This is an argument.

Today, ChessBase has given information about more new GUI features again. These seem very attractive to me, with the exception that I know from the past, that almost always new Fritz GUIs needed a couple of bugfixes to work properly.

http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4793

But as soon as they work flawlessly, it means the analysis mode is greatly enhanced. Except for that, I had considered to buy Rybka 3 "engine only".

As for CB. and the WinBoard protocol, in that case you will wait forever. There is no future for CB. & WB. (except via third party adapter software like Wb2Uci).

[George Tsavdaris]

Is there a reason why they decided to release 2.2n2 instead of 2.3.2?

It makes sense to me, in respect of the Rybka 2.x buyers. I bought it not before version 2.3.2a was released, on CD (the world championship version) in August 2007.

I think that 2.2, and most probably 2.2n2, is better in the late endgame (maybe except some zugzwang positions), than 2.3.2a which has some quirks in this area.

Nevertheless, I think I will stick to 2.2 for that purpose because I read, 2.2n2 doesn't display the tablebase hits. The improvements from 2.2 to 2.2n2 mostly were for mp effectiveness, but the demo will be the single version.

The free demo will also include the RybkaII.ctg book, which I think is quite remarkable. This will certainly be one of the very best free CTG books.

(I am referring to announcements, only. It's not yet up.)

Mike, thanks for your detailed reply. If I can have the free Rybka 2.2n then why would a computer chess addict like me buy Rybka 3 other than for the aquarium GUI? May be I should save those 60 dollars and use it to fill up my gas tank

I advised them for several reasons not to release for free the Rybka 2.2n2 engine.
Hopefully for you they will not listen to me.

I believe that for the good of computer Chess, such free releases should not occur.

And also as per your example, they just lost one potential customer of Rybka 3 with that "stupid" decision of them.

As I have stated many times, I wont buy/Use any Chessbase products unless they start supporting wb protocol the same way they support UCI.

Fritz GUIs support WB engines via Wb2Uci with no problems for most engines.....