Rybka --HOW LONG!?

[Nimzovik]

Sheesh! Looking at the SSDF list (April 2007) Rybka (the 2 versions ) tops the list for a very very (longest?) long time. So what........Vas is super genius? The other programmers just can't compete? NO disrepect is intended. No insult is meant. All the programs are good. Just RYBKA is a what - a quantum leap phenomenon?? I mean by almost 100 rating points! GASP! For this long!!?? Have the others given up with the result to add features as opposed to strength?...........................HMmmmmmmmmmm Mind you I really do love the styles of the other programs but will my favorite ALWAYS just be another --'other' program?? Frustrating..........Alex

[cooldalek]

Vas has created a great program. But others will come in time and challenge Rybka within 1-4 years I expect (sooner rather than later I suspect too).

[Dann Corbit]

Why should excellence be frustrating?
But it is hallucination on your part. Here is an extract of SSDF #1 rankings:

• ssdf9911.htm ( 40): 1 Chess Tiger 12.0 DOS 128MB K6-2 450 MHz 2696 44 -40 317 72% 2533
  ssdf9905.htm ( 22): 1 Chess Tiger 12.0 DOS 128MB K6-2 450 MHz 2696 44 -40 317 72% 2533
  ssdf9911.htm ( 92): 1 Chess Tiger 12.0 DOS 128MB K6-2 450 MHz, 2696
  ssdf0112.htm ( 35): 1 Chess Tiger 14.0 CB 256MB Athlon 1200 2715 38 -36 378 66% 2600
  ssdf9902.htm ( 22): 1 Chessmaster 6000 64MB P200 MMX 2576 88 -71 100 78% 2363
  ssdf0103.htm ( 35): 1 Deep Fritz 128MB K6-2 450 MHz 2650 34 -32 470 66% 2537
  ssdf0106.htm ( 35): 1 Deep Fritz 128MB K6-2 450 MHz 2653 29 -28 647 64% 2551
  ssdf0103.htm ( 87): 1 Deep Fritz 128MB K6-2 450 MHz, 2650
  ssdf0110.htm ( 35): 1 Deep Fritz 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2726 55 -51 182 65% 2618
  ssdf0110.htm ( 87): 1 Deep Fritz 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz, 2726
  SSDF0301.htm ( 36): 1 Deep Fritz 7.0 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2754 31 -29 614 71% 2601
  SSDF0212.htm ( 35): 1 Deep Fritz 7.0 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2755 31 -29 614 71% 2603
  SSDF0210.htm ( 35): 1 Deep Fritz 7.0 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2763 34 -31 535 73% 2587
  SSDF0210.htm ( 87): 1 Deep Fritz 7.0 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz, 2763
  ssdf9808.htm ( 23): 1 Fritz 5.0 PB30% 67MB P200 MMX 2566 25 -24 906 68% 2431
  ssdf9807.htm ( 23): 1 Fritz 5.0 PB32% 67MB P200 MMX 2570 25 -24 868 69% 2426
  ssdf9805.htm ( 23): 1 Fritz 5.0 PB34% 67MB P200 MMX 2574 26 -25 823 70% 2427
  ssdf9806.htm ( 23): 1 Fritz 5.0 PB34% 67MB P200 MMX 2574 26 -25 843 70% 2427
  ssdf9804.htm ( 23): 1 Fritz 5.0 PB34% 67MB P200 MMX 2573 27 -25 784 69% 2430
  ssdf9802.htm ( 23): 1 Fritz 5.0 Pentium MMX 200 MHz 2589 54 -50 198 67% 2463
  ssdf9904.htm ( 22): 1 Fritz 5.32 128MB K6-2 450 MHz 2681 72 153 80% 2445
  ssdf9902.htm ( 23): 1 Fritz 5.32 64MB P200 MMX 2576 29 -28 627 66% 2457
  ssdf9903.htm ( 22): 1 Fritz 5.32 64MB P200 MMX 2577 29 -28 627 66% 2458
  ssdf9906.htm ( 38): 1 Fritz 5.32 64MB P200 MMX 2577 29 -28 627 66% 2458
  ssdf0012.htm ( 35): 1 Fritz 6.0 128MB K6-2 450 MHz 2629 25 -24 845 67% 2506
  ssdf0004.htm ( 22): 1 Fritz 6.0 128MB K6-2 450 MHz 2630 26 -25 775 67% 2505
  ssdf0010.htm ( 36): 1 Fritz 6.0 128MB K6-2 450 MHz 2630 26 -25 775 67% 2505
  ssdf0008.htm ( 20): 1 Fritz 6.0 128MB K6-2 450 MHz 2631 28 -27 673 67% 2504<br>
  SSDF0205.htm ( 35): 1 Fritz 7.0 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2730 33 -31 494 64% 2626
  SSDF0207.htm ( 35): 1 Fritz 7.0 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2741 30 -29 574 64% 2636
  SSDF0203.htm ( 35): 1 Fritz 7.0 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2748 38 -35 395 68% 2616
  SSDF0203.htm ( 87): 1 Fritz 7.0 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz, 2748
  SSDF0601.htm ( 35): 1 Fruit 2.2.1 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2852 35 -33 457 68% 2717
  rlwww061.txt ( 4): 1 Fruit 2.2.1 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2852 35 -33 457 68% 2717
  rlwww062.txt ( 4): 1 Fruit 2.2.1 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2853 26 -25 835 71% 2701
  SSDF0602.htm ( 35): 1 Fruit 2.2.1 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2853 26 -25 835 71% 2701
  SSDF0601.htm ( 87): 1 Fruit 2.2.1 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz, 2852
  rlwww061.txt (276): 1 Fruit 2.2.1 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz, 2852
  rlwww062.txt (277): 1 Fruit 2.2.1 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz, 2853
  ssdf9609.htm ( 23): 1 Genius 3.0 Pentium 90 MHz 2420 29 -28 626 64% 2320
  ssdf9507.htm ( 13): 1 Genius 3.0 Pentium 90 MHz 2437 42 -39 324 69% 2300
  ssdf9504.htm (133): 1 Genius 3.0 Pentium 90 MHz 2439 52 -47 226 72% 2277
  ssdf9503.txt (222): 1 Genius 3.0 Pentium 90 MHz 2440 53 -48 221 71% 2279
  ssdf9504.htm (773): 1 Genius 3.0 Pentium 90 MHz 2658 80 120 78% 2440
  ssdf9507.htm ( 74): 1 Genius 3.0 Pentium 90 MHz, 2437
  ssdf9503.txt (278): 1 Genius 3.0 Pentium 90 MHz, 2440
  ssdf9707.htm ( 23): 1 Hiarcs 6.0 Pentium MMX 200 MHz 2539 42 -40 307 65% 2426
  ssdf9708.htm ( 23): 1 Hiarcs 6.0 Pentium MMX 200 MHz 2544 41 -39 327 66% 2424
  ssdf9705.htm ( 23): 1 Hiarcs 6.0 Pentium MMX 200 MHz 2555 46 -43 262 67% 2434
  ssdf9706.htm ( 23): 1 Hiarcs 6.0 Pentium MMX 200 MHz 2558 46 -43 269 67% 2433
  ssdf9704.htm ( 23): 1 Hiarcs 6.0 Pentium MMX 200 MHz 2587 65 -57 152 73% 2416
  ssdf9901.htm ( 23): 1 Hiarcs 7.0 64MB P200 MMX 2576 40 -38 352 69% 2434
  ssdf0001.htm ( 22): 1 Junior 6.0 128MB K6-2 450 MHz 2706 38 -35 403 70% 2556
  ssdf9608.htm ( 23): 1 MChess Pro 5.0 Pentium 90 MHz 2421 28 -27 693 65% 2313
  ssdf9605.htm ( 23): 1 MChess Pro 5.0 Pentium 90 MHz 2430 29 -28 623 65% 2318
  ssdf9604.htm ( 23): 1 MChess Pro 5.0 Pentium 90 MHz 2430 30 -28 608 65% 2320
  ssdf9603.htm ( 23): 1 MChess Pro 5.0 Pentium 90 MHz 2440 31 -30 556 67% 2317
  ssdf9602.htm ( 23): 1 MChess Pro 5.0 Pentium 90 MHz 2442 32 -30 549 67% 2317
  ssdf9601.htm ( 23): 1 MChess Pro 5.0 Pentium 90 MHz 2447 33 -32 498 68% 2315
  ssdf9511.txt (249): 1 MChess Pro 5.0 Pentium 90 MHz 2458 45 -42 284 67%
  ssdf9511.txt (379): 1 MChess Pro 5.0 Pentium 90 MHz, 2458
  ssdf9703.htm ( 23): 1 Rebel 8.0 Pentium 90 MHz 2462 26 -25 781 67% 2337
  ssdf9702.htm ( 23): 1 Rebel 8.0 Pentium 90 MHz 2462 27 -26 736 67% 2336
  ssdf9612.htm ( 23): 1 Rebel 8.0 Pentium 90 MHz 2473 30 -28 632 69% 2334
  ssdf9610.htm ( 23):*1 Rebel 8.0 Pentium 90 MHz 2482 32 -30 568 70% 2333
  ssdf9801.htm ( 23): 1 Rebel 9.0 Pentium MMX 200 MHz 2533 35 -33 462 69% 2397
  rlwww065.txt ( 4): 1 Rybka 1.2 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2918 31 -29 666 76% 2718
  rlwww064.txt ( 4): 1 Rybka 1.2 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2924 32 -30 626 77% 2711
  SSDF0609.htm ( 96): 1 Rybka 1.2 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2924 32 -30 626 77% 2711
  SSDF0608.htm (147): 1 Rybka 1.2 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2931 38 -35 473 79% 2699
  rlwww063.txt ( 4): 1 Rybka 1.2 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2931 38 -35 473 79% 2699
  SSDF0606.htm (178): 1 Rybka 1.2 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2931 38 -35 473 79% 2699
  rlwww065.txt (283): 1 Rybka 1.2 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz, 2918
  rlwww064.txt (280): 1 Rybka 1.2 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz, 2924
  rlwww063.txt (279): 1 Rybka 1.2 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz, 2931
  SSDF0202.htm ( 35): 1 Shredder 6.0 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2715 46 -43 264 65% 2604
  SSDF0202.htm ( 87): 1 Shredder 6.0 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz, 2715
  SSDF0305.htm ( 35): 1 Shredder 7.0 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2768 27 -25 801 70% 2620
  SSDF0302.htm ( 36): 1 Shredder 7.0 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2768 33 -31 547 72% 2606
  SSDF0302.htm ( 88): 1 Shredder 7.0 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz, 2768
  SSDF0402.htm ( 35): 1 Shredder 7.04 UCI 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2808 26 -25 866 73% 2631
  SSDF0307.htm ( 35): 1 Shredder 7.04 UCI 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2810 37 -34 465 76% 2607
  SSDF0310.htm ( 35): 1 Shredder 7.04 UCI 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2812 28 -26 781 75% 2623
  SSDF0307.htm ( 87): 1 Shredder 7.04 UCI 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz, 2810
  SSDF0412.htm ( 35): 1 Shredder 8.0 CB 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2805 23 -22 1075 71% 2645
  SSDF0502.htm ( 35): 1 Shredder 8.0 CB 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2806 23 -22 1115 71% 2649
  SSDF0404.htm ( 35): 1 Shredder 8.0 CB 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz 2818 34 -32 481 70% 2673
  SSDF0404.htm ( 87): 1 Shredder 8.0 CB 256MB Athlon 1200 MHz, 2818

Shredder and Fritz have both had more time in the top spot. I did not check carefully to see if any others also exceeded the total duration.

In some tests, the current version of Zappa is pretty close to Rybka.

At any rate, rather than frustration, I think a better idea is admiration. If you can win a single chess contest, it is a magnificent thing. But if you can top the SSDF, then with very carefull scrutiny, your engine is shown to be one of the clear best of its time.