Computer Chess RATINGS from Selective Search Magazine

Special NEW SUBSCRIBER'S OFFER - see BELOW. Subscribers also get 10% DISCOUNTS off most UK dedicated Computer Chess prices.

RATINGS UPDATED: Mar 2012

I started my Magazine SELECTIVE SEARCH in 1985 - when it was known as 'The Computer Chess News Sheet'.Current readership numbers are dropping slightly nowadays, and subscribers total around 200.

As well as the COMPUTER RATING LISTS a wide range of Computer Chess issues are covered: Articles and Reviews of latest machines and programs, 'Best-Buy' Guides, Tournament and Match results, Analysed Games, occasional contributions by Programmers, discussion on Computer Progress, Playing Styles, Studies of Positions which confuse computers, plus Readers' contributions, and much more. It is produced bi-monthly, and always includes updated and separate Rating Lists for Dedicatedcomputers (top 100) and PC programs(top 50).

I maintain a 'Top Ten' list here, updating it from time to time. The MAGAZINE shows more details, including Ratings of games/matches v. human opposition, and I hope visitors here will consider subscribing, as income I receive from 'SELECTIVE SEARCH' is what keeps the work going!

SELECTIVE SEARCH RATINGS

Each computer/program's rating figure is calculated by combining its computer-v-computer results WITH its results against graded players in proper tournaments. The level of the finished List is determined by the results v graded players, with a strong bias towards most recent results. Considerably more computer-computer games are played than those v. humans, as it is physically and financially impossible to enter enough Tournaments to obtain the number of games v. humans that we would wish.

Gradings from computer v computer results do not always match those of computer v humans: a program CAN be prepared specifically to do its best against other computers, OR it can be programmed to do its best against humans! The latter is what USERS want, but programmers inevitably have an eye on our Rating Lists, and are aware of the preponderance of computer-computer games which produces them! Even so, my view is that it is BETTER to have this type of Computer Rating List, as a guide for interested parties and prospective purchasers, than to rely solely on manufacturers' claims! Another factor is that Chess Players are MUCH more used to playing against Computers and Computer Programs than they were 5, 10, 15 years ago. Programs like the Fidelity Sensory9, Novag Super Constellation, Mephisto Academy, Mephisto Lyon 68030 etc. would NOT be able to obtain the same gradings they did in the 'old' days were they entered in the same Tournaments again today!

The results on which my Ratings are based include my own testing, that of Selective Search readers, and (with permission) the valuable SSDF scores. So the calculations combine MANY results and I believe that they achieve a high level of accuracy. Time controls used are from a minimum G/60 or 60/60 up to and including full Tournament time controls (as used by the SSDF) 40/2hrs. The initial calculations are done in Elo, and converted to British BCF figures using the formula (Elo-600)/8 = BCF.

The current TOP RATINGS in each group (PC PROGRAMS and DEDICATED COMPUTERS) are...

COMMERCIAL PC ENGINES

Ratings are for Single Processor, calibrated to Pentium4 machines running at 1200MHz

.............BCF Elo.. Program   (DEEP (MP) versions: in general: add +80 Elo for Dual2Core 2GHz PC, or +120 Elo for Quad 3GHz, and another +40 Elo for 64-bit PC!)

1. 301 3011 Houdini 2.0c
2. 296 2986 Critter 1.4
3. 295 2981 Stockfish 2.2.2
4. 295 2980 Rybka 4.1
5. 294 2972 Komodo 3
6. 288 2916 Rybka 3
7. 287 2910 Hiarcs WCSC 2011 (due out soon)
8. 282 2858 Naum 4.2
9. 279 2838 Fritz 13
10. 278 2829 Shredder 12
11. 276 2810 Hiarcs 13.2 uci
12. 275 2805 Fritz 12
13. 271 2766 Spark 1.0 
14. 270 2760 Junior 13
15. 270 2756 Shredder 11
16. 267 2735 Fritz 11
17. 264 2716 Sjeng WC2008
18. 264 2712 Hiarcs 12
19. 263 2708 Junior 12.5
20. 262 2698 Toga II 1.4beta5c
21. 262 2697 Zap Mexico 2

DEDICATED COMPUTERS

Here I show the Computer, Elo grading, Price in UK pounds, and a code to indicate the type of board. w=wood, auto-sensory, ps=press-sensory, pl=portable plug-in, pt=portable touch screen, pc=portable calculator. Current models are in bold - others may not be easily available!

.............BCF Elo.. Computer

1. 216 2330 Tasc R30-1995 (w) UK1199
2. 213 2301 Mephisto LONDON 68030 (w) UK1299
3. 208 2268 Mephisto LONDON PRO 68020 (ps) UK689
4. 206 2248 Mephisto RISC2 (w) UK949
5. 202 2210 Mephisto MONTREUX (ps) UK449
6. 201 2209 Mephisto MAGELLAN(w) UK799 - ATLANTA (ps) UK349
7. 201 2208 Kasparov SPARC (w) UK899
8. 199 2191 Kasparov RISC 2500 (ps) UK399
9. 197 2175 Novag STAR DIAMOND (ps) UK199 - STAR SAPPHIRE (pt) UK179
10. 190 2120 Novag DIAMOND2 (ps) UK279 - SAPPHIRE2 (pc) UK225
11. 188 2103 Mephisto MASTER (ps) UK159 - SENATOR (w) UK449
12. 178 2026 Saitek EXPLORER PRO (ps) UK79
13. 177 2014 Novag CITRINE (w) UK249
14. 174 1994 Saitek Chess CHALLENGER (ps) UK69 
15. 169 1962 Novag OBSIDIAN (ps) UK129
16. Port plug-in #1: 178 2022 Kasparov EXPERT (pl) UK99
17. Port touch screen, #1 above Star Sapphire, then #2... 167 1948 Novag STAR RUBY (pt) UK79
18. Port plug-in #2: 164 1912 Saitek ADVANCED TRAVEL (pl) UK39

SUBSCRIBING TO SELECTIVE SEARCH

The annual subscription (6 Issues per year) is £24 in the UK, £30 overseas. Payments can be made by credit card, by cheque in pounds sterling, or by postal order

SPECIAL OFFER

NEW SUBSCRIBERS and RENEWALS - SPECIAL OFFER: the HIARCS 7 CD for an extra £4.95. ... written in DOS, a Collector's item that runs fine in Windows. HIARCS manuals are on CD, and my Introduction sheet for PC's gets you started. Sent with your first subscription Issue