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Private Engine List

This is intended to be a complete list of all PC-based chess engines that are not freely available for download. Such lists can get outdated quickly as new authors introduce new engines and older authors lose interest, drop out of the computer chess scene, and notify no one. Luckily most authors no longer prefer private versions because public versions get more attention and testing.

The rules for inclusion into this list

  • Engine is not publicly available and is non-commercial
  • Engine must have been active at least once in the past 5 years
  • Only one private engine per author (most recent engine usually)

Recent Modifications (older modifications at bottom):

  • October 2018: removed Chess Ebiz, it is now shareware
  • August 2018: removed ShashChess, it is now public
  • April 2018: added ShashChess & Weini
  • January 2018: added Piccolino
  • September 2017: removed Zorgus, it is now public
  • August 2017: added Ancalagon, Chess Ebiz, RookieMonster & Singularity; removed Yaka, source code is now public
  • January 2017: removed Clunk, Maximaa & Zarkov, they are now public
  • December 2016: added Wraith; removed Abbess, it is now public; removed Cipollino, Nemeton and Spartacus, this should have been done a long time ago; Falcon, Symbolic shifted to inactive status
  • November 2016: removed Isa & Skull, they are now public
  • May 2016: removed QueenBee, it is now public
  • April 2016: removed Soberango, it is now public
  • March 2016: added Bliep, ELVIS, Permabrain, Rubric, Soberango & Squirrel
  • November 2015: added CDrill, Clunk & Skull



Engine Author Country Last year
of activity
Achilles / Axon Vladan Vuckovic Serbia 2007
Alcatraz Jacobus Opperman - 2015
Almond Richard Hall USA 2010
Amaia Mark Pearce UK 2012
Anaconda Frank Schneider & Kai Skibbe Germany 2011
Ancalagon Eelco de Groot - 2017
Anubis José C. Martínez Galán Spain 2012
ApiChess Max Himam France 2009
ARChess Arash Panahi Rad Iran 2007
Argonaut Ralf Dorr Germany 2006
Azraël Christopher Conkie United Kingdom 2009
Balor Roberto Munter & Matteo D'Annibale - 2014
Berta Felix Schmenger Germany 2006
Bird Greg McGlynn USA 2007
Blackmail Chris Florin USA 2011
Bliep ??? ??? 2015
Bolt Alex Brunetti Italy 2010
Bunny Yue Tao Hsu China 2011
Bursche Dieter Bürßner Germany 2010
Canalla Martin Schreiber Germany 2007
CDrill Ferdinand Mosca - 2015
Cheetah Ralf Schäfer Germany 2009
Chepla Mikael Bäckman Sweden 2009
ChessPartner UCI Engine Lex Loep Netherlands 2014
ChessTraining Francisco Gambero Spain 2010
Chess Wizard Frederic Louguet France 2004
Chexa Mauro Riccardi Italy 2007
Chimp Andy Duplain United Kingdom 2009
Chompster Scott Farrell Australia 2006
Ciao Stefano Gemma Italy 2015
Climber Vlad Stamate USA 2013
Cogito Joerg Schaefer Germany 2009
Control (Stockfish/IvanHoe derivative) Eren Yavuz Turkey 2013
Cowrie Chess Chan Rasjid Singapore 2010
CrazyChips (Stockfish derivative) Nolan Denson ??? 2011
Cryptic Abdul Mateen Khan ??? 2012
CWU Chess Ashur Odah, Pushpinder Heer, Joe Lemley, Razvan Andonie, et al Romania 2013
Czolgista Tomasz Kazimierski Poland 2009
Dark Horse Daniel Billett USA 2015
DCP Daniel Anulliero France 2011
Decapod / K9 Tor Lattimore Australia 2007
Desperado David Blackman Australia 2006
Diep Vincent Diepeveen Netherlands 2011
Ditw Dustin L Espinosa Cuba 2010
Dr. Theopolis Corby Nichols USA 2009
EdlChess Stephan Edlich Germany 2009
EGM Pawel Kobylarz Poland 2009
Eichhörnchen Wieland Belka Germany 2009
ELVIS Björn Nacke Germany 2016
Equilibrium Simone Innocenti Italy 2007
Erendal Eric Devar Canada 2007
Ermintrude Vince Bickers United Kingdom 2007
EtaBeta Antonia Jeanrenaud Italy 2006
Eva 'ppyvabw' ??? 2015
Fantod Ivan Bacigal USA 2010
Fencer Shaun Press Australia 2006
FIBChess Guillermo Baches García Spain 2006
Flywheel Don Cross USA 2009
Geisterauge Matthias Pfaff Germany 2007
Ginkgo Frank Schneider Germany 2015
Giordano Bruno Gyovai Tamás Hungary 2013
Goldbar Bart Goldhoorn Netherlands 2014
Hal André Taffarello Brazil 2008
HansDamf Gerd Isenberg Germany 2009
Hector for Chess (HfC) Csaba Jergler Hungary 2010
Hustle Motor Ben Lau - 2014
Ikarus Munjong Kolss & Muntsin Kolss Germany 2009
Imp Aivaras Juzvikas Lithuania 2004
IsiChess Gerd Isenberg Germany 2007
Kallisto Bart Weststrate Netherlands 2009
Kirby Louis Zulli USA 2012
LearningLemming Sam Hamilton USA 2010
LRChess Langó Róbert Hungary 2013
Maestro Omid David Tabibi Israel 2007
Melee Chess Engine Kong Sian ??? 2010
Moneypenny Matt Shoemaker USA 2009
NaltaP312 Yves Catineau France 2013
Nightmare Joost Buijs Netherlands 2014
Now Mark Lefler USA 2009
NPMchess Mridul Muralidharan India 2007
Nullmover Michael Langeveld Netherlands 2009
Pandix Gyula Horváth Hungary 2011
Olympus Joshua Shriver USA 2009
Pebble Adam Goodwin USA 2009
Permabrain Kalyankumar Ramaseshan - 2016
Philidor Christian Barreteau and Bruno Lucas France 2009
Piccolino Luca Naddei Italy 2017
Puca Shaun Howe United Kingdom 2010
PuppetMaster Folkert van Heusden (POS, CPP1 & DeepBrutePos) - 2014
Raptor Steve Webber Luxembourg 2013
Rascal Derek Mauro USA 2007
Rick48 Stanislaw W Rostkowski Poland 2010
Rinko Marco Grella Italy 2005
Rondo Zach Wegner & Anthony Cozzie USA 2011
Rookie Marcel van Kervinck Netherlands 2007
RookieMonster Erin Dame - 2017
Ribozyme Jack Crawford USA? 2013
Rubric Rob Williamson - 2016
Sibyl Milikas Anastasios Greece 2010
Sidonia Ivan Urwin UK 2011
Sillycon Lasse Hansen Norway 2009
Singularity Mahmoud Uthman - 2017
Skipper Henk van den Belt - 2014
Spandrel Robert Purves New Zealand 2010
Spin Chess Phokham Nonava Switzerland 2013
Squirrel Shawn Chidester - 2016
Sweetleaf Anton UK 2011
Tang Gabriel Leperlier France 2012
Telepath Charles Roberson USA 2011
The Machine Jonathan Rosenthal - 2015
Thorgal Ben Tennison - 2014
Thresher Patrik Karlsson Sweden 2014
Tinker Brian Richardson USA 2011
TrojanKnight Ronald de Man ??? 2013
TuttiFruity J Donald ??? 2009
Tzunami Ivo Tops Netherlands 2009
Vlad Tepes Henk Fennema Netherlands 2009
WaDuuttie Maarten Claessens Netherlands 2009
Warp Peter McKenzie New Zealand 2007
Waster Geoff Westwood United Kingdom 2009
Weid Jaap Weidemann South Africa 2007
Weini Vivien Clauzon ??? 2018
WESP Eric Spek Netherlands 2007
WhiskySoda Balint Pfliegel ??? 2012
Wombat Thomas McBurney Australia 2010
Wraith Patrik Karlsson Sweden 2016
XiniX Tony van Roon-Werten Netherlands 2009
Z Manuel Díaz Spain 2011
Zadrexsaurus José Fragoso Portugal 2010



Inactive Private Engine List

These are the engines with no activity in the last 5 years. These engines are probably dead.

Engine Author Country Last year
of activity
Arthur Walter Ravenek Netherlands 1999
Chester Steve Timson USA 2002
Djenghis J.E.F. Kaan Netherlands 2002
Falcon Omid David Tabibi Israel 2008
Ferret Bruce Moreland USA 2001
Grok Peter Kappler USA 2003
Hossa Steffen Jakob Germany 2003
Insomniac James Robertson USA 2002
Jake Mark Netjes Netherlands 2003
Neurologic Jochen Peussner Germany 2005
Phark Tim Smith Australia 2003
Qalat Carlos Andrade Spain 2003
Ruy Lopez Álvaro Begué and José Manuel Morán Spain 1999
Searcher Frank Philips United Kingdom 2002
Shrike]] Dan Newman USA 2001
Stobor Tom Kerrigan USA 1995
Symbolic Steven Edwards USA 2011



Older Modifications:

  • July 2015: added Abbess & Eva; removed Fridolin, it is now public; added Ciao; removed Frecchia from the same author
  • May 2015: added Alcatraz, Dark Horse, Ginkgo & Yaka
  • March 2015: removed Carnivor and Timea, both are now public
  • February 2015: added The Machine; removed RamJet, it is now public
  • December 2014: removed TwilightChess
  • November 2014: added Yaka to main list; added Neurologic to inactive list;
  • October 2014: added Nemeto & Spartacus; removed Lozza, it is now public
  • September 2014: added Hustle Motor, ISA & QueenBee; removed Equinox, it is now public
  • August 2014: removed Satana, it is now public
  • July 2014: added Lozza & RamJet; misc minor updates
  • May 2014: added Balor & PuppetMaster
  • March 2014: added ChessPartner UCI Engine, Skipper, Thorgal & Thresher
  • February 2014: added FIBChess; removed Arminius, it is now public
  • November 2013: removed Tigran, it is now public
  • October 2013: added Shrike
  • August 2013: added Zadrexsaurus; removed Maverick, it is now public
  • April 2013: added CWU Chess, Giordano Bruno, LRChess, Ribozyme, Spin Chess & Tigran; removed Nebula, NirvanaChess & Leonidas, all are now public
  • March 2013: added Climber, Control, Maverick, & NaltaP312; removed Rueno (replaced by public TDchess)
  • January 2013: added NirvanaChess, Raptor, & TrojanKnight; Removed Durandal & Rasbojnik, the source is publicly available; removed Serena, it was

publicly released as AdaChess; added link for Satana

  • November 2012: added Durandal, Leonidas, Nebula, Serena, and WhiskySoda; removed LUCI, it is replaced by Durandal
  • May 2012: added Tang; removed Magic, it is now public
  • April 2012: added Anubis; removed Rhetoric, it is now public
  • March 2012: added Cryptic
  • February 2012: added Amaia and Rhetoric
  • January 2012: added Ikarus, Falcon, and CrazyChips; removed Nemo, it is now public
  • November 2011: added Arminius, Blackmail, DCP, LUCI, Rasbojnik, Satana, Sidonia, and Sweetleaf; removed Deep Noob, it is abandoned
  • October 2011: removed Chiron, Mentally Challenged, NaltaP312 and Stallion Chess Engine, all of them are now public
  • August 2011: added Anaconda (but ChessBase-Native is free to download) and Magic
  • July 2011: added Nemo
  • March 2011: removed Purple Haze and Bobcat, both are now public
  • February 2011: added Jazz; removed Jazz & Zeta, they were released publicly
  • January 2011: added Bunny & Equinox; removed Scaramanga, it is a clone of the Now engine
  • October 2010: added Scaramanga, Goldbar and Rueno; removed Vapor it is now public
  • September 2010: added Rick48, Ditw, ChessTraining, Fridolin, Bolt, Chexa & Bursche
  • August 2010: added Kirby & Nightmare
  • July 2010: removed Hannibal: it is now public
  • June 2010: added Vapor, Bobcat, Fantod, Wombat & Rondo; removed Zilch: it is declared dead; removed Vajolet: it is now public; MemeChess renamed to Puca
  • May 2010: added Vajolet
  • April 2010: added Cowrie, PurpleHaze & Sibyl; added link for NaltaP312; Removed ChessMind: it is now public
  • March 2010: added Spandrel & Zeta; removed MatMoi & Darmenios, they are now public; removed Quadrox, it was renamed to ChessV and released publicly
  • February 2010: added Hannibal, Almond, EGM & Darmenios
  • January 2010: removed Jabba, Rainbow Serpent & Redqueen: they are now public; removed Manado Chess, it is a source-code-only engine; removed Nimród, it is a retreated engine
  • November 2009: Ancalagon is dead, it is replaced by Rainbow Serpent
  • October 2009: added ChessMind; Goldentree renamed to Olympus
  • September 2009: added Jabba
  • August 2009: added Freccia; removed goaT(Toga CMLX) and Algebar(Rocinante): these engines changed names and became public
  • July 2009: added Nimrod, Zilch, and NaltaP
  • June 2009: added Sillycon, Plisk, EtaBeta, Cipollino, Manado Chess and Mentally Challenged. Removed Plisk, Bubble and Chesley the Chess Engine, they are now public. Removed Onno, it is now commercial
  • May 2009: added Chesley the Chess Engine, TwilightChess, Bubble, Pandix, Vlad Tepes, ChessV, and TuttiFruity. ChessV and n2 removed, they are now public
  • April 2009: added Moneypenny, Quadrox, RedQueen, n2, Cheetah, ApiChess, and Carnivor; Centurion and CTD removed, they are both retired; Demon renamed to Crimson and then deleted from this list - it is now publicly available
  • March 2009: added Goldentree; removed Myrddin, it is freely available now
  • February 2009: Added Myrddin; removed Anaconda, it is a free download from ChessBase with a CB-only interface
  • January 2009: added Algebar, Anaconda and Demon; KMTChess removed, it is no longer private
  • December 2008: added Cogito, EdlChess, Chimp, KMTChess, Flywheel, Cipollino, Eichhoernchen, Kallisto, and Tzunami; Glass removed, it is no longer private; Nexus replaced with Argonaut; Comeback is removed, it was not a private engine, but an engine beta; Ikarus removed, it is commercial; Grok, Hossa, Jake, Phark, and Qalat transferred to the inactive list. Dolphin and Cipollino removed, they are clones
  • November 2008: added Dolphin, MeneChess, WaDuuttie, and Z; Zzzzzz, Caligula, and RBrChess removed: they are no longer private; private engine Chronos renamed to Glass; Styx removed – it seems to be a clone
  • October 2008: added Hal, Pebble, and Matmoi; Brainless removed: it is no longer private
  • August 2008: removed Rodin, it is no longer private
  • July 2008: added goaT, Onno, and HansDamf; XyclOps and Oxygen removed – both are clones!
  • June 2008: added Ancalagon, Dr. Theopolis, and Rodin; Comeback author identified; Sorgenkind and Cerebro removed, they are no longer private
  • Apr 2008: added Comeback; Anatoli and ZCT removed, they are no longer private
  • March 2008: added Achilles/Axon, Anatoli, Azraël, Bird, Brainless, Caligula, Centurion, CTD, Oxygen, Rascal, RBrChess, Sorgenkind, Styx, XyclOps; Engines with 2002 dates shifted to inactive list; Bright, Clarabit, and Dirty are no longer private. Some dates changed to 2008

Assistance in creating this list: Tony Thomas, Guenther Simon, Olivier Deville, Robert Allgeuer, Dr. Wael Deeb, Zach Wegner, Norbert Raimund Leisner, and Gerhard Schwager. Thanks guys!



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