Engine Updates

Jim Ablett Win builds
AliBaba 1.26wb JA (WB)
Win32, Linux32
- new compile; same version number
- fixed time management; earlier compile was playing too fast
http://homepages.tesco.net/henry.ablett/jims.html

Butterfly 0.2.5 (WB)
C++ source; Win32/64
- new Win64 release, same version number
http://sites.google.com/site/butterflychess/

Ghost 2.0 (WB)
Win32; Linux64
- totally rewritten
- better evaluation
- improved endgame knowledge
- enhanced search algorithm
- supports Nalimov tablebases
- new personality file alters playing style
http://www.ghostchess.de/

Ildtiadar 0.9a (WB)
Win32, Linux32
- there's a little bit of tactical pawn evaluation now (apart from that still not much more than raw material)
- time management improved and should deal ok with incremental time control now
- evaluation fixed (had major bugs in the previous versions that lead to more or less random moves)
http://www.talkchess.com/forum/viewtopic.php?topic_view=threads&p=345601&t=34113&sid=dd5de1964dc4209d08e52d99f2bb... (annoucement)
http://eloxoph.com/ildtiadar/

Loop 2007 (UCI)
Win32; mp
- not new, but now it's free
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww....

Jim Ablett Win builds
Scorpio 2.5 (Cluster) beta JA ()
C++ source; Win64 & Linux64; mp; own endgame bitbases
- download only if you have a cluster (not many people!)
- the download also requires Mpich
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5047625/scorpio_25_cluster_beta_x64-ja.zip (Win64)
http://www.mediafire.com/?n1qguziyac3 (Win64)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5047625/scorpio_25_cluster_beta_lin64_ja.zip (Linux64)
http://www.mediafire.com/?nyjdzykzmoi (Linux64)
http://www.mcs.anl.gov/research/projects/mpich2/ (Mpich)
http://tinyurl.com/39z25ah (Mpich Win64 build)

Chess News

ChessZone Magazine
Free monthly chess magazine of annotated GM games
- # 05, 2010
http://www.chesszone.org/magazine/magazine.html

Kvetka 3.6 Chess GUI (UCI)
Intended for game viewing and analysis. Several plug-ins available. Available in a portable version.
- displays the name of the opening (ECO) for a current opened game
- minor convienient improvements:
--- now possible to hide recommended move from the main window
--- menu item for choosing the game result
- fixed all known bugs
http://kvetka.org/en/

SMIRF Donationware GUI 1.9.3
native chess GUI (*not* WB, *not* UCI) that supports Smirf engine only
http://www.chessbox.de/Octopus/C.Schach/Eintrage/2009/12/29_10x8-Schachprogramm_SMIRF_in_einem_internationalen_Turnier.html

Down/Problem Chess Websites
Alex homepage down for 8 days ("Temporarily Unavailable")
Amundsen homepage down for 13 days
Betsy homepage down for 115 days
Blitzter homepage down for 50 days
Brama homepage down for 42 days
ChestUCI homepage down today (110mb site)
Colossus homepage down for 121 days
Dika homepage down for 43 days
Gosu homepage down for 48 days
Nesik homepage down for 27 days
Numpty homepage closed until further notice (4 days); 110mb provider is totally down today
Sinobyl homepage down for 67 days
Sissa homepage down for 9 days
Toledo Nanochess homepage down today (110mb site)

Wiki Changes

Engine GUI List
update by Norbert Raimund Leisner
- fixed typo
http://computer-chess.org/doku.php?id=computer_chess:wiki:lists:engine_gui_list

Links
- updated Lyapko link
http://computer-chess.org/doku.php?id=computer_chess:wiki:links

Native Engine List
update by Norbert Raimund Leisner
- added GambitVB
http://computer-chess.org/doku.php?id=computer_chess:wiki:lists:native_engine_list

Private Engine List
update by Norbert Raimund Leisner
- added link for NullMover
http://computer-chess.org/doku.php?id=computer_chess:wiki:lists:private_engine_list

Bonus Notifications (recent releases of free stuff)

Warnings:
- do not install unwanted toolbars, etc.
- alpha releases have new features; crashes and bugs are to be expected
- beta releases have new features; they may contain bugs or crash
- release candidate software may contain minor bugs; crashes are rare

Ghostery 2.1 Warning
Browser addin to identify and prevent 3rd party web tracking
- "there’s a glitch in the latest Ghostery release for Firefox"
http://news.ghostery.com/post/563769688/ghostery-v2-1-bug-fix (info)

Meaning of Colors

Red = New or Warning
Green = Updated
Gray = Info Only

Engine List: http://computer-chess.org/doku.php?id=computer_chess:wiki:lists:chess_engine_list
Chess News: http://computer-chess.org/doku.php?id=computer_chess:wiki:lists:chess_news_list