In a competition called Thoresen Computer Engines Competition, named for Martin Thoresen, who is evidently the organizer, a program called Houdini is in the lead. That is remarkable as the event includes Rybka, a program that has won the last four computer world chess championships.
What is also remarkable is that Houdini is apparently shareware — that is, it is free. In addition to Houdini and Rybka, the other programs in the tournament are Stockfish (another free program), Naum, Hiarcs, Critter (which is also free), Ivanhoe (yet another open-source program), and Shredder.
The competition is a double round-robin format, meaning that each program plays all the others twice, once with each color.
The Bilbao Scoring System is being used in which each win counts as 3 points and each draw as 1. With half of the sixth round completed, Houdini is leading with 13 points (and has yet to play its sixth game), Stockfish is in second with 9 points, Rybka is third with 8, Naum is in fourth with 7, Ivanhoe is in fifth with 6, and Critter, Hiarcs and Shredder are tied for last with 4 points each.
The games can be followed live on Chessbomb in the TCEC S1 Division 1 room.
SOURCE: NY TIMES
