TCEC Season 9 artwork by Santiago Mendez
One of the most disputed preliminary stages of TCEC is currently being played at http://tcec.chessdom.com/live.php. It is the 9th edition of the Top Chess Engine Championship and the competition between the engines has never been more fierce. As most of the engines entered with new versions, each adding extra ELO points to the playing strength, the games have taken an unpredictable path.
Currently as many as twelve engines have the chance to snatch a qualification spot. The big battle is for places 6th-8th, where Ginkgo, Texel, Bobcat, Raptor, Fizbo, DisasterArea, and Hannibal are going to battle it out in the remaining games.
Only the top 8 positions give a qualification spot for next round. With 3 rounds to go Komodo and Houdini are mathematically qualified with no game lost so far. Rybka and Gull are also through with 9,0/12 and 8,5/12 respectively. The other engine with no loss, Protector 1,9, is 5th and it is only a matter of time to confirm its advance to Stage 2.
At sole 6th position is Ginkgo with 7,0/12. It is closely followed by Raptor, Hannibal and Fizbo with 6,5/12. Texel is 10th together with DisasterArea and Bobcat with 5,0/12.
See the full standings and tiebreak criteria at the official website Here is the program for the engines that have a chance to enter top 8.
Ginkgo – 1 direct match
Ginkgo vs Rybka
Texel vs Ginkgo
Ginkgo vs Laser
Raptor – two direct matches
Bobcat vs Raptor
Raptor vs Houdini
DisasterArea vs Raptor
Fizbo – 1 direct match
Fizbo vs Protector
Hannibal vs Fizbo
Fizbo vs Rybka
Hannibal – 1 direct match
Gull vs Hannibal
Hannibal vs Fizbo
Fridolin vs Hannibal
Texel – 1 direct match
Texel vs Laser
Texel vs Ginkgo
Gull vs Texel
Bobcat – 1 direct match
Bobcat – Raptor
Komodo – Bobcat
Bobcat – Myrddin
DisasterArea – 1 direct match
Houdini vs DisasterArea
Laser vs DisasterArea
DisasterArea vs Raptor