new computer chess engines

this year (2005) a new engine came into the market,
started as an amateur engine, but being able to
beat some of the top commercial programs,
and quickly became commercial as well.

which it will do simply after some testing and, then adding
endgame database probing, some more tuning, and finally
a lot of brouhaha on discussion list such as www.icdchess.com

this latest hype was the socalled Rybka engine,
from obviously another gifted programmer (from MIT,
so no surprise that he's a top IT profession )
and.. het is an IM chess player !

Now programming a chess program at top level of
course is far from easy, but there is a lot of competition,
and basically the top programs are not so
different in strenght, compared to each other.

But in general the modern chess programs are still gaining
an amazing improvement every year, not only because
of some very clever programming innovations
w.r.t. to search techniques, but also adding chess knowledge
without slowing down the program (the latter must be some
modern type of secret invented by some top programmers)
And also simply because of law's Moore, namely the increase
in hardware speed, the programs get stronger every year.

As result of the inherent complexities in the chess middle
game, playing against a chess computer is becoming more
and more difficult for human chess players, and that includes even
the top grand masters such as Michael Adams who was crushed
this year by the hardware monster Hydra (software programmed
mainly by C.Donninger, programmer of former PC program Nimzo).

Where will this lead in a few decades ?
Nobody knows, there still are obvious weaknesses in many
chess programs, in middle game planning, and in endgame
strategy; they currently for example usually cannot foresee
socalled fortresses, even when a strong human chess
player can use such 'tricks' in trying to keep
a draw against these monsters..

maybe we should give up chess and go to Go ?
:) Well i don't know, but anyway,
Best wishes for the end of year holidays
and a happy new year 2006