I have released Musashi 2.0, the latest version of my chess engine. It can be downloaded by clicking HERE.
This version introduces several improvements to both the search algorithm and the positional evaluation, resulting in a significant increase in playing strength.
Initial tests indicate an improvement of approximately 33 Elo points over the previous version at blitz time controls. Musashi is now approaching the 2700 Elo mark on my rating list, whose scale has been calibrated using the playing strength of human players according to the FIDE rating system as a reference.
To make comparisons with results published by other rating lists easier, Musashi’s playing strength can also be approximately translated into the following rating scales:
- CCRL: approximately 2805 Elo
- CEGT: approximately 2655 Elo
These figures should, of course, be regarded as indicative estimates, since ratings from different lists are not directly comparable and depend on their respective testing methodologies.
Another significant achievement concerns the comparison with Naraku, the chess engine I developed in C approximately twenty years ago. For the first time, Musashi has managed to outperform its predecessor, demonstrating greater average playing strength. In head-to-head matches, Musashi 2.0 scored 59% of the total available points, confirming the progress made throughout its development.
Further information about the engine’s features, its development history, and test results is available on the Musashi dedicated page.