Dragon by Komodo 3.3 "MCTS"

[Modern Times]

Yes, as I recall they put a lot of effort into it, the plan being for it to surpass and replace the standard version. Could be wrong.

[royb]

It's too bad that it is not being developed anymore - neither Dragon 3.3 (the regular, non-MCTS engine) nor the MCTS version of it are being worked on any longer.

[Frank Quisinsky]

Komodo 14.1 HCE MCTS
Very interesting also, no typical results from for a "weaker" HCE engine vs. stronger NN engines.
Example: 3 times won vs. the latest Uralochka in the still running test-run, really a small sensation!

Such an engine with a very own style is perfect for use it to test vs. others (sparring partner).
And it is free available, that's good!

[Frank Quisinsky]

But such things are possible also:
A game vs. Spark 1.0 HCE (around 2785 Elo), clearly weaker as Komodo 14.1 HCE MCTS ( around 3240 Elo):
Spark was the number 8 around the year 2010 and perhaps the most aggressive engines to that time.

Komodo 14.1 HCE MCTS is really very very interesting as sparring partner.

[pgn][Event "5 Minutes/Game + 2 Seconds/Move"]
[Site "etoc-g_t085, F-4"]
[Date "2026.05.06"]
[Round "43.26"]
[White "Spark 1.0 HCE"]
[Black "Komodo 14.1 HCE MCTS"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 {book 0s} e5 {book 0s} 2. Nf3 {book 0s} Nc6 {book 0s}
3. Bb5 {book 0s} a6 {book 0s} 4. Ba4 {book 0s} Nf6 {book
0s} 5. d3 {book 0s} d6 {book 0s} 6. c3 {book 0s} g6 {book
0s} 7. O-O {book 0s} Bg7 {book 0s} 8. Nbd2 {book 0s} O-O
{book 0s} 9. Bb3 {0.00/17 9s} Na5 {-0.08/13 13s} 10. Nc4
{-0.05/17 9s (Bc2)} Nxb3 {-0.47/13 13s} 11. axb3 {-0.09/18
8s} h6 {-0.42/14 20s} 12. Kh1 {-0.11/17 7s (Re1)} Nh7
{-0.68/14 16s (Be6)} 13. b4 {-0.08/15 7s (Qe2)} f5
{-0.87/13 12s} 14. b3 {-0.15/15 9s (exf5)} Be6 {-0.91/14
18s (f4)} 15. Ra2 {-0.16/16 11s (Bb2)} Qd7 {-0.95/14 17s
(f4)} 16. exf5 {-0.21/15 6s (Kg1)} Rxf5 {-0.77/14 14s}
17. Ne3 {-0.25/16 15s} Rh5 {-0.70/15 15s} 18. c4 {-0.33/15
8s (Re1)} c6 {-0.94/14 10s} 19. Ng1 {+0.58/18 7s (Re1)} Rf8
{-0.08/14 9s} 20. f3 {+0.69/19 7s (Re1)} Qf7 {+0.92/13 11s}
21. h3 {+1.16/19 12s (g4)} Bxh3 {+1.06/14 17s (Rh4)}
22. gxh3 {+1.32/19 9s} Ng5 {+1.31/14 16s} 23. Rh2 {+1.32/19
8s} Kh7 {+1.47/14 15s} 24. Qe1 {+1.43/17 7s (h4)} d5
{+1.30/14 14s (Qe7)} 25. h4 {+1.59/15 5s} Ne6 {+1.60/13 6s}
26. Ne2 {+1.97/16 5s} g5 {+1.47/14 10s (Qe7)} 27. Ng3
{+1.84/15 10s (Ng2)} Rxh4 {+1.52/13 6s} 28. Rxh4 {+1.59/17
9s} gxh4 {+1.44/13 6s} 29. Ngf5 {+1.66/17 4s} Qg6 {+1.45/13
7s (Nd4)} 30. cxd5 {+1.81/15 5s (Nxh4)} cxd5 {+1.99/13 6s}
31. Nxg7 {+1.92/16 4s (Nxh4)} Nxg7 {+1.67/13 6s} 32. Qxh4
{+1.92/16 4s} Qh5 {+1.89/13 8s (Nf5)} 33. Qxh5 {+2.33/19
6s} Nxh5 {+1.93/12 5s} 34. Rd1 {+2.35/20 10s} Rf4 {+2.18/13
11s (Rxf3)} 35. b5 {+2.44/19 5s (Nxd5)} Nf6 {+2.08/13 10s
(axb5)} 36. bxa6 {+2.44/19 6s} bxa6 {+2.30/12 5s} 37. Bb2
{+2.36/20 5s} Rxf3 {+2.20/12 6s} 38. Bxe5 {+2.45/21 4s}
Rxe3 {+2.40/13 8s} 39. Bxf6 {+2.39/21 4s} Kg6 {+2.13/12 6s}
40. Bd4 {+2.41/20 7s (Bc3)} Re2 {+2.28/13 6s} 41. b4
{+2.78/20 4s} Kf5 {+2.37/13 6s} 42. Ra1 {+2.79/21 7s
(Rf1+)} Rd2 {+2.57/13 5s} 43. Ra3 {+2.87/21 5s} h5
{+2.80/13 6s} 44. Bc5 {+2.83/21 4s} Rd1+ {+2.83/12 6s (h4)}
45. Kh2 {+2.85/20 4s} d4 {+2.94/13 5s (Kg4)} 46. Bxd4
{+3.17/19 6s} Kg4 {+3.31/13 4s (h4)} 47. Bg1 {+3.27/19 5s
(Be3)} Rd2+ {+3.15/11 2s (h4)} 48. Kh1 {+3.33/21 3s} Rd1
{+3.22/11 1s (h4)} 49. Ra4 {+3.66/20 4s} Kf5 {+3.58/11 1s
(Kf3)} 50. Rxa6 {+3.74/20 3s} Rxd3 {+4.01/12 2s} 51. b5
{+3.81/20 3s} Rb3 {+4.25/13 2s} 52. b6 {+3.93/19 9s} Ke4
{+4.54/12 2s (Kg4)} 53. Ra7 {+4.59/21 4s (Kg2)} Kd5
{+5.07/11 1s} 54. Rc7 {+7.36/20 4s (Ra5+)} Rb1 {+5.64/11
2s} 55. Kh2 {+7.36/20 3s (Rc5+)} h4 {+9.69/12 2s (Ke5)}
56. Bc5 {+7.39/20 7s (Kg2)} h3 {+80.42/13 1s (Rb3)}
57. Kxh3 {+7.42/19 3s (b7)} Rc1 {+250.00/13 2s (Kc4)}
58. b7 {+9.14/18 4s} Rh1+ {+250.00/13 1s (Rb1)} 59. Kg3
{+9.34/17 3s (Kg4)} Rb1 {+250.00/13 2s} 60. Ba7 {+90.00/16
8s} Ra1 {+250.00/12 0s (Kd6)} 61. b8=Q {+M6/10 0s} Rg1+
{+250.00/17 3s (Rxa7)} 62. Bxg1 {+M4/6 0s} Kd6 {+M3/99 0s
(Ke4)} 63. Qb6+ {+M3/4 0s (Kf4)} Ke5 {+M2/99 0s (Kd5)}
64. Qg6 {+M2/2 0s (Rc5+)} Kd5 {+M1/5 0s} 65. Rc5# {+M1/1
0s} 1-0[/pgn]

[Frank Quisinsky]

Here one of the three won games vs. Uralochka.

[pgn][Event "5 Minutes/Game + 2 Seconds/Move"]
[Site "etoc-g_t085, F-4"]
[Date "2026.05.05"]
[Round "3.1"]
[White "Komodo 14.1 HCE MCTS"]
[Black "Uralochka 3.42a JA"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 {book 0s} c5 {book 0s} 2. c3 {book 0s} d5 {book 0s}
3. exd5 {book 0s} Qxd5 {book 0s} 4. d4 {book 0s} Nf6 {book
0s} 5. Nf3 {book 0s} Bg4 {book 0s} 6. Be2 {book 0s} Nc6
{book 0s} 7. h3 {book 0s} Bh5 {book 0s} 8. dxc5 {+0.49/15
23s} O-O-O {+0.38/27 31s (e5)} 9. O-O {+0.47/14 12s} Qxc5
{+0.45/27 13s} 10. Nbd2 {+0.57/14 17s} e6 {+0.49/27 12s
(Qa5)} 11. a4 {+0.67/14 14s} g5 {+0.41/25 7s (e5)} 12. a5
{+0.81/13 10s} g4 {+0.18/25 6s} 13. hxg4 {+0.63/14 9s} Bxg4
{0.00/24 6s} 14. a6 {+0.61/15 18s} Rg8 {+0.31/33 26s (b6)}
15. Qa4 {+0.49/15 20s} Bh3 {0.00/32 5s (b6)} 16. axb7+
{+1.15/14 10s} Kb8 {+1.47/32 20s} 17. Nb3 {+1.37/14 8s}
Rxg2+ {+1.47/34 5s} 18. Kh1 {+1.57/1 0s} Qh5 {+1.47/35 6s}
19. Bf4+ {+1.57/14 9s} Bd6 {+1.45/33 4s} 20. Ne5 {+1.60/14
8s} Qxe5 {+1.32/34 7s} 21. Bxe5 {+1.80/13 8s} Bxe5
{+1.68/37 29s} 22. f4 {+2.11/12 8s} Rxe2 {+2.46/32 18s}
23. Rfe1 {+2.41/13 10s} Rxb2 {+2.52/32 7s} 24. Reb1
{+2.63/14 11s} Bg2+ {+2.52/29 6s} 25. Kg1 {+2.25/13 8s}
Bxc3 {+2.52/31 3s (Bd5)} 26. Rxb2 {+2.58/13 7s} Bd5
{+2.50/32 4s} 27. Rc2 {+2.95/13 8s} Bxa1 {+2.94/30 18s}
28. Nxa1 {+2.64/14 13s} Rd6 {+2.71/29 14s} 29. Qb5
{+2.58/15 15s} Ne8 {+2.66/25 5s} 30. Rc1 {+2.79/13 7s} Nc7
{+2.80/30 18s} 31. Qc5 {+2.79/13 9s} Rd7 {+3.00/28 16s}
32. Nb3 {+2.83/13 9s} Kxb7 {+2.69/23 5s (Na6)} 33. Na5+
{+3.19/13 7s} Nxa5 {+2.46/24 2s} 34. Qb4+ {+3.62/13 7s} Kc8
{+2.49/26 8s} 35. Qxa5 {+3.55/13 6s} Kd8 {+2.64/29 13s}
36. Rb1 {+3.48/13 6s} Rd6 {+2.67/25 9s} 37. Rb8+ {+3.60/12
6s} Kd7 {+2.63/24 5s} 38. Rf8 {+3.71/12 6s} e5 {+2.41/20
2s} 39. fxe5 {+3.27/13 6s} Rg6+ {+3.32/21 10s} 40. Kf1
{+3.60/14 11s} Rc6 {+3.29/24 9s (Rb6)} 41. Qd2 {+3.93/13
7s} Re6 {+3.60/22 6s (Ke7)} 42. Qd4 {+5.20/13 6s} Kc6
{+3.45/24 1s} 43. Rc8 {+4.95/13 5s} Kd7 {+3.63/20 1s}
44. Rxc7+ {+7.39/13 5s} Kxc7 {+3.74/23 1s} 45. Qxd5
{+9.34/12 3s} a6 {+3.82/21 2s (a5)} 46. Qd4 {+12.72/12 3s}
Kc8 {+3.93/20 2s (f6)} 47. Qa7 {+65.06/12 3s} Rh6 {+5.41/19
5s (f6)} 48. Qxf7 {+48.30/12 7s} Rh1+ {+7.08/20 5s} 49. Kg2
{+250.00/12 6s} Rd1 {+7.03/18 2s (Rc1)} 50. e6 {+250.00/13
5s} Rd5 {+7.14/17 4s (h5)} 51. e7 {+250.00/10 5s} Rg5+
{+76.00/19 4s (Rd2+)} 52. Kf2 {+250.00/13 2s} Re5
{+76.00/17 1s} 53. Qe8+ {+250.00/14 2s} Kc7 {+76.00/18 2s}
54. Qd8+ {+250.00/13 1s} Kc6 {+76.00/16 2s} 55. Qc8+
{+250.00/14 2s} Kd5 {+76.00/18 2s (Kd6)} 56. Kf1
{+250.00/14 2s} Ke4 {+76.00/16 1s (Kd6)} 57. Qc4+
{+250.00/12 2s} Kf3 {+76.00/16 1s} 58. Qc3+ {+250.00/13 1s}
Kf4 {+76.00/18 3s} 59. Qxe5+ {+250.00/14 2s} Kxe5
{+76.00/14 1s} 60. e8=Q+ {+M20/22 1s} Kd4 {+M4/1 0s (Kf6)}
61. Qa4+ {+M19/20 0s} Kc3 {+M4/1 0s (Kd5)} 62. Qe4 {+M8/21
0s} Kb2 {+M4/1 0s (a5)} 63. Qc4 {+M6/29 0s} Ka1 {+M4/1 0s
(h5)} 64. Ke2 {+M5/43 0s} Kb1 {+M4/1 0s (Kb2)} 65. Kd3
{+M4/99 0s} Ka1 {+M4/1 0s (h6)} 66. Kc2 {+M2/99 0s} a5
{+M4/1 0s (h6)} 67. Qa4# {+M1/99 0s} 1-0[/pgn]

[Frank Quisinsky]

With the knowledge after testing the complete TOP-250 engines again ... the selection of the group of 26 "Standard-Engines" (my ETOC-G test-system) can be make much better. I mean, which engines play aggressively, have a low average number of moves, offer good king safety, or have a strikingly “different” playing style? Most of the "newer" engines I have not tested so far. I'm really looking forward to checking out all the new engines that have come out in recent years, ones that are new to me. Much like with Myrddin, testing the MCTS versions of Dragon by Komodo and Komodo was exciting ... loud thinking! For a selection of "sparring-partners" ETOC-G was a good idea. So everyone can follow in live mode every test-run and will get new or supplementary impressions to all the engines, today are playing around in TOP-250.

[Frank Quisinsky]

I guess I have to justify to myself why I'm doing all this crap. No, no... no crap.
This is a job for total nutcases like me.

[Modern Times]

I guess I have to justify to myself why I'm doing all this crap. No, no... no crap.
This is a job for total nutcases like me.

I have pretty much given up computer chess now. All I do is maintain a Chess324 Top 15 round-robin here:

https://e4e6.com/324/

And I run the occasional DFRC tournament. My machine runes maybe 1 day a week on average, being switched off the rest of the time.

Standard chess holds no interest to me at all anymore.

[Frank Quisinsky]

Hi there,

the different from Komodo 14.1 HCE to Komodo 14.1 HCE MCTS = 64,48 Elo
the different from Dragon by Komodo 3.3 to Dragon by Komodo 3.3 MCTS = 52,66 Elo

So, the different to the differents = 11,82 Elo
I say this before, I am so crazy.

To Modern-Times:
In the time I created the idea to add the eval and search information to a DGT clock (working with Martin Blume on Arena), Alfred from DGT projects asked me ... Frank, what we need is FRC / Chess960 on a DGT board. So we helped and started the "FRC-Offensive". Rheinhold Scharnagl, member of the previous Arena Forum helped a bit in our old forum with around 1.000 members. Rheinhold was also working on his own GUI for such things (one of the many who have sadly passed away in recent years). So, Arena was the first GUI with FRC / Chess960 support. We contact many programmers for FRC / 960 support and Martin do that. I got a invitation to a human tournament in Dortmund (big event here) for a match: GM - Chess960 engines. I should help as operator. Honestly, no interest on such commercial things here. On the way to Dortmund with the car and my girlfriend in tow I had the idea ... Let's go get some ice cream instead. That was a better idea as the tournament in Dortmund. But Alfred, he was a very, really very nice guy.

Later DGT offer a clock, in special for chess-computers. All that we created long years before with a normaly DGT clock and chess-engines. Arena GUI was years ahead of its time and still has many fans today.

I know Chess960 / FRC is important and if we do good things at this time (but the idea aren't from me or Martin, comes from Alfred ... former DGT Director) all is OK. Later, long years after Arena, Chessbase made the Chess960 / FRC compatibilty. In the first time Chessbase have no interest to do that. And all what's later are available with Chess960 / FRC with other rules for castling.

That's allways the same:
Everyone are thinking my own crap is better.
I am the best example!

If I am ready with ETOC-G and TOP-250 I've packed my bags and I'm ready to see the people in white coats. I've got everything ready and have already picked up a few chess computers for the clinic again.

Nice things you know ...
TurboKing with D++, Novag SuperVIP or Novag Diamond, the Dominator from CXG in version 2.05 or the Super Enterprise with display. An Excel 68000 and from Ed a Milano Nigel Short (Ed must not know this). Thats enough, in 10 years I will give the final results, exclusively for TalkChess in a secret mission. No doubt about it.

Best
Frank

[Frank Quisinsky]

I had forgotten ...
Today I have no interest on or in Chess960 / FRC.

To many memories of the Arena Era, I wrote more as 200.000 support emails and all the working in testing and people like to who wanted to cause trouble on the successful forum. It seems that today many of the trouble maker like Arena a lot. I'll never touch Arena again. Arena is me, it's where all my ideas are and it's so boring these days. Of course, Arena is from Martin Blume, I was the slave of Arena only. So I am thinking often ... better is to be the slave of the engines as the slave of Arena.



Thats allways the same:
Often I am thinking, the complete community is completly crazy.