Android UCI engine update: Arasan 19.2.APE

In fact, we've already had Arasan 19.2 made available by Aprijal. This alternative version is taken from Acid Ape Chess Beta 12, thus it's a different build made from the same source.

Download Arasan 19.2.APE for all architectures: HERE

In case of trouble downloading from box, use your mobile device or refer to THIS POST.

Stockfish 8.0.20161217 OEX installers by Javiolo

Javier has just released the new versions of his Stockfish OEX installers. As usual, there are two different apps for PIE and NOPIE devices.

Since i've already answered questions several times, it seems that not everyone knows well what is pie and nopie,

I repeat again:

Users with Android up to 4.0.4: Use NOPIE 32-bit

Users with Android from 4.1 up to 4.4: Use PIE 32-bit

Users with Android from 5.0 and beyond: Use PIE 32-bit or ARM8 64-bit or X86_64

A further explanation tells:

- PIE requires API level 16 and beyond, API 16 = Android 4.1.

- API 16 to 18: NOPIE and PIE will both work.

- API level 19 and beyond don't accept NOPIE. API 21 = Lollipop 5.0

Download Stockfish OEX installer for NOPIE devices from GOOGLE PLAY.

Download Stockfish OEX installer for PIE devices from GOOGLE PLAY.

In case you want to install the binaries yourself, here are two packages with all architectures. They are taken from last two versions of the app:

Stockfish 8.0.21061217.JV (only the binaries): HERE

Stockfish 8.0.21061204.JV (only the binaries): HERE

Don't forget that if you install binaries directly, they will only appear in the GUI's from which you install them.

In case of trouble downloading from your PC, do it from your mobile device or refer to THIS POST.

Chessbase Online 3.7.1.2323 ft Stockfish 8

WHAT'S NEW (14-Dec-16): Stockfish 7 is updated to 8.

I wish i could see Deep Fritz 15 too but no luck.

Download latest version from GOOGLE PLAY.

CEPA 0.4.8 by Javiolo

The engine tournament feature? Not yet implemented but it would be a big improvement.

WHAT'S NEW (04-Dec-16):

- Time per game (rapid) to probe not free
- Install SF app option
- forgot, Removed evaluate

Download latest version from GOOGLE PLAY.

Mobialia Chess Free 5.3.3

WHAT'S NEW (12-Dec-16):

- Vector icons and other small fixes

- Added icons to the sidebar

- The icons are now in vector format, improving their visualization

- Show games option as an icon in the database position stats screen

- Do not disconnect from the chess service if the system closes the online screen, this fixes some disconnection problems

- Material styles for the inputs in the main screen of the android app and for the web app

Download latest version from GOOGLE PLAY.

Acid APE Chess Beta 12

WHAT'S NEW (10-Dec-16)

Beta 12:
- Lichess support has been added
- Supports multiple simultaneous connections
- Moves can now be entered by sliding pieces
- Solved puzzles can now be played again
- Various UI evolutions
- Now compatible with Android 7
- Arasan updated to 19.2

Download latest version from GOOGLE PLAY.

Chess Free AI 2.53

WHAT'S NEW (Updated on 05-Dec-16):

* Fixes an issue with ELO processing caused by changes in AI base ELO level. Your ELO may have changed after this update.

Download latest version from GOOGLE PLAY.

Hawk Chess 1.4.8

WHAT'S NEW:
* Full-screen option for 3D mode.
* Miscellaneous bug fixes.

Updated on 06-Dec-16.

Dowload latest version from GOOGLE PLAY.

Too genius to be funny with only a script

This video reminded me once again why it's difficult for chess to suit the needs of mass media. Maybe that's because chess requires a creative mind and dedication while mass media needs watchers to consume what's being offered, without too many questions.

One would notice that the used script is very classical and way too limited for the first and unique world champ of the US. The show is expected to be funny but it only looks weird.

Indeed, R.J.Fischer succeeded all by himself with insane dedication to chess. I think the rise of the media pressure before and after the 1972 match was the beginning of the unbearable load for Fischer.

He could handle any difficulty in a chess game but not this.

Android UCI engine update: Cfish 2016.12.03.AP

If you still don't know what Cfish stands for, here's the simplest answer: Stockfish is written in C++ while Cfish is the same engine written in C, by Ronald de Man, the programmer of the famous Syzygy tablebases.

C is older, less user friendly for the programmer but more native, closer to the the machine. That's why converting the original Stockfish code to C code can help the compiled engine work way faster.

Cfish is expected to be 10-15 ELO higher than official Stockfish. You can measure the gap yourself or you can believe me as an easier alternative.

GET Cfish 2016.12.03 for 32-bit arm7 nopie
GET Cfish 2016.12.03 for 32-bit arm7 pie
GET Cfish 2016.12.03 for 64-bit arm8

In case of trouble downloading from box, refer to THIS POST.

Android UCI engine update: Stockfish dev't 2016.12.03.AP

If Stockfish 8.0 is not mercyless enough, please welcome a recent development version ported to Android by Aprijal Pasaribu.

Prior to uploading, i've tested the arm8 build on MTK6752 octa core cpu: 2140 knps in 60 seconds is not a record compared to previous AP builds but it proves at least the compile is healthy. So, it should be the closest engine to perfect chess at present.

I hear you mentioning Cfish?

Ok, ok... In fact Cfish is Stockfish too. It's in the queue thanks to Aprijal.

GET Stockfish dev't 2016.12.03 for 32-bit arm7 nopie
GET Stockfish dev't 2016.12.03 for 32-bit arm7 pie
GET Stockfish dev't 2016.12.03 for 64-bit arm8

In case of trouble downloading from box, refer to THIS POST.

Android UCI engine update: Bobcat 8.0.AP

It was surely a nice idea to port the latest version of Bobcat to Android, taking into account that this engine written by Harm Gunnar is close to 3000 ELO barrier and we were stuck on v6.4 since a long time.

I guess v8.0 will heat up more the top engines zone of Android.

GET Bobcat 8.0 for 32-bit arm7 nopie

GET Bobcat 8.0 for 32-bit arm7 pie

GET Bobcat 8.0 for 32-bit arm8

In case of trouble downloading from box, refer to THIS POST.

Android XB engine update: Crafty 25.2.AP

Bob Hyatt's Crafty must be older than most chess enthousiasts around the world. This Xboard engine still carries on DNA's from Cray Blitz, the monster chess computer of 70's!

We had seen several builds of Crafty for Android but none of them could use a configuration file, something that throws away a lot of strength.

In constrast to the previous versions ported to Android by Jim Ablett, v25.2 ported by Aprijal can run multi threads and beyond this, it becomes possible to increase the hash size according to our needs. In previous versions, the hash size was previously fixed to 32MB default as far as i remember.

Now, would it be too imaginary to write an equation like Hash + SMP + preformance build by AP =  +150 ELO? We'll see about it.

GET Crafty 25.2 AP arm7 & arm8

Notice: Don't forget to edit first the .craftyrc config file provided within the 7z package and then install it as an engine under Chess for Android GUI. 

In case of trouble downloading from box, refer to THIS POST.

Android UCI engine update: Robbolito 0.085g3l.AP

Robbolito is one of the strongest single core engines in Rapidroid, reaching almost 3000 ELO on a mobile phone.

Even if the code itself may not be a huge improvement over 0.085e4l, Aprijal Pasaribu's build is expected to add some more flavour.

The reason i'm saying this is the architecture which is upgraded from arm5 to arm7 (or 8) in a performance addicted way. Thanks Aprijal.

GET Robbolito 0.085g3l.AP for arm7 nopie

GET Robbolito 0.085g3l.AP for arm7 pie

GET Robbolito 0.085g3l.AP for arm8

P.S.: Just corrected the links for arm7 pie and arm8. They were going to Ivanhoe...

In case of trouble downloading from box, refer to THIS POST.

Android UCI engine update: Ivanhoe 999945.AP

At last, an Ivanhoe build able to run multi threads. I'm very happy that such compile came in, given that the engine used to be among the strongest single core Android engines.

I imagine that with the boost provided by SMP, Ivanhoe can become a candidate for the Rapidroid TOP-10. I will rate it as soon as possible.

GET Ivanhoe 999945.AP 32 bit for arm7 nopie

GET Ivanhoe 999945.AP 32 bit for arm7 pie

GET Ivanhoe 999945.AP 32 bit for arm8

In case of trouble downloading from box, refer to THIS POST.

Android UCI engine update: Sayuri 2016.11.03 by H.Ishibashi

The latest working version of Sayuri had come from Aprijal. Meanwhile, the author of the engine Hironori Ishibashi keeps releasing his own compiles.

For the sake of the collecting mind, i'm sharing HERE the arm5 build of 2016.11.03 which didn't work on my devices, like many previous updates of this year.

In case of trouble downloading from box, refer to THIS POST.

Android UCI engine update: Firenzina 2.4.3 xTreme AP

Aprijal Pasaribu has succesfully compiled Firenzina 2.4.3 for Android. Compared to the previous version 2.4.1, SMP functionality is here once again while the build for arm7 and arm8 are way faster than arm5.

I hope Firenzina gains 10-20 ELO Rapidroid, when i can find enough time to introduce it with all these frequent engine updates. Maybe before xmas...

Don't forget to install fire.cfg in the same folder as the engine because some UCI options, especially the threads settings can only be configured via this file.

The threads setting is somehow tricky: You must increase the MIN setting to the number of cores you want to use. MAX setting defines the maximum possible value but the engine will always take the min setting. At least, that's the case with Aprijal's build.

In Chess for Android, you will see no CPU option selectable, it's normal because you set this in cfg file.

GET Firenzina 2.4.3 for 32-bit arm7 nopie

GET Firenzina 2.4.3 for 32-bit arm7 pie

GET Firenzina 2.4.3 for 62-bit arm8

In case of trouble downloading from box, refer to THIS POST.

Mobialia Chess Free 5.3.2

The last version 5.3 of Mobilia integretes many improvements. It's one of the most popular chess apps. I wish we could have Caraballo chess engine used by Mobilia, as a standalone UCI binary but there's very little probability for this to happen.

WHAT'S NEW

Database is out of beta:

- Removed the 100 game limit in the database results

- Fabio Baiocco updated the italian localization

- The strings in the settings and the menus are now uncapitalized

- Design changes in the sidebar

- Removed the player name length limit in the board

- The 3d theme is now separated from the 2d theme

- Problems were starting in the number #2, not in the #1

- Design changes in the web app at http://chess.mobialia.com to match the android app

Download latest Mobilia Chess Free from GOOGLE PLAY.

Senior Chess 1.89

I think adding time controls to this beatiful app would make it much more attractive.

WHAT'S NEW

Version 1.89: Thanks to some new checks, it is no longer possible to introduce certain illegal positions, such as those with, for example, nine white pawns. In previous versions, if you created such positions in edit mode, you could switch to play mode and make the program crash. The same checks are now applied to positions read from .fen files. In addition, there will no longer be crashes after an exit by means of the Back key, followed by a restart.

Download last version of Senior Chess from GOOGLE PLAY.

Android UCI engine update: Arasan 19.2.AP

This one should be definitely better than 19.1 given the code is improved by Jon Dart and the builds are prepared by Aprijal Pasaribu using the same tools.

You may expect 3000+ ELO on a regular 4 cores device...

GET Arasan 19.2 for 32-bit arm7 pie

GET Arasan 19.2 for 64-bit arm8

In case of difficulties downloading from box, refer to THIS POST.

Stockfish 8: No PIE builds installer by Javiolo

Glad i'm back again from busy working days, at least for the weekend.

On a previous post dated Nov,2nd, i'd written about the OEX installer app by Javiolo coming with Stockfish 8 builds.

That app included only the PIE builds, therefore users of Android prior to 4.1 could not use them.

As the alternative app from the same developer comes with noPIE builds, now the whole Android range is covered.

You may install Stockfish 8 OEX installer from GOOGLE PLAY.

In case you need the standalone engine binaries, choose below:

GET Stockfish 8.0.JV for 32-bit arm5 nopie

GET Stockfish 8.0.JV for 32-bit arm7 nopie

GET Stockfish 8.0.JV for 32-bit x86 nopie

In case of difficulties downloading from box, refer to THIS POST.