The history of Blitz/Cray-Blitz/Crafty

Issue title: Fifty Years of Computer Chess

Guest editors: Jonathan Schaeffer

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Hyatt, Robert^{; *; **}

Affiliations: Department of Computer Science (retired), University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA

Correspondence: [**] Corresponding author. E-mail: robertmhyatt@yahoo.com.

Note: [*] E-mail: robertmhyatt@yahoo.com.

Abstract: This article is a series of anecdotes about the development of several programs that advanced the state of the art in computer chess. The best known is Cray Blitz, which won the 1983 and 1986 World Computer Chess Championships. However, in terms of overall impact, perhaps Crafty is the most important. As a high-performing open-source program, it has been used by countless number of researchers and hobbyists to develop computer chess programs for competitions, research, and for fun.

DOI: 10.3233/ICG-200167

Journal: ICGA Journal, vol. 42, no. 2-3, pp. 120-131, 2020