Deep Fritz 12 – an interview with the author

The next step in the development of Fritz is Deep Fritz 12, the new multi-processor version. We asked Frans Morsch a few questions about it.

Frans Morsch: In comparison to Fritz, the development of Deep Fritz adds another level of complexity. As well as the engine itself, we have to adapt the parallel system. While we bring this up to date only with a new version of Deep Fritz, both the search and evaluation functions are in constant development.

The adaption of the parallel system is done on several levels. On the one hand, it has to co-operate seamlessly with the search function of Fritz. On the other hand there is the adaptation to the customer’s current hardware as well as the middle-term development to be expected in this area.

Deep Fritz is tuned for current multi-core processors. The new dynamic scaling will also work well with the next generations of multi-core processors. Its predecessor scaled excellently with four processor cores and well with eight. This has been further improved in Deep Fritz 12 – up to 16 cores are supported.

The existing 32-bit version of Deep Fritz has already been optimally tuned; a 64-bit version would not be any faster and so there will not be one. Other engines, amongst them Rybka, have only just been optimised in a 64-bit version.

For the development of the playing strength we employ new automated test methods. A few million games are played on a series of computers. This shows us precisely the efects of changes in the search or evaluation functions.

The use of advanced mathematical procedures on the base data eliminates statistical errors. This allows continuous further development.

In development we lay great value on a bal-anced playing style so that Fritz remains an excellent analysis partner in all phases of the game. We worked on all areas of Fritz: the search and the evaluation in the middlegame have been improved, the endgame knowledge has been extended and fine-tuned.

Deep Fritz 12 now shipping

Fritz is the world’s most popular chess program, developed by ChessBase, “the world's leading chess software company” (Washington Post). The "Deep" Version 12 is now available and shipping.

Whether you are a beginner, club player or professional – Fritz has everything that chess players could want: automatically adjusting playing strength, handicap and coaching functions, explanation of positions, coloured danger warnings, openings statistics, automatic game analysis, trainings modules for openings, tactics, endgames, and a database of one million games.

Fritz continues to fascinate the chess world. It has beaten a reigning World Champion in the battle of man vs machine, and it has worked with World Champions as a clever training partner (Garry Kasparov: “I regularly analyse with Fritz”) which will entertain you with fresh and humorous verbal comments.

• Order it now – Deep Fritz 12 is shipping