SMIRF tries to make a minimal approach to program chess and some variants
like Chess960 (FRC) or 10x8 CRC (Capablanca Random Chess), which as supersets
somehow compatibly contain traditional chess (that is what I name the FullChess
approach). Its engine is small and currently sized 60 KB only, despite this one
engine covers all those variants. SMIRF actually attempts to cover the opening
stage without using huge looking up knowledge like opening books or endgame
table bases. Thus it actually is recommended to play Chess960 or CRC to get
different games.
SMIRF's strength currently seems to be about the Crafty level. Being my first
approach to write a playing chess program, there will be of course some
weaknesses and details to be improved. It uses an own public communication
protocol between engine and GUI called TMCI (Third Millenium Chess Interface),
which is subject to be modified if other programmers would be interested to also
use it.
SMIRF is able to store and load games as PGN, cut and paste it and also
positions as X-FEN. It enables PGN games to be commented, but does not (yet)
support variant game lines. It has several playing timing levels. If the
automatic answering is switched off, you could enter move series without having
the engine answer. The gaits of the special 8x10 pieces Archbishop and
Chancellor will be shown by marked squares. It is recommended to have the online
hints be activated during first time. You could choose one of four languages:
Eng, Ger, Fra, Swe. GothicChess actually is not supported directly, because I
still have not received Ed Trice's license he promised me. Nevertheless in edit
mode you could set up any starting array and switch castling rights by simply
clicking at the rooks' file letters.