Change in the position of the team manager of Chess Engines Diary

Dear Readers, chess lovers and chess engine enthusiasts.

On September 1, 2024, I will resume the management of the Chess Engines Diary team. Following a period of reduced activity due to professional commitments, I am returning to my previous role. Owing to the severe illness of our colleague, IM Marek (Black Swan), who can no longer fulfill his duties, I will assume his responsibilities as the team leader.

During this period, significant advancements were made: the JCER "individual" ranking evolved into the CEDR team ranking, mirroring the team's name and website, Chess Engines Diary. Profiles were established on social media platforms such as X, Twitter, Reddit, among others. Organized activities included chess engine league competitions, test tournaments, and matches. The Chess Engines Diary team is now recognized for setting the chess game pace at 3 minutes plus 3 seconds per move. Furthermore, nearly 430,000 played games have contributed to the ranking calculations, with only those games where a minimum of 10 moves were made being considered for analysis. Marek, thank you for everything. I wish you good health and hope that you will occasionally be able to contribute to our cause.

What changes can be expected in the near future?

- Starting from October 1, 2024, the new CEDR ranking will only classify a chess engine after it has played a minimum of 500 games.

- The chess league will be restructured into four groups of 16 engines each, totaling 64—the chess number. Amateur leagues will be discontinued. New and amateur engines can advance through the CEDR ranking.

- Our focus will be on evaluating the strongest chess engines that attract the most interest, while still testing new and amateur engines.

- Efforts will be made to standardize graphics to enhance our website's presentation.

- A purchase of a 1TB drive is planned to reduce reliance on Katfile.

- We aim to recruit 2-3 new testers to join our team.

- I plan to engage more with readers to better gauge which changes are most preferred.

My dear friends,

We remain committed to offering everything for free, despite the high operational costs. Our reliance on sponsors and donors is steadfast. Your support is crucial; without it, the future of Chess Engines Diary would be at risk!

Warm regards from the world of chess engines.

Jurek