| Fritz | |
|---|---|
| Platform(s) | Windows Vista, Windows XP, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo DS |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Fritz is a German chess program developed by Frans Morsch and Mathias Feist and published by ChessBase. There is also a version called Deep Fritz that is designed for multiprocessing.
The latest versions of the consumer products are Deep Fritz 12 and Fritz 13.
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Morsch and his friend Ed Schröder produced a chess program in the early 1980s. In the early 1990s, the German company ChessBase asked Morsch to write the Fritz chess programs (called Knightstalker in the USA). In 1995, Fritz 3 won the World Computer Chess Championship in Hong Kong, surprisingly beating a prototype version of Deep Blue.
In 2002, Deep Fritz drew the Brains in Bahrain match against the classical World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik 4–4.
In November 2003, X3D Fritz, a version of Deep Fritz with a 3D interface, drew a four-game match against Garry Kasparov.
On June 23, 2005, in the ABC Times Square studios, the AI Accoona Toolbar, driven by a Fritz 9 prototype, drew against the then FIDE World Champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov.
From 25 November to 5 December 2006 Deep Fritz played a six-game match against Kramnik in Bonn. Fritz was able to win 4–2.[1][2][3] In this match, Kramnik blundered away game 2, allowing a mate in one.[4]
On the September 2010 SSDF rating list, Deep Fritz 12 placed sixth with a rating of 3110, 135 points higher than Deep Junior 10.1, and 103 points lower than #1 ranked Deep Rybka 3 x64. Deep Fritz 11 is eighth on the same list, with a rating of 3073.
On the December 2010 edition of the CCRL rating list, Deep Fritz 12 placed sixth with an Elo rating of 3088, 29 points higher than Deep Junior 11.1a x64, and 174 points lower than #1 ranked Deep Rybka 4 x64. Deep Fritz 11 is also sixth on the same list, with a rating of 3097
| Version | Year of release | Platforms | New features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fritz Deluxe | 1992 | DOS | |
| Fritz 2 | DOS | ||
| Fritz 3 | DOS | ||
| Fritz 4 | |||
| Fritz 5 | Windows | ||
| Fritz 6 | 2000 | Windows | revised graphics, improved menu[5] |
| Fritz 7 | 2001 | Windows | online play, highscore lists, chat functions, watch other people play[6] |
| Fritz 8 | 2003 | Windows | photo-realistic virtual 3D boards that zoom and tilt, 500,000+ games database including historical matches between the world chess champions Bobby Fisher and Boris Spassky, Napoleon versus The Chess Automaton[7] |
| Fritz 9 | 2005 | Windows | new preset AI opponents, handicap, realistic sound effects for the various types of chess pieces, several new 3D enhanced playing boards, board customization[8] |
| Fritz 10 | 2006 | Windows | |
| Fritz 11 | 2007 | Windows | |
| Fritz 12 | 2009 | Windows | redesigned ergonomic interface, analysis option, annotate option, 5 minute per side game without any added time option, option to load .PGN files, runs on MacBook Pro when Microsoft Windows is installed, Grandmaster play level, 12 months premium membership on Playchess.com, new Fritz 12 engine, openings book by Alex Kure, 12 hours chess tutorial videos with international trainers and world class players, updated database of 1.5 million games from 1625 to 2009[9] |
| Fritz 13 | 2011 | Windows | “Let’s Check” online knowledge base for chess, Application Menu Button changed to File Menu button |
| Fritz and Chesster | |
|---|---|
| Platform(s) | Windows Vista, Windows XP, Mac, Nintendo DS |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, 2 players in Fritz and Chesster 2 and 3 after playing King Black |
Fritz and Chesster is a series of introductory chess programs based on the Fritz engine. Each program provides basic tutorials and games based around one aspect of chess, allowing children to learn the basic rules easily without overwhelming them with too many options at once.
Games are based around Prince Fritz, the son of King White, and his cousin Bianca, as Chesster the rat (among others) teaches them the fundamentals of chess so that they can defeat King Black.
There are three programs available in the series: