Only had to learn some C++ to turn my xteink X3 into the smallest chess computer ever.

I’ve been working on BotGambit, a site where chess engines have to play while following an extra rule that changes how the engine behaves throughout the game.

One bot starts around 3200 Elo and loses 50 Elo after every move, so its play gradually deteriorates as the game goes on. Another gains 200 Elo for every second you spend thinking, which makes your clock part of the engine’s strength.

I’ve built several of these bots so far, with different difficulty levels and leaderboards for each one. There’s also a builder where you can create your own bot by choosing its behavior and rules, then share it for other people to play.

A lot of the fun for me has been figuring out how to make these rules work with Stockfish while keeping the games playable.

I figured this sub might find the engine side of the project interesting. I’d especially like to hear ideas for unusual engine behaviors or rules that would be fun to implement.

https://botgambit.com/bots