Review of Bukster Chess

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Johnson Games of Florida

Bukster Chess Review
By Johnson Games of Florida on 28 July 2008


Pros: AI plays like a grandmaster. Castling allowed, but I never got the chance to promote a pawn, so I don't know if you can. I would assume so, however.

Cons: No sound...that's about it. Oh, and you can't beat it with simple things like the scholar's mate.

Brilliant, Brilliant, A Thousand Times Brilliant

Bukster Chess is the single best freeware chess game I have ever played. I attempted to mate the AI within a few moves and failed. The complete details of the game I played this morning, complete with my commentary are below. Of course, you have to know old-style chess notation like P-K4 and Kt-QR2. Also, the spacing in the columns isn't exactly right, but I made it in Notepad.

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ATTEMPT AT THE SCHOLAR'S MATE - FAILED
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1. P-K4 P-K4
2. KB-QB4 KKt-KB3

At this point, it is evident that the AI has recognized the attempt at the Scholar's Mate and has sufficiently defended against it.

3. P-Q3 QKt-QB3
4. QB-Q2 KB-QB4

The AI has recognized another attempt at checkmate and again defended adequately.

5. QRP-QR4 P-Q3
6. P-QKt3 Q-K2
7. Q-K2 QB-Q2
8. QKt-QB3 P-KR4
9. KKt-KB3 P-QR4
10. P-KR4 P-KKt3
11. O-O KS Kt-QKt5
12. B-QKt5 BxB

At this point, I am debating whether or not to take the bishop that captured mine or force the black queen into an inescapable capture. The risk of allowing an enemy bishop into my camp seems too great, so I will take it, hopefully without repercussions.

13. PxB KtxQBP

The time has come to attack the black queen. The knight in my camp can wait.

14. Kt-Q5 KtxKt

Now I will force the exchange of knights.

15. PxKt KtxR

I did not expect the AI to take my queen's rook and force me to waste a move.

16. RxKt P-KB4
17. Kt-Kt5 B-Q5
18. R-QR4 B-QB4
19. Kt-K6 . . .

It should be evident that I am trying to capture the black queen.

20. . . . B-QKt3

However, the AI recognizes the ploy and moves its bishop instead.

21. B-KKt5 . . .

I've found another move that can threaten the AI's queen. This will force it either to move or take the offending piece, which would result in the loss of the queen. I believe the AI will move its queen, though.

21. . . . Q-Q2

Ha! I've forced the black queen from her post. As of right now, I don't quite see where it'll get me in the long run, but it's good to see I've forced the AI into a useless move for once.

22. R-QB4 . . .

Yet another ploy to take the black queen. I know that losing the queen isn't necessarily the biggest blow, but I still like to wipe it off the face of the board, and sometimes it results in allowing one of my pawns to be promoted into another queen.

22. . . . QxKt

Damn! Didn't see that one coming.

23. R-QB3 QxP

Or that one. I'm getting the crap kicked out of me...

24. Kt-KKt7ch K-Q2
25. KtxKBP PxKt

Missed another one. No wonder I'm losing. Now I have to pull out all the stops if I want any chance of winning this, or even drawing.

26. B-KB6 KR-R2
27. Q-Q2 R-KKt1

What is the AI doing? I'm getting confused now.

28. P-Q4 QxKKtP mate

DAMN IT! I lost. Oh, well. It happens against an AI that plays like a grandmaster.

  1. Friggles_old

    Friggles_old said about 1 year ago

    The AI was hard, but no were near a grandmaster. The scholars mate is a very beginner move and is very eaisily blocked, don't even bother using it O.o.

  2. aoshaughnessy

    aoshaughnessy said over 2 years ago

    I did beat this with the scholar's mate on my second turn.
    I beat it three times in a row in 6 moves or less.

  3. Super Lala

    Super Lala said over 3 years ago

    I beat your AI. I am not even a chessmaster. It is very good AI though, a challenge. And one thing? It is not a con that you can't beat him with scholars mate. It was hard when I finally got that pawn to the other edge of the board and boom! Nothing happens. Boy, that was fustrating.

  4. bukster

    bukster said over 3 years ago

    Wow - you put a lot of thought and effort into that review. Thanks!

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