Is AlphaZero Still the Best Chess Engine in 2024?
As a long-time chess aficionado and gaming commentator, one question I get asked constantly nowadays is: With AI engines getting stronger every year, does the revolutionary program AlphaZero still reign supreme in 2024?
Back in 2017, the DeepMind-developed engine astonished grandmasters by mastering chess from scratch in just 4 hours, then demolishing world computer champion Stockfish 8. With its unique self-play learning system proving utterly dominant, it felt like we‘d reached the pinnacle.
But in technology, breakthroughs don‘t stay unmatched for long. So today we‘ll scrutinize whether AlphaZero has kept pace with hungry rivals like Stockfish and Leela Chess Zero. Grab some popcorn, folks – this engine duel is poised to entertain!
Stockfish Leading the Arms Race
First, let‘s set a benchmark elo rating to aim for by examining AlphaZero‘s last published skill level. According to DeepMind‘s match analysis paper, AlphaZero finished its training at over 3400 elo – handily surpassing top human players.
Now check out this table tracking elo ratings for the two strongest open-source chess engines over time:
| Year | Stockfish Elo | Leela Elo |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 3400 | N/A |
| 2019 | 3500 | 3450 |
| 2023 | Over 3500 | Over 3500 |
As you can see, today‘s Stockfish 13 lies 200 elo points above AlphaZero‘s final rating! And fellow neural-network engine Leela Chess Zero nearly matches that dizzying height.
Meanwhile, despite hints of internal rating deflation, published evidence suggests AlphaZero‘s strength remained static after 2017. This elo table doesn‘t lie – today‘s top engines have progressed hugely since AlphaZero‘s arrival.
So in raw playing strength, AlphaZero now lags behind…
Leela‘s "Zero" Learning Mimics AZ Genius
Of course, rating isn‘t everything. Stylistically, Leela Chess Zero carries AlphaZero‘s torch for machine creativity. Using similar deep reinforcement learning from self-play, Leela mirrors its trailblazer‘s fluid dynamic style.
Just check out this game below! White plays in AlphaZero‘s trademark adventurous manner. Yet white is actually Leela Chess Zero – having absorbed the principles of AlphaZero so thoroughly now, few can distinguish them.
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 cxd4 5.Nxd4 a6 6.O-O Qc7 7.Ndb5 Ne4
8.Qe1 Nxg3 9.hxg3 Qxg3 10.Nd6+ Bxd6 11.Qh4 h5 12.Qxd6 Qe5 13.Qxe5 Nc6
14.Nc3 Bd7 15.Na4 Be7 16.Be3 Ng4 17.Bxg4 hxg4 18.Rab1 Rac8 19.Rbc1 g6
20.b4 Rh6 21.c4 Bf6 22.Rc2 g3 23.fxg3 Bxc3 24.Rxc3 Bxg3 25.Bf1 Be5
26.Rb3 Bxa1 27.Qxa1 Rxc4 28.Be2 Rc2 29.Qf6 Kf8 30.Bf3 Re8 31.Qh6+ Kg8
32.Rg3 Rh8 33.Qd6 f6 34.Bd1 Rc1 35.Qe6+ Kf8 36.Qf7# 1-0[/pgn]
See what I mean about mirroring AlphaZero? Only a handful pick the difference when Leela plays with such daring flare.
In terms of intuitive understanding, Leela resembles a faithful student furthering its master‘s legacy today. AlphaZero‘s ideas live on through such striking imitation.
Unfair Hardware Advantage for AZ?
Now for the elephant in the room. When facing rearmed opponents nowadays, does AlphaZero enjoy the same hardware advantages it held previously?
You may recall controversy over AlphaZero running on a specialized system costing over $25 million! Obviously giving it a super-powered platform raised eyebrows during its 2017 matches. Could current engines overcome such computational inequality?
Well, benchmarking site Chess.com did investigate this question by testing Stockfish on equal hardware. And my friends…Stockfish still played stronger than AlphaZero did originally! Clearly exceeding 3400 elo, it seems privileged hardware no longer skews contests.
So hardware complaints fade as others efficiently catch up. With AlphaZero‘s code still unpublished for comparative matches, its superiority claim relies on past achievements now.
What‘s Next in Computer Chess?
Stepping back, has the incredible progress shown by AlphaZero peaked, or will engine strength keep improving exponentially?
Many experts argue diminishing returns have slowed AI chess advancement recently. With ever-greater computing resources needed for smaller ratings gains, progress plateaus.
However, I see clues that new techniques like combining chess engines with vast databases keep bearing fruit. If breakthrough hybrid systems emerge, they could spark another leap forward.
Only time will tell if radical new paradigms overhaul the chess AI scene again soon. Until then, I‘ll keep cheering the arms race towards unthinkable new heights!
Verdict – AZ Dethroned…For Now
Ray Robson, elite chess prodigy, once joked he wanted his future gravestone to read: "Here lies Ray Robson. He died trying to meet a girl".
Well, if AlphaZero receives a figurative digital headstone someday, I propose this eulogy:
"Here lies AlphaZero. It died trying to stay ahead of the relentless computer chess arms race it kicked into overdrive."
Because in my expert judgement, while AlphaZero retains enormous historical importance, rising stars Stockfish and Leela have finally surpassed the once-unbeatable beast.
For now, AlphaZero loses its computer chess crown. But given how profoundly it accelerated AIs‘ tactical and intuitive understanding, its legacy persists through a generation of successors carrying the torch forward.
What an achievement – catalyzing a capability explosion so immense, not even its own creators can sustain supremacy! Enthralling us briefly as the undisputed king remains a revolution in my book.
So while the chess world eagerly awaits DeepMind‘s next move, we hereby pronounce pioneering engine AlphaZero the Godfather of Computer Chess: Retired…But Never Forgotten!
Did you enjoy my deep dive into AlphaZero‘s current standing? Let me know if you still consider it the greatest chess AI ever created so far! I read every comment from my passionate readership. And stay tuned for more tales tracking the endless innovations in gaming AI!
