Which chess engine is the most human?

Answered by Jeremy Urbaniak

When it comes to determining which chess engine is the most human, there are several factors to consider. One important aspect is the ability of the engine to mimic human-like moves and strategies. In this regard, Maia stands out as a notable contender.

Maia’s developers have focused on capturing the human style in chess, aiming to make the engine’s moves resemble those made by human players. Through extensive training, Maia has been able to achieve a more human-like style compared to previous engines. In fact, it has been found that Maia matches moves played by human players in online games over 50% of the time. This demonstrates its ability to simulate human decision-making in chess.

During the training process, Maia is provided with positions that have occurred in real human games. Its task is to predict the move that was made in each situation. This approach helps Maia learn and understand the patterns and strategies commonly employed by human players. By doing so, the engine becomes more adept at making moves that align with human thinking.

One of the key advantages of Maia’s human-like style is the potential for more engaging and relatable gameplay. When facing Maia, human players may find themselves encountering moves and strategies that they are familiar with, making the game feel more natural and challenging. This can enhance the overall experience of playing against an engine and provide a sense of authenticity.

It is important to note that while Maia excels in capturing human style, it is still an engine and benefits from the computational power and analysis capabilities that come with that. However, its ability to replicate human moves and strategies adds an extra layer of complexity and unpredictability to its gameplay.

Maia stands out as one of the most human-like chess engines available. Its training process, which involves predicting moves made by human players in real games, has enabled it to develop a style that closely resembles human thinking. This makes playing against Maia a more immersive and challenging experience, bringing the game closer to the dynamics and intricacies of human play.