After six months of careful observation, we're releasing Bots 4.1—a substantial update that makes every rating level more realistic, more varied, and more useful for your training.
Realistic mistakes, not robotic ones
The lowest-rated bots were too erratic. They'd drop pieces at random, shuffle their kings aimlessly, and walk into attacks without reason. In real chess, weaker players make meaningful mistakes—not just any blunder.
In 4.1, we've culled the most inhuman errors. Bots still blunder, but they blunder like real players do. The lowest levels will still lose material, but it happens in ways you might actually encounter in your own games.
No more repetitive play
You noticed. We noticed. The bots were stuck in behavioral loops—moving their king back and forth for 10+ moves with no plan, repeating the same sequences over and over.
Bots now play with purpose. Aimless shuffling is gone, king walks are rare, and Bongclouds appear only when they make sense for that bot's style. This transforms practice from "grinding the same scenario" into genuine, varied chess.
Opening repertoires that match their strength
Before 4.1, you could memorize what your opponent would play and run the same tactic every game. If a bot lost, it would make the exact same opening move next time.
Now, bots mix up their openings based on their playing style and learning from results. We've also overhauled the opening books across all ratings—they're now representative of each bot's actual strength instead of quirky and inconsistent.
This means:
- Varied play every game, even against the same bot
- Openings that make sense for each rating level
- More realistic preparation: you're learning positions, not just memorizing sequences
Why this matters for your training
The combination of these changes means you'll see more diverse positions, fewer repeat games, and opponents that play like actual chess players at their rating—not caricatures. You're no longer exploiting a broken system; you're training against opponents that challenge you the way real players do.
Train smarter. Play better.