Introduction
The world of chess was rocked in early 2019 when two of the biggest names in computer chess, Stockfish and Chessbase, found themselves embroiled in a legal battle.
The Key Players
To understand the legal battle between Stockfish Chess and Chessbase, we must first understand the key players involved.
Chessbase, on the other hand, is a German-based company that produces chess software and databases. It was founded in 1986 and has since become one of the leading providers of chess databases and software. Some of their popular products include ChessBase, Fritz, and Komodo. Unlike Stockfish, Chessbase is not open-source, and their products need to be purchased for use.
The Dispute
The legal dispute between Stockfish Chess and Chessbase began in March 2018 when Chessbase released their latest chess engine, Houdini. Chessbase claimed that Houdini´s code was entirely original, but the Stockfish team alleged that Houdini´s code was based on their own engine.
The dispute escalated when Stockfish released a statement in March 2019, accusing Chessbase of violating the GNU General Public License (GPL), which Stockfish uses. The GPL requires all modifications and derivative works of the original code to be released as open-source. As Chessbase had not released the code of Houdini, the Stockfish team claimed that Chessbase was violating the GPL. Chessbase, however, maintained that Houdini is an independent program and not a derivative work of Stockfish, therefore exempt from the GPL.
The Legal Battle
Stockfish´s allegations led to the legal battle between the two parties. In April 2019, with the help of the Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC), Stockfish initiated a legal action against Chessbase. The SFLC is a non-profit legal organization that provides legal services to open-source software projects.
Chessbase has maintained their stance that Houdini´s code is original and independent, and have filed a countersuit against Stockfish. Chessbase has also requested that Stockfish release its own source code for review, claiming that parts of Stockfish´s code may have been derived from other sources.
The Implications
This legal battle is significant for the world of computer chess as it has raised questions about the ownership and distribution of code. The GPL and open-source licenses have been designed to promote collaborative and community-driven innovation, but this case has highlighted potential flaws in these licenses.
On the other hand, if Chessbase is successful in proving that Houdini is an independent program, it may raise doubts about the effectiveness of the GPL in protecting open-source projects. This could result in developers being less inclined to release their code under open-source licenses, which could hinder innovation and progress in the world of computer chess.
Conclusion
The legal battle between Stockfish and Chessbase is far from over, and the implications of the outcome are yet to be seen. It has brought to light important questions about the ownership and distribution of code in the open-source community and could have a significant impact on the future of computer chess. As the chess community eagerly awaits the resolution of this legal battle, it is clear that this case has left a lasting mark on the world of chess and may have far-reaching consequences for years to come.