GitHub - datavorous/sameshi: a ~1200 Elo chess engine that fits within 2KB
Hacker News
February 14, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
A new open-source chess engine named Sameshi has emerged, showcasing impressive capabilities despite its minimal size and constraints. This lightweight engine, developed by datavorous, operates within just 2KB of code and achieves a competitive Elo rating of approximately 1200. While it lacks certain advanced features like castling, en passant, and promotion, Sameshi has demonstrated strong performance in fixed-depth games against Stockfish at levels ranging from 1320 to 1600, with a total of 240 test games played.
The engine's simplicity and small footprint make it an intriguing option for developers seeking efficient solutions. Unlike traditional chess engines that prioritize complexity and depth, Sameshi focuses on delivering results within constrained rules and limited plies (up to 60). This approach highlights the potential for creating highly effective AI systems without sacrificing resource efficiency.
For tech enthusiasts and developers, Sameshi offers valuable insights into balancing performance with minimal computational requirements. Its ability to achieve a competitive Elo rating despite its limitations underscores the importance of strategic design in AI development. Such compact solutions could inspire innovation in areas like mobile gaming, embedded systems, or other applications where resource optimization is critical.
The project also raises questions about the future of AI efficiency and scalability. By proving that complex tasks like chess can be executed with minimal code, Sameshi challenges developers to rethink traditional approaches and explore new ways to innovate within constraints. Its open-source nature further encourages collaboration and experimentation, making it a valuable resource for both hobbyists and professionals in the tech community.
In an era where computational resources are often prioritized over efficiency, Sameshi stands out as a testament to the power of simplicity. Its success in competitive play against established engines like Stockfish suggests that
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Originally published on Hacker News on 2/14/2026