Slowchess 2.96 Windows 64-bit build available

[Jim Ablett]

Slowchess 2.96 by Jonathan Kreuzer
http://www.3dkingdoms.com/chess/slow.htm

Windows 64-bit Intel compiler 10 p.g.o build

http://mihd.net/g62jkq
Mirrors:
http://www.zshare.net/download/57454846194a40/
http://myfreefilehosting.com/f/26f8e79562_1.06MB

Jim.

[Werner]

Hi Jim,
thanks for the compilation of this engine.
Do you have more information?
Is it newer than SlowChess Blitz?
Do you think its even stronger than this engine - or not?
What does that mean: Slow Chess 2.96 is based on the 2.94 source, and not related to Slow Chess Blitz: older or newer version?
I did not see such a version in any list.

[Martin Thoresen]

Hi Jim,
thanks for the compilation of this engine.
Do you have more information?
Is it newer than SlowChess Blitz?
Do you think its even stronger than this engine - or not?
What does that mean: Slow Chess 2.96 is based on the 2.94 source, and not related to Slow Chess Blitz: older or newer version?
I did not see such a version in any list.

It's all on the homepage of the author.

Quote:

"
Older Versions :

Note: Version numbers change with playing style/strength changes. Otherwise the version just gets a newer letter. Read What's New for info on latest updates.
Version History.txt (changes from 2.82 to 2.96)

Slow Chess Blitz WV: SlowBlitzWV.zip ( 541KB )

Slow Chess Blitz 0.4: SlowBlitz0.zip ( 508KB )

Slow Chess 2.94: slow294.zip (498 KB )

Slow Chess 2.89b: schess289.zip (472 KB)

Slow Chess 2.82: schess282.zip (444 KB)

Slow Chess 2.96: Slow296src.zip (86 KB). Details in Readme296.txt
2.96 is an open source 2.94 chess engine (with a few very small changes.) This source code is for the engine only, it does not include the GUI source. So you must run it using winboard or UCI. It compiles with Microsoft Visual C/C++ 6.0. This is a much stronger chess engine than 2.82a, and the code should be clearer too, and without assembly language.
If you want my test compiled .exe, and an opening book, download Slow296.zip (442 KB)
Slow 2.96 and Blitz WV can use the bitbases downloadable above. No other versions use these bitbases, although all others have a different and incompatible KPK.sbb. Books are comptible between all versions."

[Jim Ablett]

Hi Werner/Martin,

As Martin states, the 'Blitz WV' version is the newest/strongest, but not open source unfortunately, I'd like to get my hands on it

You'll have to test my 2.96 build against the 32-bit Blitz WV to see if the 64-bit nps speed increase is enough to close the elo gap.

rgds,
Jim.

[Jim Ablett]

Just to let you know, I'm going through all the chess engines source I have attempting to compile them for 64-bit.
I'll only be posting the one's which show definite improvement in speed/nps. With some, due to their structure,
compiling 64-bit shows no improvement at all, Diablo for instance.

Jim.

[pedrox]

Diablo is an engine that uses a generator of moves 0x88, it seems that the only engines with generator of moves bitboard get faster at 64 bits.

A few months ago I made a construction of 64 bits of Olithink (not pgo), was 30% faster than the original, possibly with your construction Jim is a bit faster.

Jim, for a compilation pgo are 3 steps, build, train and recompile. To train DanaSah, on the command line I have a command which is called "test", the test command resolves some 30 positions automatically in 10 seconds.

How do you do train engines? Once builded your installed in the Arena or another GUI?

Pedro

[Jim Ablett]

Hi Pedro,

Diablo is an engine that uses a generator of moves 0x88, it seems that the only engines with generator of moves bitboard get faster at 64 bits.

Yes, I'm thinking about compiling a 64-bit TSCP (Sherwin Bitboard Version). Maybe it could win WBEC 5th div

A few months ago I made a construction of 64 bits of Olithink (not pgo), was 30% faster than the original, possibly with your construction Jim is a bit faster.

I'll see if I can squeeze a bit more nps out

How do you do train engines? Once builded your installed in the Arena or another GUI?

Ten 5-minute games in Arena then run some epd testsuites on it for an hour or so.

Jim.

[ChessZone.org]

Did someone had success to beat it? I can't make even a draw (~5 games), my ELO is ~2250

[Eelco de Groot]

Did someone had success to beat it? I can't make even a draw (~5 games), my ELO is ~2250

Slowchess is a strong engine, it always did well in the analysis positions from Michael Gurevich in the CSS forum, but you do not often see it as a participant in the computer tournaments that people play. And, this version is said to be considerably stronger than the previous 2.82. I'm curious which is the best version at longer time controls than Blitz, is the Blitz version stronger overall, at long timecontrols too?

Eelco

[David Dahlem]

Did someone had success to beat it? I can't make even a draw (~5 games), my ELO is ~2250

Slowchess is a strong engine, it always did well in the analysis positions from Michael Gurevich in the CSS forum, but you do not often see it as a participant in the computer tournaments that people play. And, this version is said to be considerably stronger than the previous 2.82. I'm curious which is the best version at longer time controls than Blitz, is the Blitz version stronger overall, at long timecontrols too?

Eelco

I can't read German, are the analysis positions from Michael Gurevich available for download? Can anyone provide a link?

Thanks
Dave