Rodin 2.1b released

[Kempelen]

This is a new release. Last one was 1.17.

http://rodin.chess.googlepages.com

Main features from previous version:
- Bugs fix
- New chess knowledge
- Ponder
- Speed code improvements.
- Delete counterproductive code.

My tests show a considerable ELO improvement.
Any feedback would be wellcome.

Best regards,
Fermin

[fern]

Gracias fermin
Fernando

[Graham Banks]

Thanks Fermin.

[tjfroh]

Nice Program Fermin,

I have corrected some mispellings and put some extra words for the benefit of the english speakers here. Altogether you have done the site very well.

Tj


'Rodin' Chess Engine by Fermin Serrano. Madrid, Spain
------------------------------------------------------
Engine version: 2.1b
Release date : 01-Apr-2009
Download URL : http://rodin.chess.googlepages.com/download

Table of Contents:
---------------------------------------
1) Introduction and history.
2) General description.
3) Future plans
4) Running Rodin. System requirements.
5) Known problems
6) License.
7) Credits.
8) Version history


1) INTRODUCTION AND HISTORY
---------------------------------------

I have been a chess enthusiast since I was 5 years old. I am a computer science engineer who likes programming, so a few years ago I decided to write a chess engine. This was around 4 or 5 years ago, and that engine was based on the fantastic TSCP engine. It was a very educational experience. Now I have
been programming Rodin from two years now. I hope this engine could be interesting to you.

Rodin is written in C. I have used CodeBlocks with MinGW, as it is free and very good compiler.

At the moment, Rodin has improved his play from previous versions. It plays a decent and enjoyable game. I estimate it has around 2300/2350 ELO in accordance with WBEC Ridderkerk rating list (based on my own tests).

If you want to stay tuned about the release of new versions of the engine, please contact me by email at clonfsp<at>hotmail.com and let me know.


2) GENERAL DESCRIPTION
---------------------------------------

Rodin has the following features:

- Magic moves bitboard generator. Thanks to Pradu Kannan
- Alpha-Beta search and PVS
- Null Move Pruning
- MVV/LVA move ordering, combined with a (slow) SEE move ordering
- Hash Table
- History and killers heuristics for move ordering.
- Extensions and reductions (need a lot of improvement here)
- Special eval functions for opening, middle-game and endings.
- Evals function takes into account mobility, king security, pawn
formations, piece placement and other minor considerations ....
- Support for winboard protocol and ponder
- Only Windows OS.
- Tested with Winboard.
- Algebraic (Nf3) and coordinate (g1f3) notation support.
- Native EPD Suites support

3) FUTURE PLANS
---------------------------------------

These are the features I would like to develop in the future (roadmap), in no special order:

- Correct bugs
- UCI support for use in Chessbase products.
- Improve Lazy eval
- Futility pruning
- Quality book
- Book learning
- Pawn hash tables
- Draw offers
- Material imbalance tables
- Detection of draws by perpetual check.
- Improve the eval function (chess knowledge).
- Improve optimization and code speed.
- Improve the time management module.
- ICS support
- An many other ideas I have
......


4) RUNNING Rodin. SYSTEM REQUERIMENTS
---------------------------------------

The Rodin "package" cames with the following files:

- Rodin.exe -> This is the engine.
- Rodin.cfg -> Configuration file
- readme.txt -> This file

Rodin is a winboard engine. I have test it with Winboard 4.2.7
At the moment, I have developed Rodin for Windows OS only.

You can download winboard from the Tim Mann web pages
at http://www.tim-mann.org/xboard.html.

To play against the program, under winboard, the command line is:
winboard /cp /fcp Rodin.exe

There is a configuration "cfg" file that cames with Rodin. The
content of the file has comments that explain different features
to configure the engine.


5) KNOWN PROBLEMS
---------------------------------------

There is a segmentation fault about 1 in 500 games. I am trying to locate the problem. I am sure there are a few more problems hidden...Bug reports are always welcome.


6) LICENSE
---------------------------------------

Rodin is provided "as is". No warranty is provided, although I will
do what I can if you have issues running the engine.

You may redistribute unmodified executables freely as long as this
readme file remains with the executables.


7) CREDITS
---------------------------------------

I am very grateful to the following people (among others!):

- My family. They are always there....
- My girlfriend Susana for her love and support.
- Pradu Kannan for his code for Magic Moves Generator.
- Programmers of the CC Forum (http://www.talkchess.com), especially, Robert Hyatt, H.G.Muller, Dann Corbit, William H.Rogers, and many others who give me all kinds of technical questions.
- Tom Kerrigan for his didactic(learning) TCSP engine.
- Bruce Moreland and his excellent guide: http://web.archive.org/web/200707070125 ... /index.htm
- Andres Valverde, Pedro Castro and Sergio Martínez, for his support.
- My chess club colleagues.
- Users of the http://www.cprogramming.com forum.


8) VERSIONS HISTORY
---------------------------------------

*** Apr 2009

2.1b : Third release. Main features:
- Bugs fix
- New chess knowledge
- Ponder
- Speed code improvements.
- Delete counterproductive code.

*** Nov 2008

1.17 : Second release. Main updates:
- Bugs fix.
- New chessknowledge.
- Delta pruning and lazy-eval improve.
- Better opening phase detection routine.

*** Aug 2008

1.14 : This is the first version of the engine. It has no many features but it can play a decent game.

I hope you enjoy using Rodin as much as I enjoy writing it!
Thanks

Fermin Serrano
clonfsp<at>gmail.com or clonfsp<at>hotmail.com
http://rodin.chess.engine.googlepages.com
My blog: http://clonfsp.wordpress.com

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[Hart]

- My girlfriend Susana for her love and support.

This does read a little better than:

- My girlfriend Susana for his love and support.

[Dr.Wael Deeb]

- My girlfriend Susana for her love and support.

This does read a little better than:

- My girlfriend Susana for his love and support.

Thanks for correcting this,strange and rather shamless thoughts had crossed my mind reading this
Dr.D

[Andres Valverde]

Felicitaciones y buena suerte Fermín !

[Kempelen]

Hi Timothy

Thank you very much. I have uploaded new version of the txt to the web

regards,
fs

[tjfroh]

Fermin,

I left in a few hispanisms so that the people would know that you really are a Spanish computer engineer. For instance;

1.14 : This is the first version of the engine. It has no many features but it can play a decent game. The latter sentence should be It doesn't have many features but does play a decent game. The meaning is totally understandable to all english speakers. In Scotland they say "I hae no seen it" for I have not seen it. Scotland was the birthplace of James Watt.

Anyway, you have a great program and a good site. Keep up the good work.

Tim

[Dr.Wael Deeb]

Fermin,

I left in a few hispanisms so that the people would know that you really are a Spanish computer engineer. For instance;

1.14 : This is the first version of the engine. It has no many features but it can play a decent game. The latter sentence should be It doesn't have many features but does play a decent game. The meaning is totally understandable to all english speakers. In Scotland they say "I hae no seen it" for I have not seen it. Scotland was the birthplace of James Watt.

Anyway, you have a great program and a good site. Keep up the good work.

Tim

The first time I witness uncle Timbo involved actively in a free computer chess project without being paid
Intel & Nestle regards,
Dr.D