New open source engine called "Pawny"

[Mincho Georgiev]

After short considering i decide to post my answer, sent by email to Dan Corbit. Regarding the above example, i don't think that is much indicative, but anyway.

It is clear that TSCP was at least studied in the generation of your chess engine

On Fri, Sep 4, 2009 at 7:46 AM, Dann Corbit <DCorbit@connx.com> wrote:

I think your release notes should credit inspiration from TSCP.

Mr. Corbit,

Initially I didn’t knew how to respond due to the fact that I didn’t realize immediately
if your remark is expressing disapproval, or the case is the opposite,
because personally for me, the comparison between my code and TSCP’s is a compliment.
However, I’ll treat it as disapproval and I’ll continue.
In case you didn’t read the entire “readme.txt”, please, do that.
Actually, Tom is the only one, personally mentioned at “credits”.
That doesn’t mean though that Pawny was “inspired” from TSCP, nor from any
other particular program.
In case you did read the “readme.txt” and made your remark after all,
I feel responsible to answer and explain a couple of things.
Some time ago, Tom Kerrigan kindly respond and send me the code for the old versions of TSCP.
As reason for my request to him back then I’ve pointed my personal need
of more simplified version than 1.81 since I wanted to try different board representations,
combined with his code and all that for educational purposes. However, after certain period of reading his code,
I decided not to use it, but to start writing the engine, that
I was already had plans for without experimenting with his code.
Regardless of my decision, Tom’s code help me a lot mainly to understand some basic sequence of objectives to follow.
I don’t deny at all, that there are certain ideas (not code) from TSCP that I am using.
For example, the pawn structure representatives for evaluation, but probably 60%
of the programs without pawn hashing are using the same method as well! There are
far more educated and better programmers that me, who can point the originator
of that method.
I think that almost anything else comes down to programming (coding) style and I don’t
see anything wrong (I’m even flattered) , if you see something in common between
mine and Tom’s style, in spite of mine is not even as half as good.
In these thoughts, I would like to continue and to point some other possible similarities
with other programs. And such exists, I believe. That doesn’t mean that Pawny was
inspired by any of these programs either.
For example, the constants I’m using for piece values. Glaurung and probably Diablo are
using the exact same names (P_VALUE, K_VALUE, e.t.c.). Apparently, the data type
names, ending with “_t” as well. Diablo checks for input on every 0x1FFF nodes.
Pawny - same node count. I was using ideas from Bruce Moreland’s site, as I’m sure,
many other programmers.
Is it possible however, to have some personal ideas in my code, useful for others
and I will be glad if someone use them.
Pawny was entirely written from scratch and there was no copy->paste from any other
program’s code except the bioskey procedure from Olithink and Beowulf.
In conclusion, I would like to say two things:
First – I sincerely regret that I had to write this letter,
but maybe this is nothing uncommon among the chess programming community.
I’m just not that experienced to know.
Second – maybe there will be some people, for whom Pawny is just the next “bloataware of code”,
or asking “Why another”, especially if it’s not strong or competitive enough.
I just could say the following:
Is there less chess players around the world than chess programs?
Or, would it be a bad idea for a small kid to start studying chess just because
there are already too many chess players ?
I don’t think so !


Best Regards!
Mincho Georgiev.

[Matthias Gemuh]

After short considering i decide to post my answer, sent by email to Dan Corbit. Regarding the above example, i don't think that is much indicative, but anyway.

...

Best Regards!
Mincho Georgiev.

O K ! Your engine is not a clone.

waiting for next version,
Matthias.

[Dann Corbit]

You do not include the readme with the source code.
That is why I expressed surprise.
That was my only objection.

I do not say that your program is a TSCP clone, only that it has clear inspiration from TSCP. And for that reason it is good to offer a note in the heritage of the program. Clearly you have done that.

My only suggestion is to include the readme file also in the source code.

[Mincho Georgiev]

Ok, I will do that, i just did not include the readme so far in the src package, because
i thought, that regarding the information that it contains it is more relevant to be located in the executable ones. I appreciate your suggestion and i intent to comply with it. Thanks!

[Dr.Wael Deeb]

Ok, I will do that, i just did not include the readme so far in the src package, because
i thought, that regarding the information that it contains it is more relevant to be located in the executable ones. I appreciate your suggestion and i intent to comply with it. Thanks!

Blagodarja i za teb Mincho i kasmet za sledvachtata versija....Ti naistina me zaradva za puskane na parvija balgarski shahmaten engine
Dr.D

[Graham Banks]

Mincho - I apologise that you didn't get a warmer welcome here.
Thanks for your engine. I hope that you don't get discouraged.

Cheers,
Graham.

[Mincho Georgiev]

Mincho - I apologise that you didn't get a warmer welcome here. Sad
Thanks for your engine. I hope that you don't get discouraged.

Thank you.I won't. I think everybody has right to express personal opinion and i should be prepare for all type of it.
Yesterday i found out from Olivier Deville that Pawny is the first engine from Bulgaria, i'm really glad for that. Well not yet stronger than Veselin Topalov, but maybe like Vesko Topalov on age 8.

Blagodarja i za teb Mincho i kasmet za sledvachtata versija....Ti naistina me zaradva za puskane na parvija balgarski shahmaten engine Very Happy
Dr.D

Naistina blagodaria. Az dori ne osuznah tozi fact do v4era i se nadiavam, skoro da ima drugi ot BG. Pozdravi !

[gerold]

Mincho - I apologise that you didn't get a warmer welcome here. Sad
Thanks for your engine. I hope that you don't get discouraged.

Thank you.I won't. I think everybody has right to express personal opinion and i should be prepare for all type of it.
Yesterday i found out from Olivier Deville that Pawny is the first engine from Bulgaria, i'm really glad for that. Well not yet stronger than Veselin Topalov, but maybe like Vesko Topalov on age 8.

Blagodarja i za teb Mincho i kasmet za sledvachtata versija....Ti naistina me zaradva za puskane na parvija balgarski shahmaten engine Very Happy
Dr.D

Naistina blagodaria. Az dori ne osuznah tozi fact do v4era i se nadiavam, skoro da ima drugi ot BG. Pozdravi !

Will Pawny be playing in chess war?
It does play well vs.the stonewall.
It is interesting engine.

Best,

Gerold.

[Olivier Deville]

Mincho - I apologise that you didn't get a warmer welcome here. Sad
Thanks for your engine. I hope that you don't get discouraged.

Thank you.I won't. I think everybody has right to express personal opinion and i should be prepare for all type of it.
Yesterday i found out from Olivier Deville that Pawny is the first engine from Bulgaria, i'm really glad for that. Well not yet stronger than Veselin Topalov, but maybe like Vesko Topalov on age 8.

Blagodarja i za teb Mincho i kasmet za sledvachtata versija....Ti naistina me zaradva za puskane na parvija balgarski shahmaten engine Very Happy
Dr.D

Naistina blagodaria. Az dori ne osuznah tozi fact do v4era i se nadiavam, skoro da ima drugi ot BG. Pozdravi !

Will Pawny be playing in chess war?
It does play well vs.the stonewall.
It is interesting engine.

Best,

Gerold.

Hi Gerold

Yes indeed Pawny will start its life here in the next Promo tournament that should start in 2 months or so

Olivier

[gerold]

Mincho - I apologise that you didn't get a warmer welcome here. Sad
Thanks for your engine. I hope that you don't get discouraged.

Thank you.I won't. I think everybody has right to express personal opinion and i should be prepare for all type of it.
Yesterday i found out from Olivier Deville that Pawny is the first engine from Bulgaria, i'm really glad for that. Well not yet stronger than Veselin Topalov, but maybe like Vesko Topalov on age 8.

Blagodarja i za teb Mincho i kasmet za sledvachtata versija....Ti naistina me zaradva za puskane na parvija balgarski shahmaten engine Very Happy
Dr.D

Naistina blagodaria. Az dori ne osuznah tozi fact do v4era i se nadiavam, skoro da ima drugi ot BG. Pozdravi !

Will Pawny be playing in chess war?
It does play well vs.the stonewall.
It is interesting engine.

Best,

Gerold.

Hi Gerold

Yes indeed Pawny will start its life here in the next Promo tournament that should start in 2 months or so

Olivier

Thanks Olivier.
Thanks for your interesting tournaments.

Best,

Gerold.