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The forthcoming Houdini 1.5 release will contain Gaviota endgame tablebase support. The Gaviota probing code works very well and is very easy to integrate - kudos to Miguel Ballicora for this excellent product.

During the development I have also integrated and tested the Nalimov EGTB probing. Although in my opinion the Gaviota probing code is more flexible (as it allows for soft probes), I am considering including also the Nalimov probing code for users that already have the Nalimov EGTB installed.

I have tried to contact Mr. Nalimov at his e-mail address at Microsoft, but unfortunately my mails were immediately bounced by the Microsoft mail server.
Can someone provide any assistance in contacting Eugene Nalimov? An e-mail address or phone number would be welcome, PM me if you cannot make the information public.

Thanks for your help,
Robert

Hello Mr Houdart

No need to waste your time on Mr Nalimov, it is very unlikely he will reply

to your posts. You will have to go through Fire and Water if you want an

answer from him...

However, may I suggest these websites:


http://ippolit.wikispaces.com/TripleBases+Download

http://ippolit.wikispaces.com/TotalBases+Download

PS: no need to ask for any permission.

Best Wishes and keep up the good work.

Houdini wrote:The forthcoming Houdini 1.5 release will contain Gaviota endgame tablebase support. The Gaviota probing code works very well and is very easy to integrate - kudos to Miguel Ballicora for this excellent product.

...

Thanks for your help,
Robert

IMHO, stay with Gaviota EGTB/Bitbases alone. They are the best.

Matthias.

Damir wrote:No need to waste your time on Mr Nalimov, it is very unlikely he will reply to your posts. You will have to go through Fire and Water if you want an answer from him...

A phone call can settle this in 5 minutes, one just needs the right phone number...

Matthias Gemuh wrote: IMHO, stay with Gaviota EGTB/Bitbases alone. They are the best.

It would just be a convenience for the users who already have the Nalimov EGTB on their hard disk.
The Nalimov probing is fully operational in my development version, but without permission I cannot compile it in the official release.

Houdini wrote:

Damir wrote:No need to waste your time on Mr Nalimov, it is very unlikely he will reply to your posts. You will have to go through Fire and Water if you want an answer from him...

A phone call can settle this in 5 minutes, one just needs the right phone number...

It is not that simple or easy as it seems.. If I remember it correctly, it took Raimund Heid ( author of Protector ) couple of months before Nalimov gave the permission to use his code... He was thinking of giving up. If you don't believe me, you can ask him. Nalimov enjoy in pure pleasure and delight to see people on their knees begging.. I doubt it's what you have in mind. No need to give greedy, selfish Nalimov capitalist such an enjoyment, when you can do it without. What kind of a person would ask for restrictions for using his code? Either the code is free for all to use it, or it's not. It is simple as that...

Houdini wrote: It would just be a convenience for the users who already have the Nalimov EGTB on their hard disk.

Yes , you are right !

They are a lot of dissipations : Nalimov TBs , Scorpio BBs , Shredderbases , Fritzbases , old RobboTotal&TripleBases , new RbboTotal&TripleBases , Gaviota , Silvian galactic tbs ( ).........
Nalimov is a matter of pedigree ( Rybka , Fritz , Shredder ,Hiarcs , Junior , Naum............even the Lion of Mr.Gemuh has access to Nalimov TBs ) !
So Robert , please Nalimov !
If you want also something revolutionary use please the new RobboTripleBase . They use both RAM memory and the cache memory . Works very well. Tested !

Regards ,
Silvian

Any chances of getting Houdini compiled for the Mac?. I suppose no, but I liked to know if it's in the plans.

I didn't have any problem to get permission from Eugene to use his tablebase code in my engine. However it is already 10 years ago I got the permission. Maybe it is just a matter of getting the right email address.

By the way, you also need permission from Andrew Kadatch to use the Huffman decoder that comes with the tablebase code.

J.

Robert,

Personally I'd be happy if you'd stick with Gaviota.

No need (in my eyes) to have both. These days most people can download or generate the Gaviota bases quite fast.



Hopefully Houdini 1.5 will be ready before TCEC Division 1 starts.