carldaman wrote:
1.-Also, what about the Egbb cache size? Should the default 32MB be used? 2.-What about using a 256MB cache, as that could hold the entire C:\Egbb folder? This isn't clear, even after reading the manual.
Hello Carl !
1.- A CPU cache is a cache used by the central processing unit of a computer to reduce the average time to access memory. The cache is a smaller, faster memory which stores copies of the data from the most frequently used main memory locations. As long as most memory accesses are cached memory locations, the average latency of memory accesses will be closer to the cache latency than to the latency of main memory.
In addition to cache memory, one can think of RAM itself as a cache of memory for hard disk storage since all of RAM's contents come from the hard disk initially when you turn your computer on and load the operating system (you are loading it into RAM) and later as you start new applications and access new data. RAM can also contain a special area called a disk cache that contains the data most recently read in from the hard disk.
A big cache means a big speed of accessing the memory !
I use only 8-16 MB in Fritz and Shredder GUI (these GUIs are my loves for eng vs. eng matches) . In HIARCS Chess Explorer (my no.1 in personal training) 32 MB cache is OK for Nalimov TBs.
2.-My God ! Carl , Scorpio egbbs are loaded into the RAM memory !
How works a tandem Nalimov TBs+Scorpio egbbs:
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On Fritz GUI:
If you load an engine using Nalimov+bitbases (Shredder, Chiron-a super engine,Patzer,Yace, Daydreamer...........) the bitbases (Scorpio , for example-for Chiron , Daydreamer) are loaded at the beginning of the match ( a ~ 30' process , you can load only 3&4 men for a faster use) and are used into search. When the engine returned a big score (+10 for example) then it switches to Nalimov Tbs to see a concrete mate ( in x moves). If not , it works again with the bitbases .
The bitbases remains (under Fritz, Shredder , HCE GUIs) loaded into the RAM memory until the match is canceled.
Houdini is a speed optimized chess engine. The part of code regarding the use in tandem of Scorpio+ Nalimov or Scorpio+Gaviota is missing.
The theory about a big amount of knowledges are stories for babies. Mainly the speed means a big depth and the vision of more tactical possibilities. A low amount of knowledges (practically only the chess rules) and a savage pruning give us a relatively strong engine !
Some years ago I did an experiment : a long match between Deep Ruybka 4 and Gandalf 4.32 UCI. Well, Rybka won the match , but Gandalf 4.32 (a solid engine) was winning some games in a spectacular mode. This is the tribute to a savage pruning.
The savage pruning is well observed ( no obfuscations ) in EXChess 6.50b a very interesting work of Daniel Homan !
Did you hear about the Berliner experiment ?
http://www.rebel.nl/ches2010.htm
Houdini (like Rybka) is only a monster in speed. Stop its increase in speed and any ELO gain will be observable. The rest are stories for customers !
Regards,
SilvianR
