A Blast from the Past: »neutral« books for variety

[Mike S.]

The opening books under the following link each, were based on specific, carefully compiled (small) databases with the design goals:

- more variety: the frequency of e.g. Sicilian or Ruy Lopez is reduced
- only top quality games

http://members.aon.at/computerschach/li ... #downloads

In Fritz, please set book option "normal". Fritz users can easily apply them as a "short book" simply by limiting the book depth in the options. My impression is, that under current circumstances with the very strong engines we have, six full moves is a recommendable value. This is of course debatable and also a matter of taste.

For the Arena book (.abk), I hope to have improved the book settings since then and I recommend:



Note, these are not performance books to boost engine elo, but inteded for testing. They have been used by CCRL for a while. I have completed this work about ten years ago, so any novelties discovered since then are not included. It is old stuff, but I thought, maybe it is still useful for some.

We have a saying, "dont look into the mouth of a gift horse" but the Trojans might disagree

[Mike S.]

In 2008, I created an experimental version of the Balanced-16.ctg to avoid the Sicilian at all cost, but still to play 1.e4 with white. This was a tricky task which caused me some headache. It was intended for the Playchess engine room fighters, who were sick from these ultra-tuned Najdorf lines in that time. I have no idea how the shituation is now.

http://rybkaforum.net/cgi-bin/rybkaforu ... ?tid=30946

It may avoid the Sici like, 97% but not 100%. To be used at your own risk.