New engine releases 2020

[matejst]

Hi matejst,

Do you know Any news about Xiphos? It has been 9 months since Milos released a new version. Have you tried and talk to him ?

Damir,

I have no news about Xiphos. I am sorry I cannot help you. And I have not tried to contact Milos -- I feel it would have been a bit rude from my part. I hope that Milos and his family are well and that he will soon publish a more mature version of his engine.

[voffka]

Igel 2.7.0 at https://github.com/vshcherbyna/igel/releases/tag/2.7.0 (binaries for Windows).

This release brings major improvements in strength based on the use of NNUE evaluation function as explained in http://talkchess.com/forum3/viewtopic.p ... 42#p856742

What's new:

- Switch to NNUE as a main evaluation function
- Use Dietrich Kappe's Night Nurse NNUE net as a default net for Igel 2.7.0 release

[Wolfgang]

Hi matejst,

Do you know Any news about Xiphos? It has been 9 months since Milos released a new version. Have you tried and talk to him ?

Damir,

I have no news about Xiphos. I am sorry I cannot help you. And I have not tried to contact Milos -- I feel it would have been a bit rude from my part. I hope that Milos and his family are well and that he will soon publish a more mature version of his engine.

I asked Milos some weeks ago by PM. He told me that Xiphos development is currently on hold and that there will be no new version in the next months

[Gabor Szots]

Igel 2.7.0 at https://github.com/vshcherbyna/igel/releases/tag/2.7.0 (binaries for Windows).

This release brings major improvements in strength based on the use of NNUE evaluation function as explained in http://talkchess.com/forum3/viewtopic.p ... 42#p856742

What's new:

- Switch to NNUE as a main evaluation function
- Use Dietrich Kappe's Night Nurse NNUE net as a default net for Igel 2.7.0 release

Hi Volodymyr,

The exe size shows that the NNUE is incorporated in it. But then why is there a separate download for the NNUE and why is there a parameter for selecting it?

[Werner]

Igel 2.7.0 is using this network:
Using built-in EvalFile C:\Users\pcname\AppData\Local\Temp\Igel_2_7_0.nnue:
I have downloaded ninu-0.2.bin - this is a different net.

[voffka]

Hello Gabor,

The exe size shows that the NNUE is incorporated in it. But then why is there a separate download for the NNUE and why is there a parameter for selecting it?

Correct, the NNUE network is incorporated into Igel's executable file. I supplied also the network separate so that people who compile Igel for other OS (Linux, macOS, Pi) can actually use the network file and have the same engine as official Igel 2.7.0. This is for advanced users only.

[voffka]

Hello Werner,

Igel 2.7.0 is using this network:
Using built-in EvalFile C:\Users\pcname\AppData\Local\Temp\Igel_2_7_0.nnue:
I have downloaded ninu-0.2.bin - this is a different net.

There multiple versions of ninu network, we tested with Dietrich the revision 5 of the network as it was best suited for Igel's strength and we adjusted the scaling of Igel to match this network. After revision 5 Dietrich had some stronger version of the network, but we could not confirm it was stronger for Igel.

As I would like release a complete combo of "engine + compatible net" I released the strongest version of network from Igel's perspective.

[Gabor Szots]

Hello Gabor,

The exe size shows that the NNUE is incorporated in it. But then why is there a separate download for the NNUE and why is there a parameter for selecting it?

Correct, the NNUE network is incorporated into Igel's executable file. I supplied also the network separate so that people who compile Igel for other OS (Linux, macOS, Pi) can actually use the network file and have the same engine as official Igel 2.7.0. This is for advanced users only.

I guess the EvalFile setting takes precedence over the built-in one.

[voffka]

Hello Gabor,

I guess the EvalFile setting takes precedence over the built-in one.

Correct, if EvalFile is set, a different NNUE net is loaded, so the built-in one is disabled.

[Gabor Szots]

Hello Gabor,

I guess the EvalFile setting takes precedence over the built-in one.

Correct, if EvalFile is set, a different NNUE net is loaded, so the built-in one is disabled.

The Shredder 13 GUI does not like the EvalFile field empty. The engine won't load.