cutechess-cli: starting from FEN

[Houdini]

You can cut all the overhead and use a file similar to the following:

Code: Select all

[FEN "r2qkb1r/pp1npppp/2p2nb1/3p4/3P4/2NN2P1/PPP1PPBP/R1BQ1RK1 b kq -"]*
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/pp1pppbp/2n2np1/2p5/2PP4/2N2NP1/PP2PPBP/R1BQ1RK1 b - d3"]*
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/pp3ppp/2n1pn2/2pp4/2PP4/P1PBPN2/5PPP/R1BQ1RK1 b - -"]*
...

[hgm]

This works great, but of course I get new XBoard window on my current desktop whenever a new game starts, which is annoying.

I guess this is because you are starting from a script that restarts XBoard for every game.

Why don't you simply use XBoard in match mode, with a loadPositionFile and auto-incrementing index (-lpi -1)? Then you would only have to minimize the XBoard window once, and it would stay iconic for the entire match. (Unless you re-open it by hand, of course.)

[Evert]

I guess this is because you are starting from a script that restarts XBoard for every game.

Indeed.

Why don't you simply use XBoard in match mode, with a loadPositionFile and auto-incrementing index (-lpi -1)? Then you would only have to minimize the XBoard window once, and it would stay iconic for the entire match. (Unless you re-open it by hand, of course.)

Has that feature always been there? As far as I remember it didn't back when I wrote the script originally. I also do some processing in between rounds (where each position is played twice, with alternate colours) but that's not crucial.

I would still get a popup if the match conditions/settings change (the script can run through a number of different testing conditions) and not having to forward X11 over ssh is also a benefit (as is the ability to simply submit the games as a job to the schedular). Still, I'll have a look at this too; cutechess-cli isn't as versatile when it comes to variants.

[hgm]

The auto-incrementing has been around for about 5 years, I guess (ever since Gabor requested it). If you want to do each position twice, use -lpi -2. You can also rewind the index, in case you want more games than you have positions.

XBoard should be able to do processing between games withe the -afterGame command option (e.g. for updating the cross table), when you are setting it up as a tourney, rather than a simple match.

I guess you could automatically change conditions (like TC) by making it a multi-gauntlet, and install the gauntlet engines with TC options on their engine line. But I never really tried that.