New engine: KnockOut 0.7

[Sven]

If nothing goes wrong while writing, this is my CCC post no. 1000

I use the opportunity to release the first beta version of my new engine "KnockOut". It is a native WinBoard engine, and I hope it is at least slightly stronger than my old engine "Surprise" which will not be maintained any longer, most probably.

There is no website yet for KnockOut. You can download the current version from here. I will announce updates in this forum, usually.

The archive also contains a "readme" where you can read all about features, options, and so on. Interesting for some may be that KnockOut can read the PolyGlot opening book format and can also access Gaviota endgame tablebases. Please refer to the "readme" for details about these features, too.

Testing volunteers are welcome

Sven

[Andres Valverde]

If nothing goes wrong while writing, this is my CCC post no. 1000

I use the opportunity to release the first beta version of my new engine "KnockOut". It is a native WinBoard engine, and I hope it is at least slightly stronger than my old engine "Surprise" which will not be maintained any longer, most probably.

There is no website yet for KnockOut. You can download the current version from here. I will announce updates in this forum, usually.

The archive also contains a "readme" where you can read all about features, options, and so on. Interesting for some may be that KnockOut can read the PolyGlot opening book format and can also access Gaviota endgame tablebases. Please refer to the "readme" for details about these features, too.

Testing volunteers are welcome

Sven

Congrats Sven, and good luck

Got it btw

[metax]

Thanks a lot! I am going to test it against ChessMind 0.82...

[metax]

What material values are you using? It seems to undervalue minor pieces a bit... at least it was happy to sacrifice a minor piece for 2 pawns several times and it also was happy to trade two minor pieces for a rook and a pawn, which is generally a rather bad trade.

[Chan Rasjid]

Hello,

You mean...WHO gets knockout

[Sven]

What material values are you using? It seems to undervalue minor pieces a bit... at least it was happy to sacrifice a minor piece for 2 pawns several times and it also was happy to trade two minor pieces for a rook and a pawn, which is generally a rather bad trade.

Material values are not unusual: 325-500-975.

Did KnockOut lose these games?

Can you send me the PGN, please?

Sven

[swami]

Thanks, Sven. My guess is that it's about 2200.

[metax]

Not as a whole game, but for example:

1'+3''

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.06.04"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]

1. e4 {0s} Nc6 {-0.04/7 0s} 2. d4 {0s} Nf6 {+0.20/6 1s}
3. e5 {0s} Nd5 {+0.02/7 1s} 4. c4 {0s} Ndb4 {+0.01/7 1s}
5. a3 {1s} Na6 {+0.77/8 1s} 6. b4 {0s} d6 {+0.77/7 1s}
7. b5 {0s} Nxd4 {+1.51/7 1s} 8. Qxd4 {4s} Nc5 {+1.63/7 1s} *

Other engines evaluate this as +2-3 for white.


KnockOut seems to be about as strong as ChessMind 0.82, maybe a little stronger. It also seems stronger than Surprise 4.3b.

[Sven]

Not as a whole game, but for example:

1'+3''

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.06.04"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]

1. e4 {0s} Nc6 {-0.04/7 0s} 2. d4 {0s} Nf6 {+0.20/6 1s}
3. e5 {0s} Nd5 {+0.02/7 1s} 4. c4 {0s} Ndb4 {+0.01/7 1s}
5. a3 {1s} Na6 {+0.77/8 1s} 6. b4 {0s} d6 {+0.77/7 1s}
7. b5 {0s} Nxd4 {+1.51/7 1s} 8. Qxd4 {4s} Nc5 {+1.63/7 1s} *

Other engines evaluate this as +2-3 for white.


KnockOut seems to be about as strong as ChessMind 0.82, maybe a little stronger. It also seems stronger than Surprise 4.3b.

Thanks for that game snippet, you are pointing me to a severe problem in the code which I'll have to address asap (probably next week).

It is most probably an evaluation bug that I'll have to hunt.

Sven

[LucenaTheLucid]

I estimate the engine would be much stronger would it not lose so many games on time. I have Winboard log + PGN games if you would like to see.