Arasan 15.1

[jdart]

Arasan 15.1 is available from http://www.arasanchess.org. This is the same version that played in the recent ACCA online tournament.

Changes in Arasan 15.1:
1) Correctly parse Winboard "level" command that includes a fractional
part in the time increment.
2) Fix bug in result learning code: incorrect learn value when drawing
a high-rated opponent as Black.
3) Fixes to eval for potential passed pawns. Small increase in castling
scores.
4) Changes to "trade down" material scoring.
5) Remove a redundant check for moving a pinned piece when searching
checks in q-search.
6) Fix UCI multipv output when there are fewer legal moves than the
specified multipv count.
7) Change max hash table size for GUI.

In my own testing this version is measurably stronger than 15.0, but not by a lot.

--Jon

[Werner]

Thanks Jon,

good luck!

Werner

[Graham Banks]

Arasan 15.1 is available from http://www.arasanchess.org. This is the same version that played in the recent ACCA online tournament.

Thanks Jon.

[Tom Likens]

Changes in Arasan 15.1:

1) Correctly parse Winboard "level" command that includes a fractional
part in the time increment.

Jon,

I'm not sure if you use cutechess-cli, but in the latest source, Ilari has modified cutechess
to send a level command with a fractional time increment. I've been using it for a while now
and it works really well. You have to compile the source to use it but that won't be an
impediment for you.

regards,
--tom

[jdart]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

I did build it from source but that was about a year ago, so if this change is more recent, I don't have it.

--Jon

[Tom Likens]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

I did build it from source but that was about a year ago, so if this change is more recent, I don't have it.

--Jon

BTW, I have been very impressed by your progress with Arasan over the last couple of years. It's gotten very strong.

regards,
--tom

[Sylwy]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

I did build it from source but that was about a year ago, so if this change is more recent, I don't have it.

--Jon

BTW, I have been very impressed by your progress with Arasan over the last couple of years. It's gotten very strong.

regards,
--tom

Right !

For the first time Arasan (15.0) won versus Cheng3 1.07 in a blitz (4'+2") match !!! I'll post the results here in the evening. An impressive play !
A complete engine. Its evolution , from many years, seems a bit similar to that of Crafty.

SilvianR

[geots]

Arasan 15.1 is available from http://www.arasanchess.org. This is the same version that played in the recent ACCA online tournament.

Changes in Arasan 15.1:
1) Correctly parse Winboard "level" command that includes a fractional
part in the time increment.
2) Fix bug in result learning code: incorrect learn value when drawing
a high-rated opponent as Black.
3) Fixes to eval for potential passed pawns. Small increase in castling
scores.
4) Changes to "trade down" material scoring.
5) Remove a redundant check for moving a pinned piece when searching
checks in q-search.
6) Fix UCI multipv output when there are fewer legal moves than the
specified multipv count.
7) Change max hash table size for GUI.

In my own testing this version is measurably stronger than 15.0, but not by a lot.

--Jon

Jon, I meant to ask you this a few times earlier, but always got busy and forgot or something. Generally when you can download the installer, that is the only choice a person has. You offer it either way- installer or "book and engine only". I don't understand why the choice. If I go with "book and engine only", what am I not getting that I get with the installer? And whatever it is, is there a reason it could not just be put in the rar with the book and engine? Is there a reason one option would be better for me than the other?



Thanks,

george

[Tom Likens]

A complete engine. Its evolution , from many years, seems a bit similar to that of Crafty.

I think what's most impressive to me, for both Crafty and Arasan, is that neither Jon nor
Bob have totally burned out after all these years. To stay active and to continually make
progress is a difficult thing to accomplish. There are a large number of programmers
who have simply lost interest and faded away. I still miss Bruce Moreland's posts. They
were *always* witty, insightful and unique.

regards,
--tom

[Sylwy]

There are a large number of programmers
who have simply lost interest and faded away.

regards,
--tom

Agreed !

They are a lot of interesting chess engines whose evolution was stopped years ago !
Missing for example a new The King ! Or a new Genius !
What can we do ?

Regards,
SilvianR