Steven's Symbolic engine's games

[JuLieN]

Maybe some of you haven't heard of Steven Edward's Symbolic chess program. This engine is probably the most original one I know. It is not based on the traditional alpha-beta search algorithm but relies on the contraries on a real artificial intelligence inference engine, based on LISP with a C layer to make the handling of chess easier. This makes it really unique, while all other engines relies on the brute-force approach. It's a very old project (I think Steven started working on it in the beginning of the 90ies?) and probably has the biggest source code of all engines.

There are, as far as I know, not many games available on the Internet. But here are two of them. Symbolic lost both of them, as the "smart" way is still not able to compete with the crude brute-force way, but Symbolic never was ridiculous, and its moves are very good, considering how they were generated. Symbolic, when questioned, is able to answer why it chose to play this particular move, and explain all the chains of reasoning that led it to this choice.

The first game is against The Baron. No engine can be as opposite to Symbolic's philosophy as The Baron is, being an impressive brute-force engine, as all computer chess tournaments connoisseurs know. So Symbolic was crushed tactically.

[pgn][Event "CCT9"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2007.02.17"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "-"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "The Baron (Computer)"]
[Black "Symbolic (Computer)"]
[ECO "D70"]
[WhiteElo "2667"]
[BlackElo "2485"]
[PlyCount "69"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 g6 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nb6 6. Be2 Bg7
7. O-O O-O 8. a4 Bg4 9. a5 N6d7 10. Nc3 Nc6 11. e5 Ndb8
12. Qa4 a6 13. Rd1 b6 14. e6 Nxa5 15. exf7+ Rxf7 16. Qa2 Qe8
17. Ng5 Bxe2 18. Nxe2 Nbc6 19. Bd2 e6 20. Bc3 Re7 21. Nf4 Bf6
22. Nfxe6 Kh8 23. Re1 Qc8 24. Re3 Qg8 25. Rf3 Nxd4 26. Rxf6
Ne2+ 27. Kh1 Nxc3 28. bxc3 h6 29. Ne4 Rae8 30. Qd2 Rh7 31. Qf4
Rxe6 32. Rf8 Re8 33. Rxg8+ Rxg8 34. Rd1 Nc6 35. Qf6+ 1-0[/pgn]

The second game is against Telepath. Despite Symbolic lost it after a long fight, it is really clear that it plays like a human would.

[pgn][Event "2nd ACCA World Computer Rapid Chess Championship"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2008.06.21"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "7"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Symbolic (Computer)"]
[Black "Telepath (Computer)"]
[ECO "B25"]
[WhiteElo "2313"]
[BlackElo "2416"]
[PlyCount "122"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Qc7 5. O-O Nd4 6. Bc4 e6
7. d3 Ng4 8. g3 Nxf3+ 9. Qxf3 Ne5 10. Qe2 Nxc4 11. dxc4 d6
12. Rd1 Bd7 13. Bf4 O-O-O 14. e5 dxe5 15. Bxe5 Qb6 16. Ne4 f6
17. Nxf6 gxf6 18. Bxf6 Rg8 19. Bxd8 Qxd8 20. Qe3 Qe7 21. Rd2
Bc6 22. Rad1 Bg7 23. c3 Re8 24. Rd6 Bf8 25. R6d3 e5 26. b3 e4
27. R3d2 Qf6 28. Qe2 Qxc3 29. Qg4+ Kc7 30. Qf5 e3 31. Qf4+ Kb6
32. fxe3 Qxe3+ 33. Qxe3 Rxe3 34. Kf2 Re7 35. Re1 Rf7+ 36. Ke2
Bf3+ 37. Kd3 Bg4 38. Kc2 Kc6 39. Rg2 Bg7 40. Kc1 Bc3 41. Rh1
h5 42. Rc2 Bd4 43. h3 Bd7 44. g4 hxg4 45. hxg4 Be3+ 46. Kb2
Bxg4 47. Rg2 Bd7 48. a4 Kc7 49. Re1 Bd4+ 50. Ka3 a6 51. Rge2
b5 52. Re7 Rf8 53. a5 Bc3 54. cxb5 axb5 55. Rd1 b4+ 56. Ka2
Bd4 57. Rd2 Ra8 58. Kb1 Kd6 59. Rf7 Be6 60. Rf3 Bd5 61. Rh3
Rxa5 0-1[/pgn]

Any news about Symbolic's progress, Steven ? Some good games you'd like to share with us?

[sje]

Symbolic is in the process of a re-write. I do not expect this to complete for several months, and then there will be more months for testing.

[carldaman]

Is Symbolic private? If so, any plans for a public release?

Regards,
CL

[jdart]

I have a comp chess game archive file on my site (http://www.arasanchess.org, in the Games section) that includes quite a few Symbolic games.

--Jon

[sje]

Is Symbolic private? If so, any plans for a public release?

Yes, it's private although I've have released a lot of code snippets and design commentary.

Someday I may release the source. But the development process is very slow and often interrupted as I am faced with several significant medical challenges. After a couple of cardiac infarcts and a minor stroke, I might not be able complete the version in progress. I mention this only so that no one will be disappointed if the source is never released.

[Dr.Wael Deeb]

Is Symbolic private? If so, any plans for a public release?

Yes, it's private although I've have released a lot of code snippets and design commentary.

Someday I may release the source. But the development process is very slow and often interrupted as I am faced with several significant medical challenges. After a couple of cardiac infarcts and a minor stroke, I might not be able complete the version in progress. I mention this only so that no one will be disappointed if the source is never released.

I hope you the best my friend with your medical condition and your chess engine....
Cheers,
Dr.D

[JuLieN]

I am faced with several significant medical challenges. After a couple of cardiac infarcts and a minor stroke, I might not be able complete the version in progress. I mention this only so that no one will be disappointed if the source is never released.

Very sorry to hear that, Steven! I join Wael to wish you the best!

In the mean time, here are four nice Symbolic victories against Arasan, Buzz and Crafty, out of 158 victories in Jon's archive (Thanks Jon!). Click the three dots ("...") or the arrow, in the top-left corner of the player to access the list of games.

[pgn][Event "ICC 15 0"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2008.04.06"]
[Round "?"]
[White "ArasanX"]
[Black "Symbolic"]
[Result "0-1"]
[BlackElo "2340"]
[ECO "C70"]
[ICCResult "White resigns"]
[NIC "RL.09"]
[Opening "Ruy Lopez: Classical defense deferred"]
[Time "08:10:24"]
[TimeControl "900+0"]
[WhiteElo "2526"]

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 e5 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Bc5 5.c3 Nf6 6.O-O Be7 7.d4 O-O 8.dxe5 Nxe4 9.Re1 Nc5 10.Bc2 d6 11.b4 Ne6 12.Qd3 g6 13.Bh6 Ng7 14.exd6 Bxd6 15.Nbd2 Bf5 16.Ne4 Ne5 17.Nxe5 Bxe5 18.Qe3 c6 19.g3 Re8 20.Rad1 Qc7 21.a3 a5 22.c4 axb4 23.axb4 Bg4 24.f3 Be6 25.Qf2 Red8 26.f4 Rxd1 27.Rxd1 Ba1 28.Kg2 f5 29.Nd6 Ra2 30.Qe2 Qe7 31.Kf1 Bf6 32.c5 Bd5 33.Qxe7 Bxe7 34.Rxd5 cxd5 35.Bb3 Rxh2 36.Bxd5+ Kf8 37.Bxg7+ Kxg7 38.Nxb7 Rb2 39.Ke1 Kf6 40.Kd1 Rxb4 41.c6 Rd4+ 42.Kc2 Bd8 43.Nxd8 Rxd5 44.Nb7 Ke6 45.Kc3 Rd1 46.Kc4 Rc1+ 47.Kd4 h5 48.Na5 Rg1 49.Kc5 Rxg3 50.Kb5 h4 51.c7 0-1

[Event "2nd ACCA World Computer Rapid Chess Championship"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2008.06.21"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Buzz"]
[Black "Symbolic"]
[Result "0-1"]
[BlackElo "2313"]
[ECO "D47"]
[ICCResult "White checkmated"]
[NIC "SL.09"]
[Opening "QGD semi-Slav: Meran, Wade variation"]
[Time "10:21:37"]
[TimeControl "1500+4"]
[WhiteElo "2829"]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 e6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.e4 b4 10.Na4 c5 11.e5 Nd5 12.Nxc5 Nxc5 13.dxc5 Bxc5 14.Qa4+ Kf8 15.O-O h6 16.Bd2 Kg8 17.Qb5 Qb6 18.Rac1 Qxb5 19.Bxb5 Rc8 20.Rfe1 g5 21.Rc4 a6 22.Rec1 Nc3 23.Bd7 Bxf2+ 24.Kxf2 Rxc4 25.bxc3 Bxf3 26.Kxf3 Kg7 27.cxb4 Rd4 28.Rc7 Rxd2 29.Bxe6 Rf8 30.Bb3 Kg6 31.Rc6+ Kf5 32.Rxa6 g4+ 33.Ke3 Rxg2 34.Rxh6 Kxe5 35.b5 f6 36.Kd3 f5 37.b6 f4 38.Rh5+ Kf6 39.Bd5 f3 40.b7 Rb2 41.a4 f2 42.Bg2 Rxb7 43.Rb5 Re7 44.h3 Rd8+ 45.Kc4 Rc7+ 46.Kb4 Rd4+ 47.Ka5 Ra7+ 48.Kb6 Raxa4 49.hxg4 Rxg4 50.Bh3 Rab4 51.Rxb4 Rxb4+ 52.Kc5 Rb1 53.Kd4 Re1 54.Kd3 Kg5 55.Bf1 Rxf1 56.Ke2 Rd1 57.Kxf2 Kf4 58.Ke2 Rd7 59.Kf2 Rd2+ 60.Ke1 Ke3 61.Kf1 Ra2 62.Kg1 Kf3 63.Kh1 Kg3 64.Kg1 Ra1# 0-1

[Event "ICC 50 1"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2006.10.07"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Symbolic"]
[Black "crafty"]
[Result "1-0"]
[BlackElo "2518"]
[ECO "C43"]
[ICCResult "Black resigns"]
[NIC "RG.02"]
[Opening "Petrov: modern attack, Symmetrical variation"]
[Time "11:53:23"]
[TimeControl "3000+1"]
[WhiteElo "2414"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.Bd3 d5 5.Nxe5 Nd7 6.Nxd7 Bxd7 7.O-O Bd6 8.c4 c6 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Qh5 O-O 11.Qxd5 Bc6 12.Qh5 g6 13.Qh3 Ng5 14.Qg4 Ne6 15.Bh6 Re8 16.Nc3 Nxd4 17.Rad1 Be5 18.f4 Bd7 19.Qg3 Bc7 20.Bg5 f6 21.Bh4 g5 22.Kh1 Be6 23.Bb5 Rf8 24.Qe3 gxh4 25.Rxd4 Qc8 26.f5 Bxf5 27.Nd5 Bd8 28.Bc4 Kh8 29.Qh6 Bb6 30.Rxh4 Bc2 31.Nb4 Bf5 32.Qh5 Qc5 33.Qxf5 1-0

[Event "ICC 15 3"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2008.05.01"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Symbolic"]
[Black "crafty"]
[Result "1-0"]
[BlackElo "2540"]
[ECO "D03"]
[ICCResult "Black resigns"]
[NIC "QP.07"]
[Opening "Torre attack (Tartakower variation)"]
[Time "21:25:01"]
[TimeControl "900+3"]
[WhiteElo "2320"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 d5 3.Nf3 Ne4 4.Bf4 Bf5 5.e3 e6 6.Nbd2 c6 7.Nxe4 Bxe4 8.Bd3 Qa5+ 9.c3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Qa6 11.Qxa6 Nxa6 12.O-O f6 13.Rfe1 g5 14.Bg3 Kd7 15.h3 Bd6 16.Bxd6 Kxd6 17.e4 dxe4 18.Rxe4 Nc7 19.Ne1 Kd5 20.f3 Rad8 21.Nd3 Rhe8 22.Nc5 b6 23.Nb7 Rd7 24.c4+ Kxc4 25.d5+ Kd3 26.dxc6 Rd5 27.Rc1 f5 28.Ree1 g4 29.hxg4 fxg4 30.Kf2 g3+ 31.Kxg3 Rb5 32.b3 Kd4 33.Rc4+ Kd5 34.Rd1+ 1-0[/pgn]

[bnemias]

This link could prove useful.

http://www.ficsgames.org/cgi-bin/search ... syear=2009

2009 was the last year for which there is data, but it's a great way to see its games at FICS. In its best game last week, it has a beautiful opening sac against my bot, togarouter.

[edit] oops, there's data in 2011 also, and of course earlier than 2009.

[carldaman]

Is Symbolic private? If so, any plans for a public release?

Yes, it's private although I've have released a lot of code snippets and design commentary.

Someday I may release the source. But the development process is very slow and often interrupted as I am faced with several significant medical challenges. After a couple of cardiac infarcts and a minor stroke, I might not be able complete the version in progress. I mention this only so that no one will be disappointed if the source is never released.

Best of health, Steven. Very sorry to hear about the medical problems.

I'll be downloading the available games.

Best wishes,
Carl