Minic version 3

[xr_a_y]

It is running perfectly here in Cutechess GUI.

In UCI parameters I simply put the net name without a path. The engine looks for it in the same folder by default, so no need for the full path, that is right is it not ?


The bit from engines.json is:


"default" : "",
"name" : "NNUEFile",
"type" : "text",
"value" : "nocturnal_nadir.bin"

"The engine looks for it in the same folder by default" this is not totally true I think. It is searching in "working directory" that may be a parameter in some GUI. For cutechess gui, this working directory is automatically set to the executable dir when you add an engine.

[pohl4711]

It is running perfectly here in Cutechess GUI.

In UCI parameters I simply put the net name without a path. The engine looks for it in the same folder by default, so no need for the full path, that is right is it not ?


The bit from engines.json is:


"default" : "",
"name" : "NNUEFile",
"type" : "text",
"value" : "nocturnal_nadir.bin"

OK, that is an idea. I do a final try: No path, only netname and net renamed to net.bin (option.NNUEFile=net.bin). If that is not working, I am out.

[xr_a_y]

That is worrying. I'll investigate that.

In the meantime you can try to use Minic CLI parameter (instead of UCI option) in cutechess-cli like this probably

Code: Select all

cmd=C:/path/to/MinicDir/minic.exe dir=C:/path/to/MinicDir/ arg=-uci arg=-NNUEFile arg=\"C:/path/to/NNUEFile/net.bin\""

I don't know if the "\".....\"" are important or not here depending on the special character in your path and your underlying bash.

No, thanks. The "special character in your path and your underlying bash" was not my idea. This is the name of the net, when I am downloading it from your github. Why did you choose such a filename, if it is not working? By the way, I heavenly doubt, that the name is the problem here.

I am testing Igel 3.0.5 now. I do testruns of AB-engines, NN-engines and Stockfish NNUE-nets. And I am working on my Anti-Draw openings. All on my own. I do not have time to be a Beta-tester for Minic, sorry.

If you fix the problem, I will try again a testrun.

Igel and Stockfish (en Seer, and others) are using "embedded net", that's why I told before that I will probably do the same to avoid this kind of discussion.

[Modern Times]

"The engine looks for it in the same folder by default" this is not totally true I think. It is searching in "working directory" that may be a parameter in some GUI. For cutechess gui, this working directory is automatically set to the executable dir when you add an engine.

Ah, yes indeed !

[xr_a_y]

It is running perfectly here in Cutechess GUI.

In UCI parameters I simply put the net name without a path. The engine looks for it in the same folder by default, so no need for the full path, that is right is it not ?


The bit from engines.json is:


"default" : "",
"name" : "NNUEFile",
"type" : "text",
"value" : "nocturnal_nadir.bin"

OK, that is an idea. I do a final try: No path, only netname and net renamed to net.bin (option.NNUEFile=net.bin). If that is not working, I am out.

No need to rename the net. In my example "net.bin" was just a placeholder.

[Gabor Szots]

"The engine looks for it in the same folder by default" this is not totally true I think. It is searching in "working directory" that may be a parameter in some GUI. For cutechess gui, this working directory is automatically set to the executable dir when you add an engine.

Ah, yes indeed !

I always insert the full path. Can't go wrong that way.

[pohl4711]

Got it!

This works on my testrun PC:
cutechess-cli.exe -engine name="Minic 3.06 noct_nadir" cmd="C:/Cutechess/Engines/AB_testruns/Minic_3.06/minic_3.06_mingw_x64_nehalem.exe" dir="C:/Cutechess/Engines/AB_testruns/Minic_3.06" option.NNUEFile=C:/Cutechess/Engines/AB_testruns/Minic_3.06/net.bin option.Hash=256 option.Threads=1 proto=uci

I started cutechess-cli in debug-mode and it showed, that Minic loaded the net. And the nps was much lower than running Minic without net and using HCE (this is, what I expect, nnue evaluation slows engines nps down).

For all other users of cutechess-cli:

The Path in the option.NNUEFile must not be written in "".
means: option.NNUEFile="C:/Cutechess/Engines/AB_testruns/Minic_3.06/net.bin" is WRONG!!!
That works in all other engines, I tested so far, but not in Minic 3.06

The Path must be written with "/" not with "\". Same here: "\" works in all other engines, I tested so far, but not in Minic 3.06.

[xr_a_y]

Got it!

This works on my testrun PC:
cutechess-cli.exe -engine name="Minic 3.06 noct_nadir" cmd="C:/Cutechess/Engines/AB_testruns/Minic_3.06/minic_3.06_mingw_x64_nehalem.exe" dir="C:/Cutechess/Engines/AB_testruns/Minic_3.06" option.NNUEFile=C:/Cutechess/Engines/AB_testruns/Minic_3.06/net.bin option.Hash=256 option.Threads=1 proto=uci

I started cutechess-cli in debug-mode and it showed, that Minic loaded the net. And the nps was much lower than running Minic without net and using HCE (this is, what I expect, nnue evaluation slows engines nps down).

For all other users of cutechess-cli:

The Path in the option.NNUEFile must not be written in "".
means: option.NNUEFile="C:/Cutechess/Engines/AB_testruns/Minic_3.06/net.bin" is WRONG!!!
That works in all other engines, I tested so far, but not in Minic 3.06

The Path must be written with "/" not with "\". Same here: "\" works in all other engines, I tested so far, but not in Minic 3.06.

Thanks for the analysis and feedback.

[xr_a_y]

Here are some 10s+0.1 TC results:

Code: Select all

Rank Name                          Elo     +/-   Games   Score    Draw 
   0 minic_3.06_nocturnal_nadir      9       4   15817   51.3%   34.7% 
   1 komodo-10                     207      17    1438   76.7%   28.0% 
   2 stockfish.7                   206      16    1438   76.6%   32.2% 
   3 Defenchess_2.2                 77      15    1438   61.0%   34.3% 
   4 Halogen                        42      14    1438   56.0%   38.7% 
   5 seer                          -24      14    1438   46.6%   36.7% 
   6 minic_3.04_noisy_notch        -30      13    1438   45.8%   46.7% 
   7 Koivisto                      -36      14    1438   44.9%   37.0% 
   8 weiss                         -55      14    1437   42.1%   37.5% 
   9 Vajolet2_2.8                  -88      15    1438   37.6%   34.2% 
  10 minic_3.06                   -126      15    1438   32.6%   36.6% 
  11 rodentIV                     -289      20    1438   15.9%   19.4% 

Unversionned engines corresponding to their current commited development status.

[Modern Times]

So that is +39 Elo in that test ? I'm getting more than +100 Elo at chess960 so far, let's see if that holds.