Arasan 18.0

Sean Evans · Post by **Sean Evans** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 1:11 pm

There are quite a few GUI's available for UCI engines to play under Android. In other words, I do not think it would be that difficult to create the script to allow any UCI engine to become Android compatible. I notice K9 does not come with an Android GUI, they just recommend a bunch of Android GUI's that support UCI. I think the ChessBase Online GUI that comes with StockFish and DeepFritz 14 looks interesting:

Recommended chess Komodo 9 Android GUIs include:

• Chess for Android (free, https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pl ... roid.chess )
• Chess PGN Master (commercial, trial available, https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pl ... .pgnviewer )
• ChessBase Online (commercial, https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pl ... id.chessdb )
• Analyze This (commercial, https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pl ... lysis.paid )
• Scid on the Go (free, https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pl ... id.android )
• DroidFish Chess (free, https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pl ... .droidfish )
• Hawk Chess (commercial, trial available, https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pl ... chess.paid )
• Chess (free, supports Chess960, http://www.google.com/url?q=https://pla ... roid.chess )

Cordially,

Sean

jdart · Post by **jdart** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 4:33 pm

Arasan has a variable-strength feature. So you can vary the setting to suit your playing strength.

I am not really interested in mobile app development, but maybe someday.

Arasan is very, very popular. I am talking 1000s of downloads per month. So I think there is still a substantial user base on MacOs/Windows/Linux.

--Jon

Sean Evans · Post by **Sean Evans** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 5:49 pm

jdart wrote:Arasan has a variable-strength feature. So you can vary the setting to suit your playing strength.

I am not really interested in mobile app development, but maybe someday.

Arasan is very, very popular. I am talking 1000s of downloads per month. So I think there is still a substantial user base on MacOs/Windows/Linux.

--Jon

Okay Jon, I guess I am being selfish, I was hoping to add Arasan to my ChessBase Online (commercial, https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pl ... id.chessdb ) . I figured if this GUI can handle UCI engines it might not be that difficult for a programmer to modify their engine to be Android compliant.

Good luck with your program

Sean

jdart · Post by **jdart** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 6:01 pm

It is MIT-licensed. Anybody can fork it, build it, and distribute it, as open or closed source, for any platform they want. It doesn't have to be me.

Jim Ablett released an Android build of 17.5, available here: http://jimablett.net63.net/compiles.html. But I don't support it.

--Jon

Jim Ablett · Post by **Jim Ablett** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:06 pm

jdart wrote:It is MIT-licensed. Anybody can fork it, build it, and distribute it, as open or closed source, for any platform they want. It doesn't have to be me.

Jim Ablett released an Android build of 17.5, available here: http://jimablett.net63.net/compiles.html. But I don't support it.

--Jon

http://jimablett.net63.net/compiles.html

You'll find latest build here. Thanks for the new version Jon.

Sean Evans · Post by **Sean Evans** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:08 pm

Jim Ablett wrote:
jdart wrote:It is MIT-licensed. Anybody can fork it, build it, and distribute it, as open or closed source, for any platform they want. It doesn't have to be me.

Jim Ablett released an Android build of 17.5, available here: http://jimablett.net63.net/compiles.html. But I don't support it.

--Jon

http://jimablett.net63.net/compiles.html

You'll find latest build here. Thanks for the new version Jon.

Wow, thanks lots of programs

supersharp77 · Post by **supersharp77** » Sat Aug 01, 2015 12:05 am

Thank You Jon Dart!!

----------------------------------------------------------------
Sean Evans

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 9:07 am Post subject: Re: Arasan 18.0

John, why did you originally write Arasan and why do you keep updating the program?

If your answer is so humans can play against it your PC version is a waste of time. No humans can beat Arasan on modern PC hardware anymore. Your best option is to put use the platforms iOS and Android, so people can play it on their mobile tablets and cell phones. These are the devices humans play chess programs on, not Windows for PC's.

Thanks,

Sean
------------------------------------------------------------
Arasan is one of the seminal chess engines (right up with crafty) been around a long time...one of the first chess engines I ever downloaded and used in a chess engine tourney...as a matter of fact I rarely play a chess tourney without some version or versions of Arasan entered....one of the most popular chess engines around (in my opinion) Thx John AR

ps Shout out to Jim Ablett!!

MikeB · Post by **MikeB** » Sat Aug 01, 2015 5:05 pm

Thanks Jon - I have appreciated your chess engines for 20+ years as well.

Will add it to my next gauntlet run.

Mike

jdart wrote:Arasan 18.0 is available from http://www.arasanchess.org.

Changes in Arasan 18.0:
1) Add refutation table, similar to Gull & Rodent. This is global and
refutations are produced in the phase of move generation after killers.
2) Major restructuring to support automated parameter tuning. Internal
scores are now in millipawns (1/1000 pawn).
3) Changes to material balance scoring: in particular, better evaluation
of some "near draw" situations.
4) Detect K vs K+B+wrong color pawns as draw with >1 pawn (on same file).
5) When in UCI analysis mode, output a move even in legal draw situations
(except stalemate).
6) Changes to reduced-strength mode. Instead of randomizing eval, now
at low strength settings the program will select sub-optimal moves
occasionally.
7) Changes to time management when search fails low.
8) Changes to king safety scoring and tuning of related parameters.
9) Change conditions for static null pruning and razoring. Adjust
razor margins.
10) LMR changes: reduce only by full ply increments. Adjust LMR
reduction formula.
11) Replace eval-dependent null depth reduction with a strictly depth-
dependent formula.
12) Fix GUI bug: changing strength setting during a game was not working.

This version is measurably stronger than 17.5 in my testing, but not by a large amount.

--Jon

Henrik Dinesen · Post by **Henrik Dinesen** » Sun Aug 02, 2015 4:05 pm

Sean Evans wrote:
Henrik Dinesen wrote:
Sean Evans wrote:John, why did you originally write Arasan and why do you keep updating the program?

If your answer is so humans can play against it your PC version is a waste of time. No humans can beat Arasan on modern PC hardware anymore. Your best option is to put use the platforms iOS and Android, so people can play it on their mobile tablets and cell phones. These are the devices humans play chess programs on, not Windows for PC's.

Thanks,

Sean
Guess I'm not human then

Henrik
Henrik less than one-percent of the population of chess players would have even a chance at beating Arasan on an Intel iCore 7, so stop fibbing

No on would use Arasan as an analysis engine when K9 and SF are available, it would make a great addition to iOS and Android, that is certainly the future for mid-strength engines

Thanks

Sean

Hi Sean,

I'm not even not-human, also nobody ... For analysis I enjoy many engines. Top-strength isn't _all_ for me when analysing. The various input given by various engines is a big help, especially when looking at the opponents possibilities ... It's rare that they play what the top-engine suggests in mere blured positions.

For my part; my mobile-phone is 4½ year old and works fine ! I can phone people and take a call (if I've remembered the device when away). That's so far all I need. If I get a smart-phone some time, it'll likely be with the focus on chess - not least to have access to my computers when away. But that need is'nt big - I love to be free when away ...

I do play any engine on the computers when in the mood. For me the goal isn't at all about beating them - it's learning, testing my repertoire for holes etc. etc.

So that's likely the not-human nobody approach

TC,
Henrik

Guenther · Post by **Guenther** » Sun Aug 02, 2015 8:13 pm

Henrik Dinesen wrote:
Hi Sean,

I'm not even not-human, also nobody ... For analysis I enjoy many engines. Top-strength isn't _all_ for me when analysing. The various input given by various engines is a big help, especially when looking at the opponents possibilities ... It's rare that they play what the top-engine suggests in mere blured positions.

For my part; my mobile-phone is 4½ year old and works fine ! I can phone people and take a call (if I've remembered the device when away). That's so far all I need. If I get a smart-phone some time, it'll likely be with the focus on chess - not least to have access to my computers when away. But that need is'nt big - I love to be free when away ...

I do play any engine on the computers when in the mood. For me the goal isn't at all about beating them - it's learning, testing my repertoire for holes etc. etc.

So that's likely the not-human nobody approach ;)

TC,
Henrik

Same here Henrik. I am surrounded by computers and laptops the whole day, thus I don't want to be bothered in my sparetime.
Sometimes, mostly in summer, I use a very old mobile and it was just a gift from my girlfriend in case we want to meet from different places
outside. ;)

Guenther