Ponder

[chrisw]

What should be the default settings be for a UCI engine. Ponder enabled=1 or 0?

[alvinypeng]

Ponder is usually disabled by default.

[Ras]

Ponder is only initiated by the GUI, never by the engine. The GUI needs to give a "go ponder" command - otherwise, the engine shall not ponder.

Also, the engine sends "option name ponder" to the GUI to announce its capability, and the UCI spec says:
* <id> = Ponder, type check
this means that the engine is able to ponder.
The GUI will send this whenever pondering is possible or not.
Note: The engine should not start pondering on its own if this is enabled, this option is only needed because the engine might change its time management algorithm when pondering is allowed.

[mvanthoor]

What should be the default settings be for a UCI engine. Ponder enabled=1 or 0?

Off. First, as Ras says, the engine should not ponder by its own decision (when running as a UCI engine at least). Also I've never known anyone to use ponder since the time that chess engines are strong enough to defeat any human being while thinking for just 1 second per move. I've also never heard of anyone using it in a match except when playing a one-on-one match on a computer with 2 or more cores.

I might not even add ponder to my engine to be honest. When putting effort into functionality that won't be used for rating tests, I'd rather make a level function or a multi-PV function because i'd at use those myself.

[hgm]

In over-the-board tournaments like the WCCC and the Leiden Pprogrammers tourney, or on-line tournaments such as the monthly blitz or when playing in the Playchess engine room, everyone uses pondering...