New ChestUCI Ver.4.3 - Now 4.4

[F.Huber]

Hello mate problem fans,

a new version of the mate solver ChestUCI 4.3 is available!

There are only 2 new features:

1) a new option ?AutoLogfile?: if switched ON, then ChestUCI automatically
writes all solutions to the log-file ?ChestLog.txt?. This might e.g. be
useful, when the chess-GUI (e.g. Arena) is solving a complete EPD-testsuite
of mate problems - in this case you?ll find all solutions in the usual format
(i.e. with times and parameters) of the ChestUCI-database in this log-file.

2) the range (and the meaning) of the special parameter ?ChecksOnly? has been
extended to 0..31 by adding 3 more values (C4/C8/C16).
A short explanation of all possible values from Chest?s point of view:
C1 ... only own check moves
C2 ... no opponent check moves
C4 ... no opponent capture moves \
C8 ... no own capture moves > new!
C16 ... no own check moves /

These values can be used in any combination (except of course C1+C16).
Since these parameters (especially the new C4/C8/C16) are quite hard
restrictions, they will work only for some special mate problems, and
so they have to be tested/entered manually - only C1 is tried automatically
by ChestUCI?s Automatic/AutoTurbo-mode.

But IF one of these C-values works, then it gives impressive results:

5b2/8/1p6/pPp1p1p1/p1PpPpP1/K2P1P2/N2N4/k7 w - - bm #30;
07:51 @ C2/R0/K1/P2/X5; without C4
00:29 @ C6/R0/K1/P2/X5; with additional C4 (factor 16)

4B1Rn/1p1p1rbr/3P2kp/3P3R/1p1p2P1/1P2p3/2P1P3/4K3 w - - bm #35;
00:24 @ C4/R0/K2/P6/X8; with C4 (VERY/TOO long without C4)

8/4PB2/4NPK1/5PP1/2P5/N7/p7/k1b1Q3 w - - bm s#20;
4300 sec. with C0/R0/K2/P1/X1
54 sec. with C12/R0/K2/P1/X1 (factor 80)

The new version of ChestUCI 4.3 can be downloaded at:
http://www.uciengines.de/UCI-Engines/Chest/chest.html

Regards,
Franz.

[Roger Brown]

Hello mate problem fans,

a new version of the mate solver ChestUCI 4.3 is available!

There are only 2 new features:

1) a new option ?AutoLogfile?: if switched ON, then ChestUCI automatically
writes all solutions to the log-file ?ChestLog.txt?. This might e.g. be
useful, when the chess-GUI (e.g. Arena) is solving a complete EPD-testsuite
of mate problems - in this case you?ll find all solutions in the usual format
(i.e. with times and parameters) of the ChestUCI-database in this log-file.

2) the range (and the meaning) of the special parameter ?ChecksOnly? has been
extended to 0..31 by adding 3 more values (C4/C8/C16).
A short explanation of all possible values from Chest?s point of view:
C1 ... only own check moves
C2 ... no opponent check moves
C4 ... no opponent capture moves \
C8 ... no own capture moves > new!
C16 ... no own check moves /


Regards,
Franz.

Hello Franz,

Thanks!

Now if I could just master the features that were already in your wonderful program.

What about a Chest Light for the less intelligent among us?



It is remarkable how you cram so much stuff in such a small package.

Later.

[F.Huber]

Hi Roger,

What about a Chest Light for the less intelligent among us?

is there anybody "less intelligent among us"?

And for Chest Light:
Just use the default settings for every option (except ?SearchDepth? of course), and only use ?Normal? or ?AutoTurbo? mode - then you have such a ?Chest Light?!

Regards,
Franz.

[Norm Pollock]

Hi Franz,

Are there step-by-step (baby steps actually) instructions on how to use chestuci with the fritz9 gui?

cheers,

Norm

[F.Huber]

Hello Norm,

there are absolutely no special steps necessary to use ChestUCI under the Fritz-GUI - just install it like any other UCI engine!
The only point is, that you should open the ?Engine output window? under Fritz to see all the useful informations of ChestUCI during its calculation.

But if you have Arena or ShredderClassic-GUI, then I would suggest using one of them, because they are much more comfortable for ChestUCI: better handling and better output!

And for all those UCI options of ChestUCI you should have a look at the included manual (English.txt) ...

Regards,
Franz.

[Roger Brown]

Hi Franz,

Are there step-by-step (baby steps actually) instructions on how to use chestuci with the fritz9 gui?

cheers,

Norm

Hello Norm,

This is really a shameless hijacking but I really want to ask you if you updated your pgn file? Your last attempt was really high quality.

Incidentally, did you develop any other pgn software?

Later.

[Norm Pollock]

Hi Roger,

NOTE: Sorry for the hijack. This post is not chestuci related.

The only chess software I have to my credit is a utility for pgn files, called "elopgn". It is available on Dann Corbit's site in the Contrib folder. It analyzes the content of pgn files that have been "cleaned" using pgn-extract. In other words, none of the modern commentary in them.

The pgn file you are referring to (normbk03.pgn) was on Peter Skinner's old site but that site is no longer available. I could easily make an update and post it if I can find a host. Anyplace available? The last one was 46M zipped.

That pgn file had approximately 200,000 unique games played by humans from 1991 to 2005, long time control as best as can be determined, and elo ratings of 2300+. It was meant to be used as input data in the creation of opening books for computer engines. There was no editing of lines for quality so no doubt there were some bad opening lines included. It was made in April 2005.

cheers,
Norm

[F.Huber]

Hello Chest fans,

there?s again a small update to ChestUCI Ver.4.4!

New in this release:
1) fixed a small problem with ?DefenderMoves? (only for ?SearchDepth?>99).
2) the ?Automatic?-mode now also optimizes C-parameters C2/C4/C8/C16.
3) the new option ?AutoLogfile? (introduced in the last version) can now
also produce complete PGN-records (incl. the solution moves!), if
ChestUCI is running in ?EngineMode=Chest?.
This may be useful to automatically solve an EPD-file of mate problems
with a chess GUI (e.g. like Arena), and get all solutions in PGN-format
in the Logfile ?ChestLog.txt?.
4) a new button ?Show Logfile? (quite clear what it does )

Here?s the download link for ChestUCI 4.4:
http://www.uciengines.de/UCI-Engines/Chest/chest.html

Have fun,
Franz.