Why Snitch 1.0.4 has a mesirable opening book!?

[Dr.Wael Deeb]

Hi,
Please take a look at these two games....

[Event "BasicLeague_SE Genius 2.016z"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2004.10.13"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Snitch 1.0.4"]
[Black "Hermann 1.1.12"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A00"]
[Opening "Saragossa Opening"]
[Time "10:03:25"]
[TimeControl "7200+0"]
[Termination "normal"]
[PlyCount "360"]
[WhiteType "program"]
[BlackType "program"]

1.c3 {+0.28/1} d5 {+0.04/12} 2.Nf3 {+0.17/1} e6 {+0.05/11} 3.d4 {+0.04/1} Bd6
{+0.06/12} 4.Na3 {0.00/1} Nf6 {+0.16/11} 5.Bg5 {-0.34/12} O-O {+0.14/11} 6.Bxf6 {-0.10/13}
Qxf6 {+0.08/12} 7.Nb5 {-0.11/13} Na6 {+0.08/11} 8.Nxd6 {-0.11/13} cxd6 {-0.05/12}
9.e3 {-0.18/12} Nc7 {-0.03/12} 10.c4 {-0.13/12} dxc4 {-0.02/11} 11.Bxc4 {-0.11/12}
Bd7 {-0.04/11} 12.Bd3 {-0.01/11} Bc6 {+0.02/11} 13.Qc2 {-0.02/11} h6 {+0.04/11}
14.Bh7+ {+0.13/11} Kh8 15.Be4 {+0.15/12} Nd5 {+0.11/11} 16.Qb3 {+0.12/11} Qe7
{+0.14/12} 17.O-O {+0.16/11} f5 {+0.19/12} 18.Bd3 {+0.05/12} e5 {+0.18/11} 19.dxe5
{+0.16/13} dxe5 {+0.21/11} 20.Bb5 {+0.16/11} Nb4 {+0.20/11} 21.Be2 {-0.09/12} a5
{+0.21/11} 22.a3 {0.00/12} Nd5 {+0.24/11} 23.Bb5 {0.00/12} a4 {+0.34/12} 24.Qc4 {-0.12/12}
Nb6 {+0.36/12} 25.Qe2 {-0.31/13} Bxf3 {+0.32/12} 26.Qxf3 {-0.27/13} Qc5 {+0.36/12}
27.Be2 {-0.22/13} e4 {+0.36/12} 28.Qg3 {-0.22/11} Rac8 {+0.31/11} 29.Rfd1 {-0.14/11}
Qc2 {+0.34/11} 30.Kf1 {-0.05/11} Rf6 {+0.31/11} 31.Qe5 {0.00/11} Nc4 {+0.27/11}
32.Bxc4 {+0.04/11} Qxc4+ {+0.24/10} 33.Kg1 {0.00/12} Qe6 {+0.19/11} 34.Qd4 {+0.04/13}
Rc4 {+0.21/11} 35.Qd8+ {+0.04/11} Kh7 {+0.22/11} 36.Rd2 {-0.14/12} Qb6 {+0.25/12}
37.Qxb6 {-0.18/14} Rxb6 {+0.23/13} 38.f3 {-0.13/13} g5 {+0.34/11} 39.Rad1 {-0.04/13}
exf3 {+0.32/11} 40.gxf3 {+0.02/13} Kg7 {+0.32/11} 41.Re2 {+0.13/13} Kf6 {+0.35/12}
42.Rd7 {+0.09/13} f4 {+0.36/13} 43.e4 {+0.01/15} Rc1+ {+0.36/12} 44.Kg2 {+0.02/15} Rb1
{+0.42/12} 45.Rdd2 {0.00/16} Rb5 {+0.41/12} 46.Ref2 {0.00/15} h5 {+0.41/12} 47.h3
{-0.03/15} Ke5 {+0.41/13} 48.Rfe2 {0.00/16} Ra1 {+0.42/13} 49.Rdc2 {0.00/15} Ra2
{+0.42/13} 50.Red2 {0.00/16} Rb3 {+0.42/13} 51.Kf2 {0.00/15} Kf6 {+0.42/13} 52.Rd6+
{0.00/16} Kf7 {+0.42/13} 53.Rd7+ {0.00/15} Ke6 {+0.42/14} 54.Rdd2 {0.00/17} Ke7
{+0.42/14} 55.Kg2 {0.00/14} Kf7 {+0.42/13} 56.Kf2 {0.00/18} Ke6 {+0.42/12} 57.Ke2
{0.00/15} Rb6 {+0.42/13} 58.Kf2 {0.00/16} Rb5 {+0.42/13} 59.Kg2 {0.00/16} Kf6 {+0.42/12}
60.Rdf2 {0.00/16} Ra1 {+0.41/12} 61.Rcd2 {0.00/16} Ke5 {+0.41/12} 62.Rfe2 {0.00/15} Ra2
{+0.42/13} 63.Rdc2 {0.00/16} Rb3 {+0.42/13} 64.Red2 {0.00/17} Kf6 {+0.41/12} 65.Rd6+
{0.00/16} Kf7 {+0.42/13} 66.Rdd2 {0.00/15} Ke7 {+0.40/12} 67.Rdf2 {0.00/16} h4 {+0.40/12}
68.Rfd2 {0.00/17} Kf6 {+0.40/13} 69.Kf2 {0.00/17} Ke5 {+0.40/13} 70.Rde2 {0.00/16} Ke6
{+0.40/12} 71.Red2 {0.00/17} Ra1 {+0.41/13} 72.Kg2 {0.00/17} Rb1 {+0.41/12} 73.Rde2
{-0.10/16} Rb6 {+0.41/12} 74.Ref2 {-0.03/16} Rb5 {+0.38/12} 75.Rcd2 {0.00/16} Ke5
{+0.40/12} 76.Rfe2 {0.00/17} Ra1 {+0.39/12} 77.Kf2 {0.00/15} Rh1 {+0.40/13} 78.Kg2
{0.00/17} Rb1 {+0.39/13} 79.Ref2 {0.00/16} Rc1 {+0.40/12} 80.Rd7 {0.00/16} Rc6 {+0.41/12}
81.Rd8 {0.00/16} Rbc5 {+0.39/11} 82.Ra8 {0.00/13} b5 {+0.40/12} 83.Rd8 {0.00/15} Ke6
{+0.38/12} 84.Rb8 {0.00/16} Ke7 {+0.39/11} 85.Rb7+ {0.00/16} Kf6 {+0.39/12} 86.Rb8
{0.00/17} R6c8 {+0.38/12} 87.Rb7 {0.00/17} Ke6 {+0.39/12} 88.Rb6+ {0.00/17} Ke7
{+0.38/13} 89.Rb7+ {0.00/17} Ke8 {+0.38/12} 90.Rg7 {0.00/15} Kf8 {+0.35/13} 91.Rd7
{0.00/17} R8c7 {+0.34/13} 92.Rd8+ {0.00/16} Ke7 {+0.35/12} 93.Rb8 {0.00/16} Ke6
{+0.37/12} 94.Rb6+ {0.00/16} Kf7 {+0.36/13} 95.Rb8 {0.00/16} R7c6 {+0.38/12} 96.Rb7+
{0.00/18} Kg6 {+0.36/12} 97.Rb8 {0.00/15} Kf6 {+0.37/12} 98.Rb7 {-0.01/16} R6c8
{+0.35/13} 99.Rb6+ {0.00/17} Kg7 {+0.33/13} 100.Rd6 {0.00/15} R8c6 {+0.33/12} 101.Rd7+
{0.00/16} Kg6 {+0.32/13} 102.Re2 {0.00/15} Kf6 {+0.33/12} 103.Kf1 {0.00/14} R5c1+
{+0.33/11} 104.Kf2 {-0.01/14} Kg6 {+0.31/11} 105.Rb7 {0.00/14} R1c5 {+0.32/11} 106.Rd2
{0.00/15} Kh6 {+0.22/11} 107.Ke2 {+0.13/13} Kh5 {+0.16/11} 108.Rb8 {+0.11/12} Kg6
{+0.23/11} 109.Rg8+ {+0.09/12} Kf7 {+0.25/11} 110.Rgd8 {+0.01/13} Kf6 {+0.25/10} 111.Rh8
{+0.06/13} Kg7 {+0.22/10} 112.Ra8 {+0.05/13} R5c2 {+0.23/9} 113.Rad8 {+0.09/13} R6c5
{+0.21/10} 114.R8d7+ {+0.05/13} Kf6 {+0.18/11} 115.Rb7 {+0.05/13} Ke6 {+0.18/11} 116.Rb6+
{+0.05/13} Ke5 {+0.24/12} 117.Rg6 {+0.29/14} Rxd2+ {+0.19/13} 118.Kxd2 {+0.13/17} Kd4
{+0.18/13} 119.Rd6+ {+0.12/16} Kc4 {+0.17/13} 120.Rd3 {+0.13/16} b4 {+0.18/13} 121.axb4
{+0.08/15} Rb5 {+0.11/12} 122.Rc3+ {+0.08/15} Kxb4 {+0.15/13} 123.Kd3 {+0.08/15} Ka5
{+0.15/12} 124.Rc2 {+0.08/14} Rb3+ {+0.22/11} 125.Ke2 {0.00/15} Re3+ {+0.22/11} 126.Kf2
{0.00/16} Kb4 {+0.18/12} 127.Rc8 {0.00/15} Kb3 {+0.18/11} 128.Rb8+ {0.00/16} Kc2
{+0.20/13} 129.Ra8 {0.00/15} Rb3 {+0.19/12} 130.Rxa4 {0.00/16} Rxb2 {+0.16/12} 131.Ra3
{0.00/16} Kd1+ {+0.16/12} 132.Kf1 {0.00/16} Kd2 {+0.18/13} 133.Kf2 {0.00/16} Rb5
{+0.16/12} 134.Ra7 {0.00/18} Kc3 {+0.16/13} 135.Ra3+ {0.00/17} Kd4 {+0.18/12} 136.Ra4+
{0.00/18} Ke5 {+0.20/13} 137.Ra2 {0.00/18} Rb6 {+0.20/12} 138.Rd2 {0.00/18} Ra6
{+0.23/12} 139.Kg2 {0.00/19} Ra1 {+0.23/12} 140.Rd5+ {0.00/19} Kf6 {+0.23/13} 141.Rd6+
{0.00/18} Kf7 {+0.23/13} 142.Rd2 {0.00/20} Ke6 {+0.23/13} 143.Rc2 {0.00/18} Ra5
{+0.23/12} 144.Rb2 {0.00/19} Ke5 {+0.22/12} 145.Rc2 {0.00/19} Kd4 {+0.23/12} 146.Rb2
{0.00/18} Kd3 {+0.23/11} 147.Kf2 {0.00/16} Kc3 {+0.22/12} 148.Re2 {0.00/17} Kd4
{+0.22/13} 149.Rd2+ {0.00/20} Ke5 {+0.22/13} 150.Rb2 {0.00/19} Ra6 {+0.22/13} 151.Rb5+
{0.00/18} Kf6 {+0.22/14} 152.Rb2 {0.00/19} Kf7 {+0.22/14} 153.Kg2 {0.00/19} Ra5
{+0.22/13} 154.Rd2 {0.00/17} Ke7 {+0.22/13} 155.Kf2 {0.00/17} Ra6 {+0.22/12} 156.Rc2
{0.00/19} Rb6 {+0.22/12} 157.Rc7+ {0.00/16} Ke6 {+0.22/12} 158.Rc2 {0.00/19} Ra6
{+0.22/12} 159.Rb2 {0.00/19} Kf6 {+0.22/13} 160.Rc2 {0.00/20} Ra1 {+0.22/12} 161.Rc6+
{0.00/16} Ke7 {+0.22/13} 162.Rc2 {0.00/17} Kd6 {+0.22/12} 163.Kg2 {0.00/20} Ra5
{+0.22/12} 164.Rb2 {0.00/20} Ke6 {+0.22/12} 165.Rb6+ {0.00/18} Kf7 {+0.22/14} 166.Rb7+
{0.00/19} Kf6 {+0.22/14} 167.Rb2 {0.00/19} Rc5 {+0.21/12} 168.Ra2 {0.00/17} Rc7
{+0.21/11} 169.Ra6+ {0.00/17} Kf7 {+0.22/12} 170.Ra2 {0.00/20} Kg7 {+0.22/12} 171.Rd2
{0.00/19} Kf6 {+0.22/12} 172.Rd6+ {0.00/18} Ke7 {+0.22/12} 173.Rd2 {0.00/18} Ra7
{+0.22/12} 174.Rc2 {0.00/20} Ra5 {+0.22/12} 175.Rc7+ {0.00/18} Ke6 {+0.22/12} 176.Rc6+
{0.00/19} Kf7 {+0.22/13} 177.Rc7+ {0.00/20} Kf6 {+0.22/13} 178.Rc6+ {0.00/19} Kg7
{+0.22/13} 179.Rc7+ {0.00/21} Kg6 {+0.22/13} 180.Rd7 {0.00/19} Ra2+ {+0.26/10} {50 moves
rule} 1/2-1/2

[Event "BasicLeague_SE Genius 2.016z"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2004.10.06"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Spike 0.7"]
[Black "Snitch 1.0.4"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A30"]
[Opening "English"]
[Time "23:20:38"]
[Variation "Symmetrical, Hedgehog System"]
[TimeControl "7200+0"]
[Termination "normal"]
[PlyCount "268"]
[WhiteType "program"]
[BlackType "program"]

1.Nf3 e6 {-0.14/1} 2.g3 b6 {-0.10/1} 3.Bg2 Bb7 {-0.15/1} 4.c4 c5 {-0.06/1} 5.O-O
{-0.01/14} Nf6 {-0.10/1} 6.Nc3 Nc6 {-0.04/1} 7.d4 Nxd4 {-0.14/1} 8.Nxd4 Bxg2 {-0.14/1}
9.Kxg2 cxd4 {-0.09/1} 10.Qxd4 Bc5 {-0.13/9} 11.Qh4 {-0.02/13} Be7 {-0.19/11} 12.Bg5
{-0.05/12} O-O {-0.19/9} 13.Ne4 {+0.50/14} d5 {-0.42/14} 14.Nxf6+ {+0.95/15} Bxf6
{-0.58/15} 15.Bxf6 {+0.95/17} Qxf6 {-0.58/14} 16.Qxf6 {+0.93/18} gxf6 {-0.67/19} 17.cxd5
{+0.93/18} exd5 {-0.67/17} 18.Rac1 {+0.93/17} Kg7 {-0.77/15} 19.e3 {+0.96/16} a6
{-0.94/14} 20.Rfd1 {+1.65/18} Rfc8 {-1.28/16} 21.b3 {+1.65/18} Rxc1 {-1.33/17} 22.Rxc1
{+1.68/18} Re8 {-1.48/17} 23.Rc7 {+1.69/18} b5 {-1.52/16} 24.Rd7 {+1.71/17} Re6 {-1.62/17}
25.Kf3 {+1.74/16} Rc6 {-1.64/18} 26.Rxd5 {+1.79/18} Rc2 {-1.66/17} 27.a4 {+1.78/19} b4
{-1.77/18} 28.Ra5 {+1.87/19} Rc3 {-1.83/17} 29.Rxa6 {+1.87/19} Rxb3 {-1.82/19} 30.Rb6
{+1.88/19} Rb2 {-1.82/18} 31.g4 {+1.89/18} h6 {-1.82/19} 32.h4 {+1.92/18} b3 {-1.82/18}
33.a5 {+1.92/18} Ra2 {-1.81/18} 34.a6 {+1.92/18} b2 {-1.82/17} 35.Kf4 {+1.92/19} Rxa6
{-1.81/18} 36.Rxb2 {+1.93/18} Ra4+ {-1.82/18} 37.e4 {+1.93/20} Rc4 {-1.80/20} 38.f3
{+1.92/18} Rc1 {-1.80/20} 39.Rb5 {+1.92/19} Rc3 {-1.80/21} 40.Rb7 {+1.92/20} Rc2
{-1.80/20} 41.Rb6 {+1.92/19} Rc3 {-1.80/21} 42.Rd6 {+1.92/20} Rc7 {-1.80/19} 43.Rd8
{+1.92/19} Rc3 {-1.80/19} 44.h5 {+1.92/20} Rc5 {-1.81/18} 45.Rd7 {+1.92/20} Rc3 {-1.81/18}
46.Rd6 {+1.92/20} Ra3 {-1.81/20} 47.Rd5 {+1.92/20} Ra2 {-1.81/20} 48.Rd7 {+1.92/19}
Rc2 {-1.81/20} 49.Rd6 {+1.92/20} Ra2 {-1.81/19} 50.Ke3 {+1.92/19} Ra1 {-1.81/19}
51.Rd7 {+1.92/18} Rc1 {-1.81/18} 52.Rb7 {+1.92/18} Rc3+ {-1.81/20} 53.Kf4 {+1.92/20}
Rc2 {-1.81/19} 54.Rb5 {+1.92/19} Rf2 {-1.81/19} 55.Ke3 {+1.92/18} Rc2 {-1.81/19}
56.Rb3 {+1.92/18} Rc1 {-1.81/18} 57.Kd4 {+1.92/17} Ra1 {-1.81/19} 58.Rd3 {+1.92/17}
Ra4+ {-1.81/19} 59.Ke3 {+1.92/19} Ra1 {-1.81/19} 60.Kf4 {+1.92/19} Ra5 {-1.81/19}
61.Rd7 {+1.92/19} Ra3 {-1.81/19} 62.Rc7 {+1.92/18} Ra2 {-1.81/19} 63.Rc8 {+1.92/18}
Ra3 {-1.81/19} 64.Rc6 {+1.92/19} Ra2 {-1.81/20} 65.Rc5 {+1.92/18} Ra3 {-1.81/20}
66.Rc4 {+1.92/19} Ra2 {-1.81/21} 67.Rd4 {+1.92/18} Ra3 {-1.81/20} 68.Rd8 {+1.92/19}
Kh7 {-1.81/19} 69.Rd2 {+1.92/18} Kg7 {-1.81/20} 70.Rd1 {+1.92/19} Ra5 {-1.81/20}
71.Rc1 {+1.92/19} Ra3 {-1.81/20} 72.Rc2 {+1.92/18} Ra5 {-1.81/20} 73.Rc3 {+1.92/19}
Ra2 {-1.81/20} 74.Ke3 {+1.92/18} Ra1 {-1.81/19} 75.Kd3 {+1.92/16} Ra2 {-1.81/19}
76.Rb3 {+1.92/17} Kf8 {-1.81/17} 77.Rb8+ {+1.92/17} Kg7 {-1.81/18} 78.Ke3 {+1.92/18}
Ra3+ {-1.81/17} 79.Kf4 {+1.92/18} Ra2 {-1.81/18} 80.Rb3 {+1.92/17} Ra4 {-1.81/20}
81.Rb5 {+1.92/18} Ra3 {-1.81/20} 82.Rb4 {+1.92/18} Ra2 {-1.81/21} 83.Rb6 {+1.92/17}
Rc2 {-1.81/19} 84.Ra6 {+1.92/17} Rb2 {-1.82/18} 85.Ra3 {+1.92/17} Re2 {-1.82/19}
86.Rd3 {+1.93/17} Ra2 {-1.82/19} 87.Kf5 {+1.92/17} Ra6 {-1.81/16} 88.Re3 {+1.92/17}
Ra5+ {-1.81/16} 89.Kf4 {+1.90/16} Ra1 {-1.82/17} 90.Re2 {+1.83/15} Kf8 {-1.81/16}
91.Kf5 {+1.90/15} Kg7 {-1.81/16} 92.Rd2 {+1.90/17} Ra3 {-1.82/16} 93.f4 {+1.61/16} Ra1
{-1.82/16} 94.Rd6 {+1.60/15} Ra5+ {-1.82/17} 95.Rd5 {+1.62/17} Ra2 {-1.82/17} 96.e5
{+1.60/15} fxe5 {-1.84/17} 97.Rxe5 {+1.60/15} Rf2 {-1.84/17} 98.Rc5 {+1.60/15} Rh2
{-1.84/18} 99.Rc6 {+1.60/16} Rh1 {-1.84/18} 100.Rd6 {+1.60/15} Rh4 {-1.84/18} 101.Rd7
{+1.60/16} Rh1 {-1.84/19} 102.Rd8 {+1.60/16} Rh2 {-1.84/18} 103.Rd5 {+1.60/17} Rh4
{-1.84/18} 104.Rd3 {+1.60/17} Rh2 {-1.84/18} 105.Rb3 {+1.60/16} Rd2 {-1.84/17} 106.g5
{+1.63/12} Rh2 {-1.84/16} 107.Kg4 {+1.64/12} Rg2+ {-1.84/14} 108.Kh3 {+1.59/13} Rg1
{-1.85/13} 109.Kh4 {+1.60/10} Rh1+ {-1.83/11} 110.Rh3 {+1.60/6} Rb1 {-1.83/11} 111.Ra3
{+1.57/6} Rh1+ {-1.83/13} 112.Kg4 {+1.60/7} Rg1+ {-1.83/13} 113.Rg3 {+1.59/7} Rc1
{-1.83/14} 114.Rg2 {+1.59/7} Rh1 {-1.76/16} 115.Ra2 {+1.54/6} Rg1+ {-1.76/16} 116.Kf5
{+1.41/7} Rh1 {-1.76/16} 117.gxh6+ {+1.36/7} Kxh6 {-1.76/17} 118.Ra6+ {+1.33/8} Kg7
{-1.60/16} 119.Kg5 {+1.33/8} Rg1+ {-1.60/16} 120.Kh4 {+1.33/9} Rh1+ {-1.60/16} 121.Kg4
{+1.33/9} Rg1+ {-1.60/16} 122.Kf3 {+1.16/8} Rf1+ {-1.60/16} 123.Kg3 {+1.14/8} Rg1+
{-1.45/17} 124.Kf2 {+1.08/8} Rh1 {-1.45/17} 125.Ra5 {+1.11/7} Kh6 {-1.45/17} 126.Rf5
{+1.05/6} Rxh5 {-1.45/17} 127.Rxf7 {+1.14/6} Kg6 {-1.45/17} 128.Rd7 {+1.14/5} Rh3
{-1.45/17} 129.Rd5 {+1.22/4} Kf6 {-1.45/16} 130.Ke2 {+1.21/4} Rb3 {-1.45/17} 131.f5
{+1.22/4} Rh3 {0.00/24} 132.Rb5 {+0.02/4} Rh5 {0.00/23} 133.Kd3 {0.00/4} Rxf5 {0.00/26}
134.Rxf5+ {0.00/5} Kxf5 {0.00/59} {Insufficient material} 1/2-1/2

Aside from this,it doesn't has a reply aginst 1.e4,2.c4.....
Am I missing something here....I mean in it's setup.....I tried the Wb and UCI mode....the same tragical opening moves
Regards,
Dr.Wael Deeb

[Anonymous]

[Dr.Wael Deeb]

Hi,
Btw,it's using it's opening book because sometimes it replys to the 1.d4 when it's playing black!!
A very bad book or there is something wrong.....
If it's the first case,I'll personally make an excellent opening book if the author contacts me 8)

[Klaus Friedel]

Snitch uses two books. The default-book an the learn-book.
The default book is compiled from about 100000 games >=2400 ELO.
The learn-book evolved from about 2000 games against around 30 engines.
In xboard mode you can take a deeper insight in snitchs book strategy by entering one of these commands:
dbook, lbook or book.
You will see all moves in the book and their winning probability:
0.5 : even
>0.5: White is more likely to win
<0.5: Black is more likely to win
1.0: White allways wins
0.0: Black allways wins

If you use lbook on the opening position, you will see that it won more games by playing 1.c3 then with any other move. Mayby the 2000 learned games are not enough, but thats what the statistics say...
By the way: Snitch didn't loose the games you mentioned, did it

1.c3 ... may be a very bad opening for humans, but it seems to work for Snitch.

To your other point: Snitch is definitely not out of book after the second move, but it may decide to think on a move even while in book. If the book tells snitch, that all moves from this position are too bad (you can define how bad "too bad" is in snitch.ini) it will start a modified search where all bad book moves get a penalty.

The strange playing style comes from the learned book. If you like a more traditional opening you can reduce the impact of the learning book by reducing "book_mix" in snitch.ini.
If you wan't snitch to play almost any move it has in its book, even if the book tells him it's a bad move, you can reduce "book_min_percent" as well.

To get snitch to select different openings set
book_random=true

If anyone likes to compile a new book for snitch: Feel free to do so.
I'll send you the bookbuilder, it just needs a PGN as input.
(It will be included in the next version ...)

Regards,
Klaus

[Anonymous]

Snitch uses two books. The default-book an the learn-book.
The default book is compiled from about 100000 games >=2400 ELO.
The learn-book evolved from about 2000 games against around 30 engines.
In xboard mode you can take a deeper insight in snitchs book strategy by entering one of these commands:
dbook, lbook or book.
You will see all moves in the book and their winning probability:
0.5 : even
>0.5: White is more likely to win
<0.5: Black is more likely to win
1.0: White allways wins
0.0: Black allways wins

Thanks for the explanation!

If you use lbook on the opening position, you will see that it won more games by playing 1.c3 then with any other move. Mayby the 2000 learned games are not enough, but thats what the statistics say...
By the way: Snitch didn't loose the games you mentioned, did it

1.c3 ... may be a very bad opening for humans, but it seems to work for Snitch.

This is also my impression: in the few games of Snith against other engines in my computer, Snitch usually gets some horrible-looking positions in the opening, but it as a matter of fact your engine has managed to win most of those games. Maybe these bizarre positions just suit it!

Or maybe I have tested Snitch against weak opposition. I?ll begin to test it in a lot of games against Ruffian, and we?ll get a better opinion about 1.c3 being a killer move or not

Regards

Telmo

[Klaus Friedel]

This is also my impression: in the few games of Snith against other engines in my computer, Snitch usually gets some horrible-looking positions in the opening, but it as a matter of fact your engine has managed to win most of those games. Maybe these bizarre positions just suit it!

Or maybe I have tested Snitch against weak opposition. I?ll begin to test it in a lot of games against Ruffian, and we?ll get a better opinion about 1.c3 being a killer move or not

Regards

Telmo

Because of Ruffian being 300 points stronger than Snitch, every opening will be a loosing one ...

Regards,
Klaus

[Dr.Wael Deeb]

Hi Klaus,
Thank you a lot for this explanation
The only thing that I am going to change in the Snitch's ini file is setting the book learn=true.I hope Snitch will feel 8) and not with this change!!
Regards,
Dr.Wael Deeb