Chess for Android v5.6

[Nordlandia]

Aart Bik: yes, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_control#Hourglass

To my knowledge Chessmaster franchise support hourglass tc for engine matches. Example video found on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTdcYLc91Go

1 minute hourglass is available for free & without registration at Shredder Online website, simply click "Play as Quest" -> Create New Challenge -> 1m Hg.

https://www.shredderchess.net/

[supersharp77]

Chess friends,
I released version 5.6 of Chess for Android.
New features include:

• New piece set (thanks Bryan Whitby!)
• Menu touch feedback
• E-Board connection support over bluetooth
• New permission model (SMS + network + bluetooth; starting api 23)

The latter feature allows me to have just one release with all features (rather than providing a separate version that asks for more permissions). I also made my debut as youtube instructor on Chess for Android. Please have a look at https://youtu.be/VFBiXXw84Q8 (and please be kind ).

Chess Engine Testing....Swiss system option...also need a box/slot for rating of chess engines RR or Swiss or other tourney settings...due to the sheer number of android engines released testing has backed up considerably..Thx AR

[abik]

Mr. Bik,please make at least an informal version of the CFA.Need a time control of 30 seconds per game with the addition of 0.5 seconds on the course.Minimally, the CFA can put a time control of 60+1,which is a lot(long games are).

I have added 10 seconds and 30 seconds per game, but I am bit reluctant on the 0.5 seconds increment.

The UCI protocol supports msec. in wincr/bincr, so no problem there, but the XBoard protocol does not seem to have such a provision in level, where all arguments are integers. For example, level 40 5 0 means "play forty moves in five minutes", level 0 0:30 1 means "play the whole game in 30 seconds with 1 second increment", but I am not sure how to go lower for the increment time. Options would be level 0 0:30 0.5 or level 0 0:30 1/2 or perhaps even level 0 0:30 0:50, but all these seem non-standard.

The PGN standard for time control has a similar issue, since only a positive integer may follow the +, as in, for example 40/30+1 (which I use for just one time period, it may be non-standard already strictly speaking). Of course less important for game play, but still important for proper reporting.

Any insights on this from the experts? How should fractional seconds in time increments be dealt with?

[Dann Corbit]

Mr. Bik,please make at least an informal version of the CFA.Need a time control of 30 seconds per game with the addition of 0.5 seconds on the course.Minimally, the CFA can put a time control of 60+1,which is a lot(long games are).

I have added 10 seconds and 30 seconds per game, but I am bit reluctant on the 0.5 seconds increment.

The UCI protocol supports msec. in wincr/bincr, so no problem there, but the XBoard protocol does not seem to have such a provision in level, where all arguments are integers. For example, level 40 5 0 means "play forty moves in five minutes", level 0 0:30 1 means "play the whole game in 30 seconds with 1 second increment", but I am not sure how to go lower for the increment time. Options would be level 0 0:30 0.5 or level 0 0:30 1/2 or perhaps even level 0 0:30 0:50, but all these seem non-standard.

The PGN standard for time control has a similar issue, since only a positive integer may follow the +, as in, for example 40/30+1 (which I use for just one time period, it may be non-standard already strictly speaking). Of course less important for game play, but still important for proper reporting.

Any insights on this from the experts? How should fractional seconds in time increments be dealt with?

I think the only way to do it is have the GUI manage the time and use analyze mode which understands centiseconds. Very unsatisfying except for fixed time moves.

There is no provision that I can see in the level command for fractional seconds.

This is one of those places where the UCI interface is superior.

[hagtorp]

Mr. Bik,please make at least an informal version of the CFA.Need a time control of 30 seconds per game with the addition of 0.5 seconds on the course.Minimally, the CFA can put a time control of 60+1,which is a lot(long games are).

I have added 10 seconds and 30 seconds per game, but I am bit reluctant on the 0.5 seconds increment.

The UCI protocol supports msec. in wincr/bincr, so no problem there, but the XBoard protocol does not seem to have such a provision in level, where all arguments are integers. For example, level 40 5 0 means "play forty moves in five minutes", level 0 0:30 1 means "play the whole game in 30 seconds with 1 second increment", but I am not sure how to go lower for the increment time. Options would be level 0 0:30 0.5 or level 0 0:30 1/2 or perhaps even level 0 0:30 0:50, but all these seem non-standard.

The PGN standard for time control has a similar issue, since only a positive integer may follow the +, as in, for example 40/30+1 (which I use for just one time period, it may be non-standard already strictly speaking). Of course less important for game play, but still important for proper reporting.

Any insights on this from the experts? How should fractional seconds in time increments be dealt with?

But xboard engines are rare on Android(uci Protocol is widespread).
Maybe the pgn file to do the rounding of the output in milliseconds?
It would be good to see how it is implemented in Cutechess for example.

[abik]

But xboard engines are rare on Android(uci Protocol is widespread).

But Chess for Android has always been an all-inclusive GUI!

I really would like to find a satisfactory way of implementing this (or otherwise not introduce this requested feature; sorry).

[abik]

I think the only way to do it is have the GUI manage the time and use analyze mode which understands centiseconds. Very unsatisfying except for fixed time moves.

There is no provision that I can see in the level command for fractional seconds.

Thanks for the insights, Dann. I agree, if the GUI is forced to do the time management for the engines, there is not much point adding the feature, since it will take away any advantage engines might have in that area.

[hagtorp]

But xboard engines are rare on Android(uci Protocol is widespread).

But Chess for Android has always been an all-inclusive GUI!

I really would like to find a satisfactory way of implementing this (or otherwise not introduce this requested feature; sorry).

The main thing is that you have added 30 seconds to the game, it will greatly save time and resources when testing the engines.

[abik]

The main thing is that you have added 30 seconds to the game, it will greatly save time and resources when testing the engines.

One is glad to be of service. It is now available on the alpha channel. Please report any issues you encounter to me.

[hagtorp]

The main thing is that you have added 30 seconds to the game, it will greatly save time and resources when testing the engines.

One is glad to be of service. It is now available on the alpha channel. Please report any issues you encounter to me.

Thanks mr. Bik!