The Baron - Latest Version Released

[Ras]

Does anybody know how to start it in uci mode via command line?

https://chessprogramming.wikispaces.com/The+Baron lists The Baron as CECP engine.

[pferd]

Does anybody know how to start it in uci mode via command line?

https://chessprogramming.wikispaces.com/The+Baron lists The Baron as CECP engine.

Browsing through the release.txt one can find:

Changes since 3.35:
------------------
Bugs solved:
- hashtable was always set at 10MB in console and winboard modes, fixed now.
- winboard and uci modes can now also be forced from the console by sending 'uci' or 'xboard' commands

But unfortunately this does not seem to work any longer or I am doing something wrong here...

[Damir]

Thanks a lot for new Baron engine Richard. Much appreciated.

[Werner]

I have Problems to configurate the engine proper to use my Syzygy bases.
System: Windows 64bit, 5men Syzygy bases in one Folder on SSD:

baron.ini
# Configuration file of the Baron

# Amount of Transposition Hashtables in MB
mainhash 256

# Learning, on by default
# Allowed values: on/off
# Recommended value: on
learning off

# Name and location of the opening book
# A total of 16 books in baron and polyglot format can be used. The books will be probed
# in the order of their listing here.
# bookfile: Book in Baron format
# bookpoly: Book in Polyglot format
# Also 1 book in CTG format can be specified. The CTG book is always probed first. A future
# enhancement is that multiple CTG books can be used and mixed with other formats, but currently
# that is not possible.
#bookfile d:\baron\books\big
#bookpoly d:\baron\books\general.bin
#bookctg d:\baron\books\baron.ctg

# Whether nullmove is used or not
# Allowed values: on/off
# Default/Recommended: on
# nullbase: number of quarterplies used for nullmove reduction
# nullprogress: measure of progressive nullmove reduction based on depth (more reduction for deeper searches)
#donullmove on
#nullbase 12
#nullprogress 6

# Internal Iterative Deepening.
# Allowed values: on/off
# Default/Recommended: on
#doiid on

# Singular extensions
# Extension parameters specified in quarter plies
# Default/Recommended values:
# singular on
# singreduction 4
# singmargin 100
#singular on
#singmargin 100
#singextension 4

# LMR
# Specified in quarter plies
# Default/Recommended values:
# lmrpv 0
# lmrscout 4
# lmrextrapv 6
# lmrextrascout 2
#lmrpv 0
#lmrscout 4
#lmrextrapv 6
#lmrextrascout 2

# Razoring
# Specified in full plies
#prunelevel 5
#prunepv off
#prunesecure 100

# The next settings are only meant for test/tuning purposes. For 'regular' use the parameter 'prunesecure' should be used instead.
# prunealphamargin <depthleft> <percentage of default> specifies the amount the quiescent value should be below alpha so that the
# quiescent score+margin will be returned by the search instead of searching it to depthleft
# prunebetamargin <depthleft> <percentage of default> specifies the amount the quiescent value should be above beta so that the
# quiescent score-margin will be returned by the search instead of searching it to depthleft
#prunealphamargin 1 100
#prunebetamargin 1 100
#prunealphamargin 2 100
#prunebetamargin 2 100
#prunealphamargin 3 100
#prunebetamargin 3 100
#prunealphamargin 4 100
#prunebetamargin 4 100
#prunealphamargin 5 100
#prunebetamargin 5 100
#prunealphamargin 6 100
#prunebetamargin 6 100
#prunealphamargin 7 100
#prunebetamargin 7 100
#prunealphamargin 8 100
#prunebetamargin 8 100

# King Safety Evaluation
# kingsafety scores the attack against the king (offensive)
# kingshield scores the shield in front of the king (defensive)
# Percentage of the default scoring method
#kingsafety 100
#kingshield 100

# Multi processor configuration:
# cpus: Number of CPU's used (max 16 or the number of processors in your system, whatever is the lower number)
# splitdepth: number of quarter-plies that needs to be remaining to attempt to split the search.
# minsplit: number of remaining moves in a position to attempt creating a splitpoint (at least 2)
# maxsplit: maximum number of threads that may be assigned to a splitpoint (default: all)
# gluecores: 'Glue' the workers to a specific cpu core (only set to 'on' when the Baron has exclusive use of the machine)
cpus 1
#splitdepth 12
#minsplit 2
#maxsplit 12
#gluecores off

# Keep the noise level down
#postoutput 1

# Some more options
# timeuse: Percentage of default amount of time allocated to make a move
# easymove: Reply faster when there is one obvious good move
# logging: Turns on/off the logfile (has the name of this configuration file with the extension .log)
# priolow: Sets the engine to run at lower priority to improve responsiveness of the system
# ucioption (UCI): Allows setting options through UCI option commands. Setting it to off will still advertise the options,
# but the engine will ignore the commands. Values from this file will be used for all.
# icsmode (WB): allows the engine to select between icsmode (which will kibitz/whisper information). Values are 'on', 'off' and 'smart'
# When set to 'smart' the engine will determine ics mode based on the winboard ics command.
#timeuse 100
#easymove on
logging off
priolow off
ucioption on
#icsmode smart

# Syzygy Base options
# syzygypath: path to where the sygyzybases are located.
# szdtzpath: path to where the dtz bases are located. Subfolders are _not_ included.
# it is possible to have this command multiple times to include more folders
# szqsearch: Turns probing on/off in quiescense search. Only turn on with bases on SSD or flashdisk
# szdepth: Minimum remaining depth in quarterplies to probe the bases. Must be 0 to probe in qsearch
syzygypath C:\sbases
szdtzpath C:\sbases
szqsearch on
szdepth 0

console mode:

The Baron
version 3.41, May 14th 2017
64-bits version
Copyright (C) 2001-2017 ir. Richard L. Pijl

Evaluation Version: evalparam.20150829184642.h

Syzygy bases enabled

CPU has POPCNT
Found 145 tablebases.

W[1]> uci
ERROR - uci: Illegal move
W[1]>

Now the Output under Arena wb mode K-KBN
[pgn][Event "Computer Schach Partie"]
[Site "I56600K"]
[Date "2017.10.23"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Baron 3.41"]
[Black "Baron341-x64"]
[Result "*"]
[BlackElo "2000"]
[Time "16:30:53"]
[WhiteElo "2000"]
[TimeControl "40/480:40/480:40/480"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4k3/8/8/8/8/8/4N3/4KB2 w - - 0 1"]
[Termination "unterminated"]
[PlyCount "1"]
[WhiteType "program"]
[BlackType "human"]

1. Kd2 {+8.74/25 10} *[/pgn]
in the engine window I see: White wins in 27;

or 5men (mate in 30):

[pgn] [Event "Computer Schach Partie"]
[Site "I56600K"]
[Date "2017.10.23"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Baron 3.41"]
[Black "Baron341-x64"]
[Result "*"]
[BlackElo "2000"]
[Time "16:33:53"]
[WhiteElo "2000"]
[TimeControl "40/480:40/480:40/480"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4k3/4p3/8/8/3p4/8/4N3/4KB2 w - - 0 1"]
[Termination "unterminated"]
[PlyCount "1"]
[WhiteType "program"]
[BlackType "human"]

1. Nf4 {0.00/57 4} * [/pgn]

Looks like the Syzygy bases are not used. More: I think it is an issue with my dtz tables:
Visit http://users.telenet.be/thebaron
CPU has POPCNT
Engine: The Baron 3.41 x64 1CPU (256 MB)
von Richard Pijl
The computer thinks about its move
Time Management: Time Left 0:07:43.610, Moves to play 40, start --:--:--.---, min 0:00:09.282, max 0:00:40.701, easy 0:00:01.856, depth 79
Switching to SyZyGy DTZ bases, clearing hashtable
Starting search ...
Error (go): No legal moves found after search
This was one of the longes mate Position 5men!

[Modern Times]

Thanks for sharing this engine with us.

Does anybody know how to start it in uci mode via command line? This did not work:

Code: Select all

The Baron
version 3.41, May 14th 2017
64-bits version
Copyright (C) 2001-2017 ir. Richard L. Pijl

Evaluation Version: evalparam.20150829184642.h

Syzygy bases enabled

CPU has POPCNT

W[1]> uci
ERROR - uci: Illegal move
W[1]>

It is a Winboard engine, not UCI.

[matejst]

I registered The Baron as a UCI engine in all the GUI I have (rather old), and it works flawlessly. I am also very pleased by its lines: it seems so far that it is really an "improved" version, not a "changed" version of the engine, with a similar "personality".

I analyzed some positions in the QGD, but the real test will be probably tonight, if I have time, with closed positions, QID, NI and KID defences, and I hope it will fare well.

Finally, I would like once again to thank Richard for the release of this version of The Baron.

[Jamal Bubker]

Thanks a lot Richard for releasing this gift to our community and Steve too for reporting it and for hosting the files.

[tmokonen]

For some reason, I couldn't get it to run UCI commands from within a console window, but it seems to run fine as a UCI engine from within Arena. In the baron.ini file, I removed the # in front of ucioption on.

[pijl]

May I hope for a Linux version?

Volker

Later this week I hope to have some time to do both a 32-bits windows and a 64-bits linux compile.
Richard.

[pijl]

The delivered ini file starts Baron with 2GB hash

I'm wondering why the author didn't just support the CECP command "memory".

I haven't touched the winboard interface in quite some time so it doesn't support the later additions to the protocol.