TalkChess.com

Uri Blass wrote:

Ryan Benitez wrote:Stockfish is an amazing project in that it is possibly the worlds strongest chess engine and there is almost nothing to learn from the source code. Everything it does was well known to programmers in 2005 but Stockfish put together a great test method and implemented the existing ideas in a more consistent and probably better tuned way. Another great part of Stockfish is that it shows that eventually the GPL wins over the Clone Groups (TM). Don beating the clones as well is a pleasant surprise and a testament to his skill. It is sad that Don is no longer with us, he and Stockfish are the primary reasons that computer chess has recently become interesting again for the first time since about 2005.

I disagree with the opinion that there is almost nothing to learn from the source code.

The source code is what makes stockfish significantly stronger than programs of 2005
There is a reason for it(and not only testing) and I believe that it is possible to understand a lot of the reasons.

I do not claim to understand the reasons and I did not try to do it but the way to learn should be to give a logical reason for every part that helps in the code.

For example something that it not related to stockfish:
If a player does not understand why the rook is better than the bishop I can explain that the rook has the following advantages relative to bishop:
1)It controls more squares on the board
2)It can be in every square in the board when the bishop can go only to half of the squares.

Basically every part that is productive has some logical reason behind it(even if you do not understand it) and I think that the way to learn
is to try to discover what are the reasons.

mclane wrote:Very Nice to remember Don this Way.

Ryan Benitez wrote:

Uri Blass wrote:

Ryan Benitez wrote:Stockfish is an amazing project in that it is possibly the worlds strongest chess engine and there is almost nothing to learn from the source code. Everything it does was well known to programmers in 2005 but Stockfish put together a great test method and implemented the existing ideas in a more consistent and probably better tuned way. Another great part of Stockfish is that it shows that eventually the GPL wins over the Clone Groups (TM). Don beating the clones as well is a pleasant surprise and a testament to his skill. It is sad that Don is no longer with us, he and Stockfish are the primary reasons that computer chess has recently become interesting again for the first time since about 2005.

I disagree with the opinion that there is almost nothing to learn from the source code.

The source code is what makes stockfish significantly stronger than programs of 2005
There is a reason for it(and not only testing) and I believe that it is possible to understand a lot of the reasons.

I do not claim to understand the reasons and I did not try to do it but the way to learn should be to give a logical reason for every part that helps in the code.

For example something that it not related to stockfish:
If a player does not understand why the rook is better than the bishop I can explain that the rook has the following advantages relative to bishop:
1)It controls more squares on the board
2)It can be in every square in the board when the bishop can go only to half of the squares.

Basically every part that is productive has some logical reason behind it(even if you do not understand it) and I think that the way to learn
is to try to discover what are the reasons.

You are right that testing is not the only reason Stockfish is so strong. It does help though and is likely to help even more in the future. The way I see it Fruit did not implement anything that people did not already know about, it only thumped people over the head with what we already knew. A wake up call. Even today people are desperate to attribute some trick or "new idea" but it is not to be found. I see Stockfish the same way, it is the best and most consistent implementation of a chess engine today. No tricks, no gimmicks, just a well written chess program.

Uri Blass wrote:

Ryan Benitez wrote: .

For example something that it not related to stockfish:
If a player does not understand why the rook is better than the bishop I can explain that the rook has the following advantages relative to bishop:
1)It controls more squares on the board
2)It can be in every square in the board when the bishop can go only to half of the squares.

But this is simple minded 'bean counting', Uri. Things are relative in chess.

Some pretty fair 'chess thinkers' would opine that Rooks are not very agile attackers and that Bishops are often far the better piece when it comes to attacking play.

Åsmund Hammerstad wrote:Why is the engine called "New Engine" when i analyse in Fritz Live book/Let's check?

SzG wrote:I find two executables in the package. One for 32-bit machines, one for modern ones. I have a not particularly modern 64-bit machine. Am I confined to using the 32-bit exe?

SzG wrote:

Modern Times wrote:

SzG wrote:I find two executables in the package. One for 32-bit machines, one for modern ones. I have a not particularly modern 64-bit machine. Am I confined to using the 32-bit exe?

Does it not work on the Q6600 ? They should provide one in the official download that does, but anyway you can get one here:

http://abrok.eu/stockfish/

Search for "Stockfish DD" and you'll find all the exes

No, it doesn't. Accidentally, the 'modern' version also displays that it is SSE4.2.
However, the 64-bit version does work. Thanks for the hint.