Cutechess questions

[Rebel]

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book=file
Use file (Polyglot book file) as the opening book.

[Q1] - I understand cute uses its own Polyglot code instead of the Polyglot code of the engine. How can you force cute to use the book code of the engine? IMO it isn't possible. Do I see that right? I am using version 0.8.2.

Code: Select all

-srand seed
Set the random seed for the book move selector.

[Q2] - No idea what the effect is. It would be nice if you could force cute to play the best move (highest weight) with this option.

[brianr]

That is an older version.
Newer ones here https://github.com/cutechess/cutechess/releases

Commands https://github.com/cutechess/cutechess/ ... c/help.txt

For Q1 perhaps don't use Cutechess book, but do specify an engine book.
Q2: I'll leave to experts.

[Ozymandias]

I understand cute uses its own Polyglot code instead of the Polyglot code of the engine.

I haven't played a lot with it, because is very limited in options, but I'd say they use a 64bit version. Worth giving it a look if you plan to keep improving the old code.

[hgm]

Only the engine can use code that is in the engine. If you want the engine to play by its own book, you simply should specify the GUI should not use a book.

Setting the random seed affects what random choices will be made for book moves. In particular, picking the same seed in different runs guarantees that exactly the same openings will be picked. (If both engines use the book!) If you play without randomization, then the random generator is not used, and the option has no effect. For best-move-only selection there is nothing to randomize. (Unless two best moves are exactly equally good.) But of course all games would use the same opening line in that case, which sort of defeats the purpose of using a book. You might as well have played from that single opening line (the 'book PV').