On-line engine blitz tourney September

[flok]

This is so great! The first time it actually won a game! And a draw.
I'm very happy.

And I have to thank you guys for your help. Especially my problems with null-moves.

[F. Bluemers]

The -zp ('zippy mode') option is essential; it tells XBoard it has to use BOTH an engine and connect to the ICS. The zippy code is not by default included in XBoard. It has to be switched on during the building process with an option to ./configure:

./configure --enable-zippy --with-gtk
make
sudo make install

Apparently the version distributed with Fedora has not been built this way. So I guess you would have to install a zippy-enabled XBoard from source.

Tried building using --with-gtk and the resulting binary gives me a blank window. Uninstalled and rebuilt without the --with-gtk option (uses Xll, Xaw) and same problem but there are at least some empty squares getting drawn on the blank window.

Any other suggestions?

As a test run the build as root,see also http://www.open-aurec.com:8080/wbforum/ ... 19&t=53300

[Daniel Anulliero]

This is so great! The first time it actually won a game! And a draw.
I'm very happy.

And I have to thank you guys for your help. Especially my problems with null-moves.

And Isa won against embla with some luck !
Good game !
See you next month!
I want ti say a great thanks to Hg who organize that every month!
This remind me the good old chesswar ' s time 😊
All the best
Dany

[JVMerlino]

Code: Select all

:Tourney Players: Round 9 of 9 
:
:     Name              Rating Score Perfrm Upset  Results 
:     ----------------- ------ ----- ------ ------ ------- 
:  1 +Texel             [2157]  7.5  [2218] [   0] +29w +02b +11w =03w =08b =05b +04w +09w +10b 
:  2 +EXchess           [1959]  7.0  [2008] [ 186] +26b -01w +23w +22b -05w +29b +14w +08w +04b 
:  3 -ChengRB           [2098]  6.5  [2128] [  29] +19w +15b +12w =01b +07w -04b -10w +05b +09w 
:  4 -Fizbo             [2064]  6.5  [2091] [  34] +22w +16b =05w +18w +11b +03w -01b +10b -02w 
:  5 -Rookie            [1899]  6.5  [2125] [ 691] +33w +07b =04b =08w +02b =01w +06b -03w +11b 
:  6 -FruitReload       [1973]  6.0  [1828] [   0] +25w -18b +22w -10w +19b +17b -05w +20w +14b 
:  7 +NightmareX        [2062]  5.5  [1966] [   0] +13w -05w +19b +15w -03b +08w -09b =11w +18b 
:  8 +ArasanX           [2040]  5.5  [1933] [  58] +23w +10w =18b =05b =01w -07b +15w -02b +21w
:  9 -Goldbar           [1972]  5.5  [1905] [  90] -21w +24b +13w +17b +29b =10w +07w -01b -03b 
: 10 +Almere            [1860]  5.5  [1918] [ 407] +34w -08b +26w +06b +18w =09b +03b -04w -01w 
: 11 +WaDuuttie         [2012]  5.0  [1946] [  25] +20w +17b -01b +16w -04w =15b +18w =07b -05w 
: 12 +NightmareA        [1971]  5.0  [1749] [   0] +30w +21b -03b -29w +13w -14b +19w =15b =16w 
: 13 +Spartacus         [1593]  5.0  [1729] [ 417] -07b +33w -09b +27w -12b +26w +16b -14w +24w 
: 14 +Laser             [   0]  5.0  [1767] [8051] -18w +25b -17w +20b +21w +12w -02b +13b -06w 
: 15 +rpiStockfish      [1948]  4.5  [1805] [  43] +27b -03w +20w -07b +23w =11w -08b =12w =19b 
: 16 +Bliep             [1916]  4.5  [1674] [  27] +32b -04w +21w -11b +26w -18b -13w +28b =12b
: 17 -Tornado           [1809]  4.5  [1740] [   0] +31b -11w +14b -09w +25b -06w +23w -18b =20w 
: 18 +Sillycon          [1717]  4.5  [1934] [ 708] +14b +06w =08w -04b -10b +16w -11b +17w -07w 
: 19 +rpiTogaII         [1622]  4.5  [1781] [ 216] -03b +27w -07w +30b -06w +28b -12b +23w =15w 
: 20 -Lozza             [1550]  4.5  [1714] [ 366] -11b +31w -15b -14w +33b +25w +29w -06b =17b 
: 21 +Zurichess         [1425]  4.5  [1769] [1092] +09b -12w -16b =28w -14b +22w +30b +29w -08b 
: 22 -Nemeton           [1608]  4.0  [1563] [  67] -04b +32w -06b -02w -28b -21b +31w +27b +33w 
: 23 +Joker             [1575]  4.0  [1616] [ 212] -08b +34w -02b +33w -15b +24w -17b -19b +28w 
: 24 +BitFoot           [1687]  3.5  [1439] [   0] =28w -09w -29b -26b +27w -23b +34b +25w -13b
: 25 -Schooner          [1512]  3.5  [1483] [  81] -06b -14w =28b +32b -17w -20b +33w -24b +30w 
: 26 +Barbarossa        [1396]  3.5  [1557] [ 439] -02w +30b -10b +24w -16b -13b -28w +34w =31b 
: 27 +Isa               [1323]  3.5  [1444] [ 393] -15w -19b +31w -13b -24b =30w +32b -22w +34b 
: 28 +KingSlayer        [   0]  3.5  [1511] [5315] =24b -29w =25w =21b +22w -19w +26b -16w -23b 
: 29 -Myrddin           [1662]  3.0  [1601] [ 347] -01b +28b +24w +12b -09w -02w -20b -21b -32w 
: 30 +microMax          [1405]  3.0  [1331] [ 135] -12b -26w +34b -19w =31w =27b -21w +32b -25b 
: 31 +SjaakIIx          [   0]  3.0  [1257] [3610] -17w -20b -27b +34w =30b -32w -22b +33b =26w 
: 32 -Abbess            [1214]  2.0  [1256] [ 909] -16w -22b -33b -25w -34b +31b -27w -30w +29b
: 33 +Skipper           [1163]  1.5  [1252] [  51] -05b -13b +32w -23b -20w =34w -25b -31w -22b 
: 34 +Embla             [1047]  1.5  [1210] [ 225] -10b -23b -30w -31b +32w =33b -24w -26b -27w 
:
:     Average Rating    1717.4 
:

After a few participants were suddenly hit by connection trouble Myrddin did not come back, and forfeited its last 3 games.

That's what I get for not being there. Too bad because it was doing pretty well until then.

[hgm]

Do you run WinBoard from a script with an infinite loop, so that it will automatically reconnect? If you are not there to supervise, this could be a good idea.

In fact I guess this would be a useful addition to WinBoard itself. Currently a disconnect (I/O error on the socket) will always cause a fatal error, which makes WinBoard exit. If an -icslogon file was given, it could as well try to reconnect on its own. Possily subject to a (volatile) option -autoReconnect. Or perhaps this should be a string option specifying a time, which would limit the time period during which reconnection would be attempted. You could then specify that for the duration of a tournament. Perhaps it should even automatically disconnect after this time expires.

[Maarten Claessens]

I like to share the game of WaDuuttie in the last round against Rookie.

[pgn]
[Event "ICS rated blitz match"]
[Site "winboard.nl"]
[Date "2015.09.19"]
[Round "9"]
[White "WaDuuttie"]
[Black "Rookie"]
[Result "0-1"]
[BlackElo "1914"]
[ECO "C49"]
[Opening "Four Knights"]
[Variation "Double Bishops, 6.d3"]
[WhiteElo "2012"]
[TimeControl "300+1"]
[Termination "normal"]
[PlyCount "172"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 Nd4 7. Nxd4 exd4
8. Ne2 c6 9. Ba4 Re8 10. Nxd4 {+0.30/14 6} d5 11. exd5 {+0.50/15 14} Bg4
12. f3 {+0.30/17 7} Bh5 13. Nxc6 {+0.32/16 6} bxc6 14. Bxc6 {+0.10/16 0.7}
Nxd5 15. Bxa8 {-0.30/18 6} Qxa8 16. a3 {-0.24/17 8} Bd6 17. Re1 {-0.14/17
14} Bc5+ 18. Kh1 {+0.10/18 5} Ne3 19. Bxe3 {+0.18/19 2.0} Bxe3 20. d4
{+0.40/19 5} f5 21. c4 {+0.32/18 4} Bg6 22. d5 {+0.66/18 5} f4 23. b4
{+0.82/19 14} Re5 24. d6 {+1.14/17 8} Bf5 25. Qa4 {+1.48/16 4} Qc8 26. c5
{+1.20/18 15} Bd7 27. Qxa7 {+1.40/19 7} Rh5 28. Ra2 {+1.40/19 0.6} Qe8 29.
Rf2 {0.00/21 20} Qd8 30. Ree2 {0.00/19 5} Bxf2 31. Rxf2 {0.00/21 1.4} Qh4
32. g3 {0.00/21 4} fxg3 33. Qxd7 {0.00/23 2.1} Re5 34. Qc8+ {0.00/24 1.2}
Kf7 35. Qd7+ {0.00/25 5} Kg6 36. Qg4+ {-1.80/22 28} Qxg4 37. fxg4 {-1.96/23
27} gxf2 38. Kg2 {-2.56/24 25} Kf6 39. Kxf2 {-2.56/19 3} Ke6 40. Kf3
{-2.68/20 4} Re1 41. g5 {-2.74/17 7} Ra1 42. Ke4 {-3.84/18 6} Rxa3 43. Kd4
{-6.12/19 1.8} Rh3 44. b5 {-7.20/22 10} Rxh2 45. Kc3 {-8.28/22 14} Rh5 46.
b6 {-8.76/20 1.9} Rxg5 47. Kc4 {-16.72/22 1.0} Rg1 48. Kb5 {-20.06/23 4}
Kd7 49. Kc4 {-26.50/21 1.1} Kc6 50. Kd4 {-26.55/21 1.6} Rd1+ 51. Ke5
{-26.60/17 1.8} Rd5+ 52. Ke6 {-26.66/19 1.5} Kxc5 53. d7 {-30.35/22 1.7}
Kxb6 54. Kxd5 {-99.55/37 13} Kc7 55. Ke6 {-99.61/36 5} Kd8 56. Kf5
{-99.63/35 0.9} h6 57. Kf4 {-99.63/26 0.7} Kxd7 58. Kg4 {-99.65/27 0.3} g6
59. Kf4 {-99.67/25 0.9} h5 60. Ke3 {-99.69/25 0.3} h4 61. Kf2 {-99.71/27
0.5} h3 62. Kg3 {-99.53/43 3} Ke6 63. Kxh3 {-99.55/44 0.5} Kf5 64. Kg3
{-99.57/44} Kg5 65. Kf3 {-99.59/44 0.3} Kh4 66. Kg2 {-99.61/43 0.1} Kg4 67.
Kh2 {-99.63/42} Kf3 68. Kh1 {-99.65/42 0.9} g5 69. Kg1 {-99.67/31 1.0} g4
70. Kh2 {-99.67/32 0.7} Kf2 71. Kh1 {-99.69/31 0.1} Kg3 72. Kg1 {-99.71/33}
Kh3 73. Kf2 {-99.73/33 0.4} g3+ 74. Kf1 {-99.75/32} Kh2 75. Ke2 {-99.77/33
0.6} g2 76. Kd3 {-99.79/33 0.5} g1=Q 77. Kc4 {-99.81/34 0.3} Qb6 78. Kc3
{-99.83/57} Qb5 79. Kd4 {-99.85/62} Qc6 80. Ke5 {-99.85/14 0.1} Qd7 81. Ke4
{-99.87/12} Kg2 82. Ke3 {-99.89/10} Qd5 83. Kf4 {-99.91/62} Qe6 84. Kg5
{-99.93/62} Kg3 85. Kh5 {-99.95/62} Kf4 86. Kh4 {-99.97/62} Qh6# {WaDuuttie
checkmated} 0-1
[/pgn]
In this position with imbalanced material WaDuuttie played Ree2 ?? and lost quickly.
[D] 3q2k1/Q2b2pp/3P4/2P4r/1P3p2/P3bP2/5RPP/4R2K w - - 5 30
A by far better reply seems to be g4. Rxe3 is worse. What do other engines calculate?

[JVMerlino]

Do you run WinBoard from a script with an infinite loop, so that it will automatically reconnect? If you are not there to supervise, this could be a good idea.

In fact I guess this would be a useful addition to WinBoard itself. Currently a disconnect (I/O error on the socket) will always cause a fatal error, which makes WinBoard exit. If an -icslogon file was given, it could as well try to reconnect on its own. Possily subject to a (volatile) option -autoReconnect. Or perhaps this should be a string option specifying a time, which would limit the time period during which reconnection would be attempted. You could then specify that for the duration of a tournament. Perhaps it should even automatically disconnect after this time expires.

You're absolutely correct. I did set up that loop when Myrddin was in a tournament on ICC on a different computer several years ago, just as a precautionary measure, but I forgot to do that for your server.

But I'm still not sure what went wrong. Everything has worked so smoothly for years using Myrddin with Winboard that I don't even generate log files any more.

Well, anyway, hopefully the loop will prevent further problems. Sorry if this created any headaches for you.

On a lighter note, Myrddin's win over Nightmare was rather strange. Here's the position right after Myrddin left book.

[D]r3k1r1/p1qbnp1Q/p1n1p3/3pP3/5B2/P1p2N2/2P2PPP/R3KB1R w KQq - 0 14

Most engines give White at least a +1.5 advantage here. Nightmare must have huge bonuses for passers because in this position, instead of developing the kingside bishop like every other engine I tested, it uses it next THREE moves to push the h-pawn all the way to h6, giving Myrddin time to generate a nice queenside attack.

Here's the full game:
[pgn]
[Event "ICS Rated blitz match"]
[Site "winboard.nl"]
[Date "2015.09.20"]
[Round "-"]
[White "NightmareA"]
[Black "Myrddin"]
[Result "*"]
[WhiteElo "1957"]
[BlackElo "1676"]
[TimeControl "300+1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Ba5 6. b4 cxd4 7. Qg4 Ne7 8.
bxa5 dxc3 9. Qxg7 Rg8 10. Qxh7 Nbc6 11. Nf3 Qc7 12. Bf4 Bd7 13. a6 bxa6 14.
h4 Qa5 15. h5 Nb4 16. h6 Rf8 17. Rc1 Qxa3 18. Qg7 Nf5 19. Qf6 Qa4 20. Kd1
Nxc2 21. Rxc2 Qe4 22. Qg5 Ba4 23. Ne1 Nd4 24. Bd3 Bxc2+ 25. Bxc2 Qe2+ 26.
Kc1 Rb8 27. Qg3 Rb3 28. Qd3 Ra3 29. Qxe2 Nxe2+ 30. Kd1 Nxf4 31. g3 Ra1+ 32.
Bb1 Ng6 33. Kc1 Nxe5 34. f4 Ng4 35. Nc2 Nf2 36. Nxa1 Nxh1 37. g4 Nf2 38. g5
Ke7 39. Nb3 Nh3 40. Bd3 Nxf4 41. Bxa6 Rg8 42. h7 Rh8 43. Kc2 e5 44. Kxc3
Rxh7 45. Nd2 Rh5 46. g6 Nxg6 47. Kb4 Kd6 48. Nf3 f5 49. Bb5 Nf4 50. Ba6 Ne6
51. Bc8 Nc5 52. Ne1 Rh4+ 53. Ka3 Rf4 54. Nc2 Kc7 55. Nb4 Rxb4 56. Bxf5 Rb3+
57. Ka2 d4 58. Be6 d3 59. Bc4 e4 60. Bxb3 Nxb3 61. Kxb3 e3 62. Kc3 d2 63.
Kc2 a5 64. Kd1 a4 65. Ke2 a3 66. Kd1 a2 67. Ke2 a1=Q 68. Kxe3 d1=Q 69. Kf4
Qe2 70. Kf5 Qae5+ 71. Kg6 Q2h5#
[/pgn]

jm

[zd3nik]

The -zp ('zippy mode') option is essential; it tells XBoard it has to use BOTH an engine and connect to the ICS. The zippy code is not by default included in XBoard. It has to be switched on during the building process with an option to ./configure:

./configure --enable-zippy --with-gtk
make
sudo make install

Apparently the version distributed with Fedora has not been built this way. So I guess you would have to install a zippy-enabled XBoard from source.

Tried building using --with-gtk and the resulting binary gives me a blank window. Uninstalled and rebuilt without the --with-gtk option (uses Xll, Xaw) and same problem but there are at least some empty squares getting drawn on the blank window.

Any other suggestions?

As a test run the build as root,see also http://www.open-aurec.com:8080/wbforum/ ... 19&t=53300

Running it as root does indeed work. I'll take a close look at the forum thread you provided.

Thanks!

[hgm]

But I'm still not sure what went wrong. Everything has worked so smoothly for years using Myrddin with Winboard that I don't even generate log files any more.

There seemed to be in internet glitch somewhere: several participants suddenly lost connection simultaneously, and those that came back suffered the same fate several times in the 5-minutes or so that followed. Others were not affected at all, and the remainder of the evening there were no problems at all.

[mvk]

In this position with imbalanced material WaDuuttie played Ree2 ?? and lost quickly.
[D] 3q2k1/Q2b2pp/3P4/2P4r/1P3p2/P3bP2/5RPP/4R2K w - - 5 30
A by far better reply seems to be g4. Rxe3 is worse. What do other engines calculate?

Rookie was pondering on 30. Rxe3 at +1.4 for black when you played Ree2

Code: Select all

Sat Sep 19 23:23:36 2015:DEBUG:engine->icsdrone: 21 138 367 25974102 (Rxe3) fxe3, Re2 Rd5, Re1 Rd2, c6 Bxc6, Qxe3 Qxd6, Kg1 Ba4, Qe4 Qb6+, Qe3 Qxe3+, Rxe3 Ra2, Rc3 Kf7, Rc5 Rxa3, b5 Rb3\012

After Ree2 the score jumped to +2.1

After forcing 30. g4 it thinks that is indeed better for white. On my laptop, 1 core:

Code: Select all

  time ply  score variation
  56.2  19 +0.940 1... fxg3 2. Rg2 Bf2 3. Re7 Qf8 4. Qb7 Bh3 5. f4 Bxg2+ 6.
                  Kxg2 Rxh2+ 7. Kf3 g2 8. Rxg7+ Qxg7 9. Qxg7+ Kxg7 10. Kxf2
                  Kf6 11. Kg1 Rh4 12. Kxg2 Rxf4
 102.3  20 +0.063 1... fxg3 2. Rg2 Bf2 3. Re7 Qf8 4. Qb7 Bh3 5. f4 Bxg2+ 6.
                  Kxg2 Rxh2+ 7. Kf3 g2 8. Rxg7+ Qxg7 9. Qxg7+ Kxg7 10. Kxf2
                  Kf6 11. Kg1 Rh1+ 12. Kxg2 Rd1 13. b5 Ke6
 170.8  21 +0.340 1... fxg3 2. Rg2 Bf2 3. Re7 Qf8 4. Qb7 Bh3 5. f4 Bxg2+ 6.
                  Kxg2 Rxh2+ 7. Kf3 g2 8. Rxg7+ Qxg7 9. Qxg7+ Kxg7 10. Kxf2
                  Kf6 11. Kg1 Rh4 12. Kxg2 Ke6 13. Kg3 Rh1

But strange enough, it doesn't find that before g4 is played: then it sticks to Rxe3 instead. Those reductions.