Generate EGTB with graphics cards?
Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 4:29 am
We have been working on EGTB generators for a while. One of the main problems beside the need of huge memory, is that those generators are always hungry for computing power, more CPUs/cores is better. One of idea we want to try is to use graphics cards for generating. AFAIK, a good graphics cards may have few hundreds or thousands simple CPUs (GPUs) and for simple / suitable tasks they are significantly faster than an expensive computer CPU with few-tens-cores.
From my experience, a generator has do to few simple tasks in very high frequency:
Using multi threads is not a problem either since the generator can easily divide work for any number of threads
Questions:
From my experience, a generator has do to few simple tasks in very high frequency:
- convert an index (a 64-bit integer) to a chess position and vise versa
- generate moves for a given position and/or check incheck
- get/set numbers from/to huge buffers
Using multi threads is not a problem either since the generator can easily divide work for any number of threads
Questions:
- Has anyone tried that idea (using graphics cards for Egtb generators)?
- Any potential problems? Say, GPUs are not good for processing integers / move generating / incheck? Latency too large between GPUs and memory? (I have almost no knowledge about GPUs)