Houdini 1.5 with Large Page support and 8-cores for w32

[Houdini]

I've now corrected the inadvertently disabled large page support in Houdini 1.5, and, at popular request, also increased the maximum number of threads for the 32-bit version to 8.

The dowload package that is available at http://www.cruxis.com/chess/houdini.htm contains these 2 changes:
- large page support (works both in 64-bit and 32-bit Windows)
- 32-bit version with support of up to 8 cores instead of 4

If you don't need large page support or 32-bit 8-cores version, there is no reason to download the new files. The new engines produce *exactly* the same output as the old.

For the large page support, there is a hidden command "lp" that will show you how much large page memory is available in different sizes.
Simply run the engine by double-clicking on the executable, then enter the command lp. This will produce for example the following output:

Code: Select all

Houdini 1.5 x64
(c) 2010 Robert Houdart

info string POPCNT available
info string 128 MB Large Page Hash
lp
=======================================================
Large page size 2 MB: 1382 allocated
Large page size 4 MB: 663 allocated
Large page size 8 MB: 325 allocated
Large page size 16 MB: 159 allocated
Large page size 32 MB: 77 allocated
Large page size 64 MB: 36 allocated
Large page size 128 MB: 17 allocated
Large page size 256 MB: 8 allocated
Large page size 512 MB: 4 allocated
Large page size 1024 MB: 2 allocated
Large page size 2048 MB: 1 allocated
Large page size 4096 MB: 0 allocated
=======================================================
setoption name hash value 2048
info string 2048 MB Large Page Hash

In this example on a 8 GB server immediately after reboot there is nearly 3 GB of large pages available. The results show that the maximum large page hash is 2048 MB.

I've done some speed comparisons:
- For 512 MB hash on 32-bit there is 4% speed-up because of the large pages.
- For 2048 MB hash on 64-bit there is 8% speed-up.
Not really a big deal, but why not...

Robert

[Nimzovik]

Thanks !!

[MikeB]

Robert ,

I commend you on your creation "Houdini" - a remarkable (and strong) chess program and also the fact that you make it freely available.

Can your share with us how you first got involved with Chess programming, your programming expertise , and other programs that you have programmed besides chess?

Best regards,

Mike

[Sylwy]

Thanks Robert !

Now all is OK !

S

[Houdini]

Can your share with us how you first got involved with Chess programming, your programming expertise , and other programs that you have programmed besides chess?

Mike,

I started programming in 1982, on a ZX-81. Since that time I've always been programming, as I seem to have a particular talent for computer algorithms. I've used various languages including Basic, Fortran, C, C++, Pascal, Lisp, Z80 assembler, 68000 assembler and x86 assembler.

Some of my professional work is public:
- EditPipe (nuclear piping analysis) between 1995 and 1999, see http://www.dst.ch/peps.htm
- eLink (web-based CRM application) between 2002 and 2005, see http://www.nextapplication.com
- Efficy (web-based CRM application) between 2005 and 2008, see http://www.efficy.com

My first encounter with computer chess was with Richard Lang's Psion Chess on the Sinclair QL (1984?). I was very impressed by its inner workings, and later learned the theoretical side from the 1987 book "Schaken voor computers" (Chess for computers) by Peter van Diepen and Jaap van den Herik. Since that time have been intermittently reading and writing computer chess stuff.

I started playing chess in 1983, and have played competitive chess until about 2000 with a peak rating of 2280. My being a reasonably strong player helps a lot in developing Houdini.

I guess I've talked about myself enough now, don't want to bore you any further .

[AdminX]

Can your share with us how you first got involved with Chess programming, your programming expertise , and other programs that you have programmed besides chess?

Mike,

I started programming in 1982, on a ZX-81. Since that time I've always been programming, as I seem to have a particular talent for computer algorithms. I've used various languages including Basic, Fortran, C, C++, Pascal, Lisp, Z80 assembler, 68000 assembler and x86 assembler.

Some of my professional work is public:
- EditPipe (nuclear piping analysis) between 1995 and 1999, see http://www.dst.ch/peps.htm
- eLink (web-based CRM application) between 2002 and 2005, see http://www.nextapplication.com
- Efficy (web-based CRM application) between 2005 and 2008, see http://www.efficy.com

My first encounter with computer chess was with Richard Lang's Psion Chess on the Sinclair QL (1984?). I was very impressed by its inner workings, and later learned the theoretical side from the 1987 book "Schaken voor computers" (Chess for computers) by Peter van Diepen and Jaap van den Herik. Since that time have been intermittently reading and writing computer chess stuff.

I started playing chess in 1983, and have played competitive chess until about 2000 with a peak rating of 2280. My being a reasonably strong player helps a lot in developing Houdini.

I guess I've talked about myself enough now, don't want to bore you any further .

Robert,

Would that be a "Timex Sinclair ZX81"? That was the 1st PC I ever owned. The 1st I ever played with was a "Radio Shack TRS-80". These were back in the days when I learn most about programming from magazines like BYTE.

Ted

[Houdini]

Ted,

Yes, a Sinclair ZX-81 (don't know about the Timex part), a small black box with lousy keyboard and only 1 kilobyte of RAM - including the video memory!
Amazing days .

[AdminX]

Ted,

Yes, a Sinclair ZX-81 (don't know about the Timex part), a small black box with lousy keyboard and only 1 kilobyte of RAM - including the video memory!
Amazing days .

Yes that's it. It was called a Timex Sinclair ZX81 here in the US when I 1st bought it. Amazing days indeed.

[gerold]

Can your share with us how you first got involved with Chess programming, your programming expertise , and other programs that you have programmed besides chess?

Mike,

I started programming in 1982, on a ZX-81. Since that time I've always been programming, as I seem to have a particular talent for computer algorithms. I've used various languages including Basic, Fortran, C, C++, Pascal, Lisp, Z80 assembler, 68000 assembler and x86 assembler.

Some of my professional work is public:
- EditPipe (nuclear piping analysis) between 1995 and 1999, see http://www.dst.ch/peps.htm
- eLink (web-based CRM application) between 2002 and 2005, see http://www.nextapplication.com
- Efficy (web-based CRM application) between 2005 and 2008, see http://www.efficy.com

My first encounter with computer chess was with Richard Lang's Psion Chess on the Sinclair QL (1984?). I was very impressed by its inner workings, and later learned the theoretical side from the 1987 book "Schaken voor computers" (Chess for computers) by Peter van Diepen and Jaap van den Herik. Since that time have been intermittently reading and writing computer chess stuff.

I started playing chess in 1983, and have played competitive chess until about 2000 with a peak rating of 2280. My being a reasonably strong player helps a lot in developing Houdini.

I guess I've talked about myself enough now, don't want to bore you any further .

Solid work history. I think we could of used you in the Gulf coast
a few months ago.

Good luck,
Gerold.

P.S. Thanks for the great program. I Have been testing Houdini
without a book. You may not believe the results i have been getting
VS. other top engines. Houdini is out of site of all top programs.

[MikeB]

Can your share with us how you first got involved with Chess programming, your programming expertise , and other programs that you have programmed besides chess?

Mike,

I started programming in 1982, on a ZX-81. Since that time I've always been programming, as I seem to have a particular talent for computer algorithms. I've used various languages including Basic, Fortran, C, C++, Pascal, Lisp, Z80 assembler, 68000 assembler and x86 assembler.

Some of my professional work is public:
- EditPipe (nuclear piping analysis) between 1995 and 1999, see http://www.dst.ch/peps.htm
- eLink (web-based CRM application) between 2002 and 2005, see http://www.nextapplication.com
- Efficy (web-based CRM application) between 2005 and 2008, see http://www.efficy.com

My first encounter with computer chess was with Richard Lang's Psion Chess on the Sinclair QL (1984?). I was very impressed by its inner workings, and later learned the theoretical side from the 1987 book "Schaken voor computers" (Chess for computers) by Peter van Diepen and Jaap van den Herik. Since that time have been intermittently reading and writing computer chess stuff.

I started playing chess in 1983, and have played competitive chess until about 2000 with a peak rating of 2280. My being a reasonably strong player helps a lot in developing Houdini.

I guess I've talked about myself enough now, don't want to bore you any further .

Thanks for your response - very impressive indeed.