Komodo 12.3 is out

[MikeB]

Yes, we released 12.3 this morning at Komodochess.com, which is free to subscribers and to purchasers of 12.2 since there were still some bugs unfixed by 12.2.2. It is virtually the same version now playing in division one of TCEC, and is an improved version of the one looking likely to qualify for the next stage of CCC. We have added support for seven man Syzygy Tablebases to both regular and MCTS Komodo 12.3. Although the full set of seven man bases is too large for most people to download and store, a majority of the benefit can be had from just the two most common endings, which are easily downloaded and stored on SSD.
Normal Komodo has been improved by just a few elo (aside from 7 man Syzygy) by revised contempt, revised time management, and speedups. But Komodo MCTS has been improved quite a bit since 12.2.2, about thirty elo in blitz games on single thread, from improved time management (especially for repeating time controls) and improved move selection criteria. We have also fixed bugs and found improvements to MCTS MP, so the gains on four threads exceed fifty elo and on machines averaging about 15 threads exceed seventy elo! This is all on top of the enormous gains made between 12.1.1 and 12.2.2 MCTS. Also please note that although 12.3 MCTS is still nearly a hundred elo below normal 12.3, it can already defeat 12.3 if both are in MultiPV = 2 (or more) mode. For this reason, I have switched to using the MCTS version myself when analyzing games or openings.
In blitz matches on four threads Komodo 12.3 MCTS came out ahead against Ethereal 11.00, Stockfish 6, and Komodo 9.2, which average nearly 3400 on CCRL four cpu 40/4 list, while losing by about 15 elo to the higher-rated Fire 7.1, so we expect 12.3 MCTS to top 3400 on CCRL 40/4 and to earn whatever ratings are equivalent on other lists. There are no known bugs in 12.3 so we encourage rating lists to test the MCTS version at least, especially on multiple threads.
Regarding the future, given that Komodo MCTS has been progressing at about ten times the rate of normal Komodo, it does not take a computer scientist to predict that it will become our flagship version in 2019, although this is not guaranteed. Version 12.3 will probably be the last one that combines regular and MCTS Komodo, they will soon become distinct programs, although subscribers will still get both. My personal view is that the future looks very bright for Komodo MCTS, as it is still in its infancy or perhaps early childhood.

+1 nice work Larry and Mark - impressive gains. MCTS does appear to be the way to go...

[duncan]

Yes, we released 12.3 this morning at Komodochess.com, which is free to subscribers and to purchasers of 12.2 since there were still some bugs unfixed by 12.2.2. It is virtually the same version now playing in division one of TCEC, and is an improved version of the one looking likely to qualify for the next stage of CCC. We have added support for seven man Syzygy Tablebases to both regular and MCTS Komodo 12.3. Although the full set of seven man bases is too large for most people to download and store, a majority of the benefit can be had from just the two most common endings, which are easily downloaded and stored on SSD.
Normal Komodo has been improved by just a few elo (aside from 7 man Syzygy) by revised contempt, revised time management, and speedups. But Komodo MCTS has been improved quite a bit since 12.2.2, about thirty elo in blitz games on single thread, from improved time management (especially for repeating time controls) and improved move selection criteria. We have also fixed bugs and found improvements to MCTS MP, so the gains on four threads exceed fifty elo and on machines averaging about 15 threads exceed seventy elo! This is all on top of the enormous gains made between 12.1.1 and 12.2.2 MCTS. Also please note that although 12.3 MCTS is still nearly a hundred elo below normal 12.3, it can already defeat 12.3 if both are in MultiPV = 2 (or more) mode. For this reason, I have switched to using the MCTS version myself when analyzing games or openings.
In blitz matches on four threads Komodo 12.3 MCTS came out ahead against Ethereal 11.00, Stockfish 6, and Komodo 9.2, which average nearly 3400 on CCRL four cpu 40/4 list, while losing by about 15 elo to the higher-rated Fire 7.1, so we expect 12.3 MCTS to top 3400 on CCRL 40/4 and to earn whatever ratings are equivalent on other lists. There are no known bugs in 12.3 so we encourage rating lists to test the MCTS version at least, especially on multiple threads.

Regarding the future, given that Komodo MCTS has been progressing at about ten times the rate of normal Komodo, it does not take a computer scientist to predict that it will become our flagship version in 2019, although this is not guaranteed. Version 12.3 will probably be the last one that combines regular and MCTS Komodo, they will soon become distinct programs, although subscribers will still get both. My personal view is that the future looks very bright for Komodo MCTS, as it is still in its infancy or perhaps early childhood.

Great news. thanks.

[Hurnavich]

I have always liked Komodo engine and hope it continues to do well but this time i decided to give it a miss first time since many years.
I wish the K team all the best perhaps in a few updates i may revisit it.

[S.Taylor]

Yes, we released 12.3 this morning at Komodochess.com, which is free to subscribers and to purchasers of 12.2 since there were still some bugs unfixed by 12.2.2. It is virtually the same version now playing in division one of TCEC, and is an improved version of the one looking likely to qualify for the next stage of CCC. We have added support for seven man Syzygy Tablebases to both regular and MCTS Komodo 12.3. Although the full set of seven man bases is too large for most people to download and store, a majority of the benefit can be had from just the two most common endings, which are easily downloaded and stored on SSD.
Normal Komodo has been improved by just a few elo (aside from 7 man Syzygy) by revised contempt, revised time management, and speedups. But Komodo MCTS has been improved quite a bit since 12.2.2, about thirty elo in blitz games on single thread, from improved time management (especially for repeating time controls) and improved move selection criteria. We have also fixed bugs and found improvements to MCTS MP, so the gains on four threads exceed fifty elo and on machines averaging about 15 threads exceed seventy elo! This is all on top of the enormous gains made between 12.1.1 and 12.2.2 MCTS. Also please note that although 12.3 MCTS is still nearly a hundred elo below normal 12.3, it can already defeat 12.3 if both are in MultiPV = 2 (or more) mode. For this reason, I have switched to using the MCTS version myself when analyzing games or openings.
In blitz matches on four threads Komodo 12.3 MCTS came out ahead against Ethereal 11.00, Stockfish 6, and Komodo 9.2, which average nearly 3400 on CCRL four cpu 40/4 list, while losing by about 15 elo to the higher-rated Fire 7.1, so we expect 12.3 MCTS to top 3400 on CCRL 40/4 and to earn whatever ratings are equivalent on other lists. There are no known bugs in 12.3 so we encourage rating lists to test the MCTS version at least, especially on multiple threads.
Regarding the future, given that Komodo MCTS has been progressing at about ten times the rate of normal Komodo, it does not take a computer scientist to predict that it will become our flagship version in 2019, although this is not guaranteed. Version 12.3 will probably be the last one that combines regular and MCTS Komodo, they will soon become distinct programs, although subscribers will still get both. My personal view is that the future looks very bright for Komodo MCTS, as it is still in its infancy or perhaps early childhood.

This is good and exciting news.
But i hope the elo increase will still be +5 elo per month, for the past 3 years, so that it would be 240 elo more in 2019 than it was in 2015.

Now thay i/we have waited so long, for the monthly 5 elo to add up, i will be very satisfied with that, if it means that 240 is increased since 2015, by 2019.

[lkaufman]

Yes, we released 12.3 this morning at Komodochess.com, which is free to subscribers and to purchasers of 12.2 since there were still some bugs unfixed by 12.2.2. It is virtually the same version now playing in division one of TCEC, and is an improved version of the one looking likely to qualify for the next stage of CCC. We have added support for seven man Syzygy Tablebases to both regular and MCTS Komodo 12.3. Although the full set of seven man bases is too large for most people to download and store, a majority of the benefit can be had from just the two most common endings, which are easily downloaded and stored on SSD.
Normal Komodo has been improved by just a few elo (aside from 7 man Syzygy) by revised contempt, revised time management, and speedups. But Komodo MCTS has been improved quite a bit since 12.2.2, about thirty elo in blitz games on single thread, from improved time management (especially for repeating time controls) and improved move selection criteria. We have also fixed bugs and found improvements to MCTS MP, so the gains on four threads exceed fifty elo and on machines averaging about 15 threads exceed seventy elo! This is all on top of the enormous gains made between 12.1.1 and 12.2.2 MCTS. Also please note that although 12.3 MCTS is still nearly a hundred elo below normal 12.3, it can already defeat 12.3 if both are in MultiPV = 2 (or more) mode. For this reason, I have switched to using the MCTS version myself when analyzing games or openings.
In blitz matches on four threads Komodo 12.3 MCTS came out ahead against Ethereal 11.00, Stockfish 6, and Komodo 9.2, which average nearly 3400 on CCRL four cpu 40/4 list, while losing by about 15 elo to the higher-rated Fire 7.1, so we expect 12.3 MCTS to top 3400 on CCRL 40/4 and to earn whatever ratings are equivalent on other lists. There are no known bugs in 12.3 so we encourage rating lists to test the MCTS version at least, especially on multiple threads.
Regarding the future, given that Komodo MCTS has been progressing at about ten times the rate of normal Komodo, it does not take a computer scientist to predict that it will become our flagship version in 2019, although this is not guaranteed. Version 12.3 will probably be the last one that combines regular and MCTS Komodo, they will soon become distinct programs, although subscribers will still get both. My personal view is that the future looks very bright for Komodo MCTS, as it is still in its infancy or perhaps early childhood.

This is good and exciting news.
But i hope the elo increase will still be +5 elo per month, for the past 3 years, so that it would be 240 elo more in 2019 than it was in 2015.

Now thay i/we have waited so long, for the monthly 5 elo to add up, i will be very satisfied with that, if it means that 240 is increased since 2015, by 2019.

I don't think that we can continue to gain five elo per month with regular Komodo. But we have been averaging close to fifty elo per month with MCTS, so even if this drops to something reasonable like twenty per month, after a year everyone should be happy!

[Jesse Gersenson]

It's a tremendous pleasure watching you two progress on MC.

[Leo]

I am fired up about Monte Carlo search and hope they take it to the top.

[Leo]

Don't mind him Dann. I have never seen more negative person than Shrapnel. He always keeps whinning how Komodo is bad engine, but would like to get it for free if he could.

lol

[leavenfish]

Also please note that although 12.3 MCTS is still nearly a hundred elo below normal 12.3, it can already defeat 12.3 if both are in MultiPV = 2 (or more) mode. For this reason, I have switched to using the MCTS version myself when analyzing games or openings.
"Version 12.3 will probably be the last one that combines regular and MCTS Komodo, they will soon become distinct programs, although subscribers will still get both. My personal view is that the future looks very bright for Komodo MCTS, as it is still in its infancy or perhaps early childhood".

THIS...might just convince me to subscribe once again!

As I use Komodo 11.3.2 (or other engines) ONLY for analyzing games or openings I am curious as to how you or others do this. Stockfish 10 really isn't that suitable for such things as far as I can see.

I've an ordinary Desktop i7-6700 @3.4GHz with 16 GB RAM...like to use this computer for some minor things while analyzing over the course of an evening, so I generally limit engines under Chessbase 15 to 2 threads, 2-3 Multi-PV.

I do not remember seeing on the Komodo website (have not visited it in a while) anything about how to get the most out of Komodo MCTS for game or opening analysis...do you or anyone else have some tips or could you point me somewhere which would be of assistance?

Thanks!

[lkaufman]

It's a tremendous pleasure watching you two progress on MC.

Thanks. It is probably not a coincidence that this MC progress took place since you built the new tester for us!