Hi there,
different things to the still running Houdini 1.5 x64 test.
1.
Houdini 1.03a x64 crashed in 58 of 920 games the Shredder Classic 4.0 GUI with ponder = on (no problems with ponder = off).
Problem is solved with Houdini 1.5 x64.
No problems after the first 256 games with Houdini 1.5 x64.
2.
Houdini 1.03a x64 plays often to fast in ponder mode (after a ponder hit the moves comes directly). Often the reason that Houdini don't used the full time with 40 moves in 10 minutes.
Problem is to 95% solved.
I saw that in 3-4 games Houdini haven't enough time on the clock, 3-4 moves before the time control ended.
3.
Houdini is Houdini!
No changes in the playing style after my statistics. Very passive in the first moves after the openings. Same statistics Rybka / IvanHoe has.
After 256 games:
5 games won under 50 moves up to mate
0 games lost under 50 moves up to mate
Place 7 so far:
Clear on place 1 is Spark 1.0 by Allard Siemelink. Best engine for opening training, most aggressive.
The following engines have better results in this statistic as Rybka, IvanHoe or Houdini:
Spark, Hiarcs, Stockfish, Hannibal, Thinker and Junior!
I am sure that aggressive pawns are the reason for fast win games.
But a good king safty after the opening book moves compare to Spark.
4a.
Houdini is Houdini again ...
In other statistics too, no changes in the playing style. The 50 ELO comes after my statistics from a better endgame Houdini 1.5 has if I compare with Houdini 1.03a.
4b.
Houdini 1.5 plays a little bit more aggressive with knights / bishops ... same the Exp. settings of Rybka 4 do here.
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After all what I saw the programmer is working on his endgame and made the engine with knights / bishops more aggessive. Really easy to see that Houdini try that bishops and knights are on better positions. Also the rocks working fine in the middelgame. Directly set on open lines, Houdini try to switched pawns for open lines for the rocks.
Looks a litle bit compare to the good and old chess schoolbooks
Only to passiv with pawns after the book moves, because it seems that direclty after the opening book the engine try more to bring knights / bishops and rocks on better positions. Could be the reason why Spark, Stockfish, Hannibal, Thinker, Hiarcs and Junior plays more short win games.
Enough ...
Clear is, the SWCR have a new number 1.
Now the latest 750 games are to play.
If you like you can follow the results on the live table on my webpages. Sorry for my bad English.
Best
Frank