Cheese 3.3.0 and new website

[Patrice Duhamel]

Cheese website has a new address : https://cheesechess.net/

I released version 3.3.0 :
https://cheesechess.net/en/download.html

Code: Select all

- add UCI searchmoves, and mate options
- add new uci option EngineLevel (from 1 to 22) replacing UCI_Elo if used
- add analyze option in command line
- add option to run self games in tuner and generate positions
- clear hashtable using multiple threads
- don't stop search when a mate is found
- allow multiple end search conditions
- don't add bestmove in history quiet move list 
- update to latest Fathom library
- fix 3.2.1 performance problems trying to reduce psqt size
- fix hashtable cleared twice at launch
- fix uci lmr and null move pruning initialization
- fix uci depth output for current move
- fix pawn storm evaluation
- improve passed pawns evaluation
- fix SyzygyProbeLimit and SyzygyProbeDepth inverted in config file
- fix aspiration window limits, and pv initialization
- fix depth search initialization in analysis benchmark and testsuite options
- optimizations in move generation and ordering
- clear pv only when needed in ybwc
- rewrite move parser, fen parser, add pgn parser
- generate Zobrist keys at compilation time using XorShiftStar
- generate KPK bitbases at launch

[Rowen]

Thanks for this. I've noticed that the Engine with Engine strength 1 seems to be playing at a high level, both against myself and against other engines, For instance it beat Fritz 8 in an engine game with level 1.Also beat Rybka 3. Although I am still using the Fritz 12 GUI.

[Patrice Duhamel]

Thanks for this. I've noticed that the Engine with Engine strength 1 seems to be playing at a high level, both against myself and against other engines, For instance it beat Fritz 8 in an engine game with level 1.Also beat Rybka 3. Although I am still using the Fritz 12 GUI.

You are right, I will fix this as soon as possible.
But UCI_Elo still works.

[Patrice Duhamel]

I released version 3.3.1
https://cheesechess.net/en/download.html

Code: Select all

- fix EngineStrength parameter not working in version 3.3.0
- fix initialization of fixed depth search
- don't stop search by nodes before finishing depth 1
- fix bitbases initialization using too much stack memory
- fix multipv not cleared before search

EngineStrength and UCI_Elo are used only when UCI_LimitStrength is set to true.
EngineStrength is used only when it is set to a value between 1 and 22, when EngineStrength = 23 (maximum value) UCI_Elo is used.

You can also choose between reducing the Speed (by default) or nodes, with LimitStrengthMode = speed or nodes

I'm trying to find other solutions to reduce engine strength at low level, because I can't reduce speed or nodes more.

[Rowen]

Engine strength at 1 still seems strong.Maybe not important as UCI_elo works.

[bastiball]

https://computerchess.org.uk/ccrl/404FR ... eese_3_3_0

[Patrice Duhamel]

Engine strength at 1 still seems strong.Maybe not important as UCI_elo works.

Do you see a difference between using EngineStrength = 1 or UCI_Elo = 800 ?
Please, tell me what GUI you are using, what time controls and what you are doing to test.

[Rowen]

Engine strength at 1 still seems strong.Maybe not important as UCI_elo works.

Do you see a difference between using EngineStrength = 1 or UCI_Elo = 800 ?
Please, tell me what GUI you are using, what time controls and what you are doing to test.

When playing against versions 3.3.0 and 3.3.1 using uci elo at 800 I am able to beat the engine easily. This is at a time control of 15 mins plus 10 seconds a move. My classical FIDE rating is 1650.
However using playing engine strength 1 I am not able to win a game and the different strength / style is obvious.

I then tested with some engine games, using strength 1 for cheese, against engine Fritz 6 and rybka 3 (at their full strength) at bullet, 1 minute each and both cheese versions won every game.

However as I previously said I am using Fritz 12 GUI which is quite old. So it seems at least for me that Uci elo is working but not engine strength. Not a Hugh problem as I can just use uci elo. Just thought you would like the feedback.

[Patrice Duhamel]

However as I previously said I am using Fritz 12 GUI which is quite old. So it seems at least for me that Uci elo is working but not engine strength. Not a Hugh problem as I can just use uci elo. Just thought you would like the feedback.

Thank you,

Normally, EngineStrength = 1 set ELO to 800.
If you set LimitStrengthMode to speed, the maximum speed should be around 50 nodes/s, and if you set
LimitStrengthMode to nodes the search should be limited to around 50 nodes.

If you have access to logfile.txt located in the same folder as cheese executable, (and you also copied cheese.ini
in this folder) then you should see something like this in this file :

Code: Select all

2025/07/18 08:37:09.863 GUI << setoption name UCI_LimitStrength value true
2025/07/18 08:37:09.863 INFO set engine strength to maximum
2025/07/18 08:37:17.807 GUI << setoption name EngineStrength value 1
2025/07/18 08:37:17.807 INFO use engine level instead of ELO settings
2025/07/18 08:37:17.807 INFO set engine strength to 800 ELO (50 node/s)

[Rowen]

However as I previously said I am using Fritz 12 GUI which is quite old. So it seems at least for me that Uci elo is working but not engine strength. Not a Hugh problem as I can just use uci elo. Just thought you would like the feedback.

Thank you,

Normally, EngineStrength = 1 set ELO to 800.
If you set LimitStrengthMode to speed, the maximum speed should be around 50 nodes/s, and if you set
LimitStrengthMode to nodes the search should be limited to around 50 nodes.

If you have access to logfile.txt located in the same folder as cheese executable, (and you also copied cheese.ini
in this folder) then you should see something like this in this file :

Code: Select all

2025/07/18 08:37:09.863 GUI << setoption name UCI_LimitStrength value true
2025/07/18 08:37:09.863 INFO set engine strength to maximum
2025/07/18 08:37:17.807 GUI << setoption name EngineStrength value 1
2025/07/18 08:37:17.807 INFO use engine level instead of ELO settings
2025/07/18 08:37:17.807 INFO set engine strength to 800 ELO (50 node/s)

Yes the engine strength value 1 is in the log file. But it still plays at a high level, I also tried it in Fritz 19 with the same result. But anyway I can always use UCI_elo. (The reason I prefer to not use uci_elo is that if playing a long classical training game , Fritz GUI doesnt allow the game to be saved , so I can return to it later. But if playing outside the UCI_elo, it does.

But anyway,Thank you for your time.