Just wonderful ... what the programmer of SlowChess do!

[Frank Quisinsky]

Hi there,

the own GUI is great.
Very nice work with the most important settings and all runs perfectly wonderful for me.

- own bitbases
- own endgame nets
- syzygy support via the own GUI / WB / UCI mode
- WB / UCI support
- own book settings, I can delete the books and can added my own very easy.
- for eng-eng book should be in the same directory. I set the book to 0 with the own GUI because I am using for Shredder GUI the FEOBOS databases.

The Contempt settings are great.
I discussed for a while with Jonathan about Contempt.
I think the best solution is a contempt for the middlegame and for the endgame.
Avoid fast draws is the main problem ...

Standard UCI settings = Contempt 0
For the own GUI Jonathan added Contempt for middlegame = 12 and for Endgame = 4.

- config file for GUI, *.dft
- config file for WB *.dft

A very nice playing style and much more.

All that is a fantastic work!!
"clap enthusiastically"

For all this Jonathan get my private and old Winboard Award.


... comes from the older Winboard times!

The complete night I am sitting here with SlowChess ...
Need a bit quiet sleep but later ... I am fit ... SlowChess vs. Wasp on my second PC.

Jonathan ... have many thanks for this wonderful work.

Best
Frank

[AdminX]

Please let us know how the match turns out Frank. I played 2 quick 30 minute games and they do appear to be evenly matched. The 1st game was an Alekhine's defence, that is something I don't see everyday in computer chess.

[pgn]
[Event "banksia game"]
[Date "2020.11.24"]
[White "Remote Wasp 4.08"]
[Black "SlowChess Blitz 2.4"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[TimeControl "40/1800+1"]
[Time "07:57:01"]
[Termination "repetition"]
[ECO "B03"]
[Opening "Alekhine's defence"]

1. e4 {+0.24/27 59.4 310254041} Nf6 2. e5 {+0.50/27 43.7 275184751} Nd5
3. d4 {+0.61/26 70.3 429482986} d6 4. c4 {+0.53/25 55.5 351229887} Nb6
5. exd6 {+0.62/27 65.9 419863517; B03: Alekhine's defence, exchange variation} cxd6 6. Nf3 {+0.44/26 69.7 408115356} g6 {-0.40/24 41.1 158691604}
7. Be2 {+0.44/27 22.9 405110650} Bg4 {-0.24/26 91.2 426209366} 8. Be3 {+0.57/27 66.6 432661946} Bg7 {-0.44/26 0.0 246996345}
9. h3 {+0.48/28 58.2 379304717} Bxf3 {-0.28/24 20.6 78297116} 10. Bxf3 {+0.42/29 18.7 262501865} Nc6 {-0.28/27 33.2 196171306}
11. Na3 {+0.39/28 6.6 268887270} e6 {-0.23/31 45.9 197760801} 12. O-O {+0.33/28 59.1 385671284} d5 {-0.27/32 0.0 226149125}
13. c5 {+0.49/28 67.2 433898926} Nc8 {-0.36/28 54.6 172921742} 14. b4 {+0.44/30 0.1 349433253} a6 {-0.47/30 54.4 209280698}
15. Nc2 {+0.41/28 2.9 363586697} N8e7 {-0.48/29 51.6 210841829} 16. a4 {+0.49/28 5.0 353632367} Nf5 {-0.56/29 49.7 209756524}
17. b5 {+0.45/27 20.4 434566033} Na5 {-0.28/29 120.2 524779618} 18. Be2 {+0.64/29 0.1 741333860} O-O {-0.54/29 58.2 223369797}
19. bxa6 {+0.64/29 0.2 361769939} bxa6 {-0.47/29 94.9 358903875} 20. Rb1 {+0.62/30 0.3 593646503} Nc4 {-0.44/28 49.7 195405168}
21. Bxc4 {+0.61/28 67.7 422624702} dxc4 {-0.40/31 6.7 288967313} 22. Rb4 {+0.38/29 70.1 489986932} Qd5 {-0.52/31 52.2 194619495}
23. Qe2 {+0.72/30 20.0 496210808} a5 {-0.32/28 32.1 204827730} 24. Rxc4 {+0.83/30 18.8 355238262} Rac8 {-0.31/31 117.5 513793222}
25. Rd1 {+0.57/32 0.2 828832241} Rfd8 {-0.48/30 49.4 189412922} 26. Bg5 {+0.50/32 6.5 407296324} Nxd4 {-0.19/30 79.1 391184233}
27. Rcxd4 {+0.35/32 0.3 653235269} Qxg5 {-0.15/30 22.8 115240880} 28. h4 {+0.38/33 69.0 722942604} Qe7 {-0.02/32 49.4 175992265}
29. Rxd8+ {+0.36/32 12.9 482594614} Rxd8 {-0.02/33 12.2 121827903} 30. c6 {+0.26/31 54.1 464965336} Rxd1+ {-0.02/35 0.0 249765624}
31. Qxd1 {+0.23/31 67.4 453839948} Be5 {-0.01/36 0.0 312829950} 32. h5 {+0.16/30 67.5 564233610} gxh5 {-0.02/38 0.0 314780687}
33. Qxh5 {+0.55/30 75.3 657132286} Qc5 {-0.02/38 0.0 359374901} 34. g3 {+0.45/29 67.0 513312061} Kf8 {+0.00/31 43.4 215251212}
35. Ne1 {+0.27/28 82.6 647894715} f6 {+0.00/37 81.5 309261989} 36. Nd3 {+0.13/28 20.3 704185677} Qxc6 {+0.00/42 61.1 404171007}
37. Nxe5 {+0.00/29 11.8 318156571} fxe5 {+0.00/42 32.7 220921058} 38. Qxh7 {+0.00/30 52.5 445033998} Qxa4 {+0.00/37 96.9 445525299}
39. Qh8+ {+0.00/31 0.3 414506531} Ke7 {+0.00/43 96.3 485771133} 40. Qg7+ {+0.00/31 0.2 371100437} Kd6 {+0.00/44 97.1 401575329}
41. Qf8+ {+0.00/31 47.1 605616175} Kd7 {+0.00/46 0.0 226635737} 42. Qf7+ {+0.00/32 51.8 318440071} Kd8 {+0.00/46 0.0 264135545}
43. Qxe6 {+0.00/29 53.3 268451889} Qb4 {+0.00/47 0.0 277239700} 44. Qd5+ {+0.00/28 53.2 406560910} Kc8 {+0.00/50 0.0 306928515}
45. Qxe5 {+0.00/29 51.8 419596580} a4 {+0.00/40 53.0 349448934} 46. Qe6+ {+0.00/29 0.3 406855941} Kb7 {+0.00/38 53.0 15453847}
47. Kg2 {+0.00/29 54.9 275485579} a3 {+0.00/39 53.0 201104941} 48. g4 {+0.00/29 0.4 194591487} Qb2 {+0.00/39 28.7 206372131}
49. Qd7+ {+0.00/28 56.7 321117294} Kb6 {+0.00/38 49.0 293265201} 50. Qd6+ {+0.00/28 5.8 202610204} Ka7 {+0.00/43 53.8 201511043}
51. Qc5+ {+0.00/31 58.5 389087533} Kb8 {+0.00/43 0.0 571084601} 52. Qd6+ {+0.00/31 56.3 381326605} Ka7 {+0.00/45 55.6 307927721}
53. Qc5+ {+0.00/32 0.7 400355932} Kb8 {+0.00/43 53.5 498041193} 54. Qf8+ {+0.00/32 4.8 461572472} Kb7 {+0.00/44 50.9 366937179}
55. Qf7+ {+0.00/30 62.8 467278771} Ka6 {+0.00/47 0.0 393279196} 56. Qc4+ {+0.00/30 62.5 459243674} Kb6 {+0.00/48 0.0 401935681}
57. Qc8 {+0.00/32 62.7 459180490} Qd2 {+0.00/44 60.2 127154705} 58. Qe6+ {+0.00/30 62.9 424430380} Ka5 {+0.00/52 60.2 314399177}
59. g5 {+0.00/32 62.8 373347328} Qxg5+ {+0.00/62 60.2 227795608} 60. Kh1 {+0.00/25 31.5 27927597} Kb4 {+0.00/50 60.2 528785496}
61. Kh2 {+0.00/31 64.3 50277838} Qc5 {+0.00/50 45.3 447603164} 62. Kg2 {+0.00/30 64.3 63739117} Qc4 {+0.00/45 36.0 332136674}
63. Qe7+ {+0.00/33 64.5 51447953} Ka4 {+0.00/49 38.2 399007771} 64. Qa7+ {+0.00/35 64.6 65850557} Kb3 {+0.00/54 0.0 673502299}
65. Qb7+ {+0.00/99 0.2} Kc2 {+0.00/50 35.8 367286106} 66. Qh7+ {+0.00/99 0.2} Kb2 {+0.00/53 68.8 717496639}
67. Qg7+ {+0.00/99 0.2} Kb1 {+0.00/49 33.7 349847772} 68. Qg6+ {+0.00/99 0.3} Ka2 {+0.00/50 71.1 723983704}
69. Qd6 {+0.00/99 0.2} Kb3 {+0.00/46 71.5 499726094} 70. Qb6+ {+0.00/99 0.3} Kc3 {+0.00/44 30.5 314949848}
71. Qf6+ {+0.00/99 0.1} Qd4 {+0.00/41 75.1 322814964} 72. Qg5 {+0.00/99 0.2} Qe4+ {+0.00/41 75.1 37410743}
73. Kg1 {+0.00/99 0.2} Kb2 {+0.00/43 74.8 756517673} 74. Qg7+ {+0.00/99 0.2} Kc2 {+0.00/44 75.1 271631631}
75. Qa7 {+0.00/99 0.3} Qb4 {+0.00/35 55.4 528445754} 76. Qh7+ {+0.00/99 0.3} Kc3 {+0.00/37 78.2 83938258}
77. Qf7 {+0.00/99 0.2} Qe4 {+0.00/38 78.2 187296907} 78. Qc7+ {+0.00/99 0.3} Kb3 {+0.00/38 36.8 356697768}
79. Qb6+ {+0.00/99 0.2} Qb4 {+0.00/36 125.6 37125145} 80. Qg6 {+0.00/99 0.2} Kb2 {+0.00/40 75.1 728084709}
81. Qh5 {+0.00/99 0.2} Qe1+ {+0.00/38 47.1 294225484} 82. Kg2 {+0.00/99 0.2} Qe4+ {+0.00/40 46.9 429035865}
83. Kg1 {+0.00/99 0.2} Qe1+ {+0.00/42 46.8 473800026} 84. Kg2 {+0.00/99 0.3} Qe4+ {+0.00/41 46.8 461371478}
85. Kg1 {+0.00/99 0.2} Qe1+ {+0.00/43 46.9 452707921} 1/2-1/2
[/pgn]

[pgn]
[Event "banksia game"]
[Date "2020.11.24"]
[White "SlowChess Blitz 2.4"]
[Black "Remote Wasp 4.08"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[TimeControl "40/1800+1"]
[Time "09:14:24"]
[Termination "repetition"]
[ECO "B13"]
[Opening "Caro-Kann"]

1. e4 c6 2. c4 d5
3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 Nf6
5. Nc3 {B13: Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik attack} Nc6 6. Bg5 dxc4
7. Nf3 {-0.03/25 51.9 136357211} Bg4 8. Bxc4 {+0.20/25 84.3 131940915} e6
9. O-O {+0.12/27 80.0 230628394} h6 {-0.22/28 67.1 450845612} 10. Bxf6 {+0.17/29 0.0 182386367} Qxf6 {-0.22/29 53.8 386307868}
11. Be2 {+0.13/29 0.0 153957583} Bd6 {-0.17/27 85.9 594907277} 12. d5 {+0.14/28 0.0 247565171} exd5 {-0.26/28 52.8 370126806}
13. Nxd5 {+0.01/28 0.5 150921453} Qe6 {-0.14/28 52.2 368528194} 14. Ne3 {-0.01/27 2.9 158602095} Bxf3 {-0.14/28 49.9 367886730}
15. Bxf3 {+0.19/25 25.6 75555150} O-O {-0.14/27 27.5 368479850} 16. Qd5 {+0.12/25 30.6 174315238} Qf6 {-0.04/30 144.9 1078290485}
17. Ng4 {+0.06/29 61.4 118111681} Qg6 {-0.05/28 0.2 438730802} 18. Rad1 {+0.01/29 58.8 169817077} Bc7 {-0.03/27 27.2 616052126}
19. Ne3 {+0.02/31 31.8 168315517} Bb6 {+0.00/29 68.2 483924645} 20. Be4 {+0.00/32 0.0 197138869} Qf6 {+0.00/29 53.2 389398069}
21. Qb3 {+0.02/32 9.6 180824806} Qe7 {+0.00/29 43.7 369502925} 22. Bb1 {+0.02/30 68.5 152311653} Bxe3 {+0.00/31 54.0 415154345}
23. Qxe3 {+0.01/31 3.0 170030186} Qxe3 {+0.00/31 50.8 435437307} 24. fxe3 {+0.00/30 17.6 202310646} Ne5 {+0.00/30 36.4 450895766}
25. Be4 {+0.01/33 34.6 208362172} Rae8 {+0.00/30 66.2 558234656} 26. Bxb7 {+0.01/31 77.6 190532820} Rb8 {-0.03/32 0.1 642792031}
27. Bd5 {+0.02/32 72.8 222589790} Rxb2 {-0.11/30 0.2 619718935} 28. Rf2 {+0.02/31 72.7 219148602} Rxf2 {+0.00/32 62.6 485595769}
29. Kxf2 {+0.01/31 10.3 220888636} Rc8 {+0.00/31 52.1 466233010} 30. Bb3 {+2684354.55/29 0.7 160320793} Kh7 {+0.00/31 62.6 446562933}
31. Rd5 {+0.01/29 21.1 247553626} f6 {+0.00/32 63.7 454459449} 32. Rd1 {+0.00/31 25.4 262227943} Rc5 {+0.00/31 106.3 820693493}
33. h3 {+0.00/33 105.2 276082532} Kg6 {+0.00/33 59.6 536983369} 34. Rd4 {+0.01/27 69.4 211837819} Kg5 {+0.00/34 59.9 513745127}
35. Ra4 {+0.00/32 110.0 316361474} a5 {+0.00/33 59.9 346039366} 36. Ke2 {+0.00/35 35.4 298196980} h5 {+0.00/33 60.1 265776597}
37. Kd2 {+0.00/35 44.5 350008168} Kh6 {+0.00/33 88.4 595854695} 38. Rd4 {+0.00/33 141.1 433094329} Kg5 {+0.00/33 0.3 719208197}
39. Ra4 {+0.00/34 109.5 342693341} f5 {+0.00/33 0.2 570388990} 40. Rd4 {+0.00/33 153.8 445238022} g6 {+0.00/33 0.1 545564906}
41. h4+ {+0.00/32 49.9 140283248} Kh6 {+0.00/32 49.3 144826989} 42. e4 {+0.00/33 0.0 147361630} Ng4 {+0.00/28 49.3 96531016}
43. Bc2 {+0.00/31 51.2 143728377} f4 {+0.00/30 49.3 139766362} 44. Rd5 {+0.00/28 51.2 150532173} Rc7 {+0.00/30 0.3 91645495}
45. Bd3 {+0.00/33 115.1 287535251} a4 {+0.00/28 50.5 87827186} 46. Ra5 {+0.00/32 0.0 150785271} Rb7 {+0.00/28 50.4 54189258}
47. e5 {+0.00/30 50.8 132054889} Rb2+ {+0.00/26 0.2 23691018} 48. Kc1 {+0.00/29 47.0 154413633} Rxg2 {+0.00/25 52.2 36391874}
49. e6 {+0.00/31 0.0 162069083} Rg1+ {+0.00/26 52.0 41350227} 50. Kd2 {+0.00/34 0.0 163994789} Rg2+ {+0.00/26 51.9 33074089}
51. Kc1 {+0.00/32 0.6 174283544} Rg1+ {+0.00/27 52.3 32971577} 52. Kd2 {+0.00/34 1.8 176116954} Rg2+ {+0.00/27 50.3 25747714}
53. Kc1 {+0.00/35 5.6 178898449} 1/2-1/2
[/pgn]

[jstanback]

For the past few weeks I've been playing games between Wasp and SlowChess and SC is about 160 Elo better than the current Wasp in my testing. It's my favorite program to test against using Arena where I watch many of the games. It is extremely strong in the endgame, and very good at everything else.

John

[AdminX]

For the past few weeks I've been playing games between Wasp and SlowChess and SC is about 160 Elo better than the current Wasp in my testing. It's my favorite program to test against using Arena where I watch many of the games. It is extremely strong in the endgame, and very good at everything else.

John

I see your point, today I played another 2 (30 Minute) games with Slowchess having Black in both games and it outplayed Wasp Dev 4.08. Often times spotting advantages where Wasp felt the position was even.

[jonkr]

Thanks for the recognition!
I do think the download of a complete program (GUI + engine + opening book + bitbases/nets etc.) is a category where there is space for some strong programs. (Though I realize that even if SlowChess was 200 elo stronger most chess players would still want to analyze with or watch Stockfish & Leela because why not use the strongest available.)

Endgames for next version will be much more solid than in 2.4 even. I got inspired to keep the endgame training running on my second computer and it's now -15 elo to Stockfish 11 in the endgames.epd, I'm hoping it will catch up eventually. 2.4 was -36 elo to SF11 in endgames.epd if I remember right. I did watch some games on my computer vs Wasp recently, saw Slow twice misplay Q v 2R (+pawns) endgames, so covered those with an endgame net to fix it even though not quite as common as some others.

Now the positional/pawn structure and king safety that I once was happy with look like the weaker points, so when I'm more actively working on chess will see if any tuning/learning can be applied there. Also a better king safety might improve mate finding more which would be nice, I used to tune for mate-finding but haven't for a while.

[RubiChess]

Hi.

I hijack this thread to ask a question about using SlowChess:
I am used to start engines without using a GUI and do some command interaction in the colsole e.g. 'uci' to get the supported options or 'go infinite' to look at speed etc.
I failed to start SlowChess in console mode. I always get the integrated GUI and no console to input uci commands.
SlowChess obviously detects when it is started by another GUI and suppresses the buildin GUI in that case but how can I suppress builtin GUI?

Regards, Andreas

[jonkr]

The GUI creation is only done if nothing can be read from stdin, I think the check is like this :

Code: Select all

if (fgets(buf, sizeof(buf), stdin) == buf) { 
   // set uci or winboard mode
 }

I don't think the windows exe will work as standalone console though, only through another interface. Compile-side I have a CONSOLE_ONLY define that will function like expected, but have mainly just used it for linux (since the GUI-side is base on some old WIN32 code and not portable.)

[matejst]

I do think the download of a complete program (GUI + engine + opening book + bitbases/nets etc.) is a category where there is space for some strong programs. (Though I realize that even if SlowChess was 200 elo stronger most chess players would still want to analyze with or watch Stockfish & Leela because why not use the strongest available.)

I like SlowChess' GUI very much -- it is imho the most elegant out there -- and I would be tempted to use it if it had just a few options more.