Duck Chess

[hgm]

Well, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the connection part: the connection is confirmed, and you get to see all the feature commands the engine (or actually uci2wb on the other machine) sends.

But after the loading sequence completes, XBoard sends 'quit' instead of starting a game, and this closes the connection (as it should). Then it loads the engine again, and the same thing repeats several time. The 'quit' command is often preceded by the debug output GameEnds(...), which indicates XBoard wanted to terminate the game (before any moves were made) that started with the 'new' command.

I have no idea why it immediately terminates the games. It could have to do something with the fact that the 'new' command is not immediately followed by a command 'variant duck', like it should be in a Duck-Chess game. This suggest you are trying to play a game in variant normal. But the 'variants' command from the engine only lists 'duck' as the variant it can play. So I an imagine that XBoard perceives this as an error, and aborts the intended game because of that.

[rgrosz789]

I have not figured out how to specify -variant duck when using connect on a remote PC.

The mayhem duck chess engines that I am using ONLY play duck chess.

[hgm]

Like always: tell XBoard you want to play Duck Chess before you let it load the engine. Either by already using -variant duck in the command used to start XBoard, or by starting it without or with another engine, and using the New Variant menu item for selecting Duck Chess, and only then load mayhemduck (or the corresponding connect) or start a tourney.

[rgrosz789]

I tried using
xboard -debug -variant duck

Then I loaded engines on two different machines. This only worked once for me. The rest of the time I either get "unable to connect" or "second engine does not play this". Here is the xboard.debug output:

locale = en_US.UTF-8
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
shuffleOpenings = 0
shuffleOpenings = 0
Version: xboard 4.9.1 + fairymax ()
Reset(1, 0) from gameMode 0
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
GameEnds(0, (null), 2)
shuffleOpenings = 0
StartChildProcess (dir=".") fairymax
272 >first : xboard
protover 2
325 <first : tellics say Fairy-Max 5.0b
325 <first : tellics say by H.G. Muller
326 <first : feature myname="Fairy-Max 5.0b"
326 >first : accepted myname
326 <first : feature memory=1 exclude=1
326 >first : accepted memory
326 >first : accepted exclude
326 <first : feature setboard=0 xedit=1 ping=1 done=0
326 >first : accepted setboard
326 >first : accepted xedit
326 >first : accepted ping
326 >first : accepted done
326 <first : feature variants="normal,nocastle,shatranj,asean,makruk,cambodian,ai-wok,courier,knightmate,capablanca,gothic,janus,falcon,cylinder,berolina,super,seirawan,spartan,great,light-brigade,king-of-the-hill,bifurcator,team-mate,los-alamos,ciccolini,mexican,grande-acedrex,roman,almost-wildebeest,fairy"
326 >first : accepted variants
326 <first : feature option="Resign -check 0"
326 >first : accepted option
326 <first : feature option="Resign Threshold -spin 800 200 1200"
326 >first : accepted option
326 <first : feature option="Claim draw after -spin 50 0 200"
326 >first : accepted option
326 <first : feature option="Ini File -file /usr/share/games/fairymax/fmax.ini"
326 >first : accepted option
326 <first : feature option="Multi-PV Margin -spin 0 0 1000"
326 >first : accepted option
326 <first : feature option="Variant fairy selects -combo FIDE-Clobberers /// Clobberers-FIDE /// FIDE-Nutters /// Nutters-FIDE /// Clobberers-Nutters /// Nutters-Clobberers /// FIDE-Rookies /// Rookies-FIDE /// Clobberers-Rookies /// Rookies-Clobberers /// Nutters-Rookies /// Rookies-Nutters"
326 >first : accepted option
326 <first : feature option="Makruk rules -combo makruk /// Cambodian /// Ai-wok"
326 >first : accepted option
326 <first : feature option="Dummy Slider Example -slider 20 0 100"
326 >first : accepted option
326 <first : feature option="Dummy String Example -string happy birthday!"
326 >first : accepted option
326 <first : feature option="Dummy Path Example -path ."
326 >first : accepted option
326 <first : feature option="Automatic persistent-hash dialog -check 0"
326 >first : accepted option
326 <first : feature option="Info -button"
326 >first : accepted option
326 <first : feature option="Save in hash file -button"
326 >first : accepted option
326 <first : feature option="Clear Hash -button"
326 >first : accepted option
326 <first : feature done=1
326 >first : accepted done
327 >first : memory 516
327 >first : new
random
recognized 'normal' (-1) as variant normal
Reset(1, 0) from gameMode 0
recognized 'normal' (-1) as variant normal
GameEnds(0, (null), 2)
332 >first : force
332 >first : ping 1
shuffleOpenings = 0
534 <first : pong 1
16527 >first : quit
Unload first
StartChildProcess (dir=".") connect -p 27025 10.0.0.20
16544 >first : xboard
protover 2
Reset(1, 1) from gameMode 0
recognized 'normal' (-1) as variant normal
GameEnds(0, (null), 2)
16544 >first : force
shuffleOpenings = 0
16548 >first : new
random
16548 >first : level 0 3 2
16548 >first : post
16548 >first : hard
Impossible move , type = 0
16549 <first : # waiting to connect
17180 <first : host = 10.0.0.20, port = 27025
17246 <first : # connected
17246 <first : feature debug=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0
17246 >first : accepted debug
17246 >first : accepted sigint
17246 >first : accepted sigterm
17246 <first : Password required
recognized 'normal' (-1) as variant normal
17545 >first : new
random
17545 >first : level 0 3 2
17545 >first : post
17545 >first : hard
Impossible move , type = 0
17607 <first : hallo Welcome to p2p 0.3
17725 <first : feature setboard=1 usermove=1 debug=1 ping=1 name=1 reuse=0 exclude=1 pause=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0 done=0
17725 >first : accepted setboard
17725 >first : accepted usermove
17725 >first : accepted debug
17725 >first : accepted ping
17725 >first : accepted name
17725 >first : accepted reuse
17725 >first : accepted exclude
17726 >first : accepted pause
17726 >first : accepted sigint
17726 >first : accepted sigterm
17726 >first : accepted done
17835 <first : feature option="UCI2WB debug output -check 0"
17835 >first : accepted option
17835 <first : feature option="ponder always -check 0"
17835 >first : accepted option
17835 <first : feature myname="MayhemDuck 2.4 (UCI2WB)"
17835 >first : accepted myname
17835 <first : feature option="Duck960 -check 0"
17835 >first : accepted option
17835 <first : feature option="Debug -check 0"
17835 >first : accepted option
17835 <first : feature option="OwnBook -check 1"
17835 >first : accepted option
17836 <first : feature option="Level -spin 100 0 100"
17836 >first : accepted option
17836 <first : feature option="MoveOverhead -spin 100 0 10000"
17836 >first : accepted option
17836 <first : feature variants="duck"
17836 >first : accepted variants
17836 <first : feature smp=1 memory=0 done=1
17836 >first : accepted smp
17836 >first : accepted memory
17836 >first : accepted done
Unload second
Reset(1, 1) from gameMode 0
recognized 'normal' (-1) as variant normal
GameEnds(0, (null), 2)
28609 >first : quit
shuffleOpenings = 0
StartChildProcess (dir=".") connect -p 27025 10.0.0.20
28614 >first : xboard
protover 2
28614 >first : cores 1
28614 >first : new
random
28614 >first : level 0 3 2
28614 >first : post
28614 >first : hard
28614 >first : ping 1
Impossible move , type = 0
28618 <first : # waiting to connect
28720 <first : host = 10.0.0.20, port = 27025
28726 <first : Password required
28759 <first : hallo Welcome to p2p 0.3
28816 <first : # connected
28816 <first : feature debug=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0
28816 >first : accepted debug
28816 >first : accepted sigint
28816 >first : accepted sigterm
28875 <first : feature setboard=1 usermove=1 debug=1 ping=1 name=1 reuse=0 exclude=1 pause=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0 done=0
28875 >first : accepted setboard
28875 >first : accepted usermove
28875 >first : accepted debug
28875 >first : accepted ping
28875 >first : accepted name
28875 >first : accepted reuse
28875 >first : accepted exclude
28875 >first : accepted pause
28875 >first : accepted sigint
28875 >first : accepted sigterm
28875 >first : accepted done
28881 <first : feature option="UCI2WB debug output -check 0"
28881 >first : accepted option
28881 <first : feature option="ponder always -check 0"
28881 >first : accepted option
28941 <first : feature myname="MayhemDuck 2.4 (UCI2WB)"
28941 >first : accepted myname
28943 <first : feature option="Duck960 -check 0"
28943 >first : accepted option
28943 <first : feature option="Debug -check 0"
28943 >first : accepted option
28943 <first : feature option="OwnBook -check 1"
28943 >first : accepted option
28943 <first : feature option="Level -spin 100 0 100"
28943 >first : accepted option
28944 <first : feature option="MoveOverhead -spin 100 0 10000"
28944 >first : accepted option
28944 <first : feature variants="duck"
28944 >first : accepted variants
28944 <first : feature smp=1 memory=0 done=1
28944 >first : accepted smp
28944 >first : accepted memory
28944 >first : accepted done
28944 <first : Error (unknown command): cores
28944 <first : pong 1
35803 >first : force
StartChildProcess (dir=".") connect -p 27035 10.0.0.26
35804 >second: xboard
protover 2
35809 <second: # waiting to connect
35910 <second: host = 10.0.0.26, port = 27035
35913 <second: Password required
35915 <second: hallo Welcome to p2p 0.3
36007 <second: # connected
36007 <second: feature debug=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0
36007 >second: accepted debug
36007 >second: accepted sigint
36007 >second: accepted sigterm
36066 <second: feature setboard=1 usermove=1 debug=1 ping=1 name=1 reuse=0 exclude=1 pause=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0 done=0
36066 >second: accepted setboard
36066 >second: accepted usermove
36066 >second: accepted debug
36066 >second: accepted ping
36066 >second: accepted name
36066 >second: accepted reuse
36066 >second: accepted exclude
36066 >second: accepted pause
36066 >second: accepted sigint
36066 >second: accepted sigterm
36066 >second: accepted done
36077 <second: feature option="UCI2WB debug output -check 0"
36077 >second: accepted option
36077 <second: feature option="ponder always -check 0"
36077 >second: accepted option
36262 <second: feature myname="MayhemDuck 2.4 (UCI2WB)"
36262 >second: accepted myname
36265 <second: feature option="Duck960 -check 0"
36265 >second: accepted option
36265 <second: feature option="Debug -check 0"
36265 >second: accepted option
36265 <second: feature option="OwnBook -check 1"
36265 >second: accepted option
36265 <second: feature option="Level -spin 100 0 100"
36265 >second: accepted option
36265 <second: feature option="MoveOverhead -spin 100 0 10000"
36265 >second: accepted option
36265 <second: feature variants="duck"
36265 >second: accepted variants
36265 <second: feature smp=1 memory=0 done=1
36265 >second: accepted smp
36265 >second: accepted memory
36265 >second: accepted done
GameEnds(0, (null), 2)
GE(0, (null), 2) bare king k=16 color=66
36269 >first : quit
36269 >second: quit
StartChildProcess (dir=".") connect -p 27025 10.0.0.20
36271 >first : xboard
protover 2
36271 >first : cores 1
36271 >first : new
random
36271 >first : level 0 3 2
36271 >first : post
36271 >first : hard
36271 >first : ping 2
Impossible move , type = 0
Feeding moves 0 through 0 to first chess program
36272 >first : force
36274 <first : # waiting to connect
36384 <first : host = 10.0.0.20, port = 27025
36384 <first : telluser (10.0.0.20) Unable to connect to server!
58874 >first : quit
Unload first
StartChildProcess (dir=".") connect -p 27025 10.0.0.20
59877 >first : xboard
protover 2
59878 <first : # waiting to connect
59982 <first : host = 10.0.0.20, port = 27025
59985 <first : Password required
59987 <first : hallo Welcome to p2p 0.3
60078 <first : # connected
60078 <first : feature debug=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0
60078 >first : accepted debug
60078 >first : accepted sigint
60078 >first : accepted sigterm
60124 <first : feature setboard=1 usermove=1 debug=1 ping=1 name=1 reuse=0 exclude=1 pause=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0 done=0
60124 >first : accepted setboard
60124 >first : accepted usermove
60124 >first : accepted debug
60124 >first : accepted ping
60124 >first : accepted name
60124 >first : accepted reuse
60124 >first : accepted exclude
60124 >first : accepted pause
60124 >first : accepted sigint
60124 >first : accepted sigterm
60124 >first : accepted done
60125 <first : feature option="UCI2WB debug output -check 0"
60125 >first : accepted option
60125 <first : feature option="ponder always -check 0"
60126 >first : accepted option
60203 <first : feature myname="MayhemDuck 2.4 (UCI2WB)"
60203 >first : accepted myname
60207 <first : feature option="Duck960 -check 0"
60207 >first : accepted option
60207 <first : feature option="Debug -check 0"
60207 >first : accepted option
60207 <first : feature option="OwnBook -check 1"
60207 >first : accepted option
60207 <first : feature option="Level -spin 100 0 100"
60207 >first : accepted option
60207 <first : feature option="MoveOverhead -spin 100 0 10000"
60207 >first : accepted option
60207 <first : feature variants="duck"
60207 >first : accepted variants
60207 <first : feature smp=1 memory=0 done=1
60207 >first : accepted smp
60207 >first : accepted memory
60207 >first : accepted done
recognized 'normal' (-1) as variant normal
60209 >first : cores 1
60209 >first : new
random
60209 >first : level 0 3 2
60209 >first : post
60209 >first : hard
60209 >first : ping 1
Impossible move , type = 0
60209 >first : force
60252 <first : Error (unknown command): cores
60254 <first : pong 1
StartChildProcess (dir=".") connect -p 27035 10.0.0.26
67228 >second: xboard
protover 2
67231 <second: # waiting to connect
67340 <second: host = 10.0.0.26, port = 27035
67346 <second: Password required
67350 <second: hallo Welcome to p2p 0.3
67431 <second: # connected
67431 <second: feature debug=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0
67431 >second: accepted debug
67431 >second: accepted sigint
67431 >second: accepted sigterm
67491 <second: feature setboard=1 usermove=1 debug=1 ping=1 name=1 reuse=0 exclude=1 pause=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0 done=0
67491 >second: accepted setboard
67491 >second: accepted usermove
67491 >second: accepted debug
67491 >second: accepted ping
67491 >second: accepted name
67491 >second: accepted reuse
67491 >second: accepted exclude
67491 >second: accepted pause
67491 >second: accepted sigint
67491 >second: accepted sigterm
67491 >second: accepted done
67494 <second: feature option="UCI2WB debug output -check 0"
67494 >second: accepted option
67494 <second: feature option="ponder always -check 0"
67494 >second: accepted option
67689 <second: feature myname="MayhemDuck 2.4 (UCI2WB)"
67689 >second: accepted myname
67692 <second: feature option="Duck960 -check 0"
67692 >second: accepted option
67692 <second: feature option="Debug -check 0"
67692 >second: accepted option
67692 <second: feature option="OwnBook -check 1"
67692 >second: accepted option
67692 <second: feature option="Level -spin 100 0 100"
67692 >second: accepted option
67692 <second: feature option="MoveOverhead -spin 100 0 10000"
67692 >second: accepted option
67692 <second: feature variants="duck"
67692 >second: accepted variants
67692 <second: feature smp=1 memory=0 done=1
67692 >second: accepted smp
67692 >second: accepted memory
67692 >second: accepted done
GameEnds(0, (null), 2)
GE(0, (null), 2) bare king k=16 color=66
67695 >first : quit
67695 >second: quit
StartChildProcess (dir=".") connect -p 27025 10.0.0.20
67697 >first : xboard
protover 2
67697 >first : cores 1
67697 >first : new
random
67697 >first : level 0 3 2
67697 >first : post
67697 >first : hard
67697 >first : ping 2
Impossible move , type = 0
Feeding moves 0 through 0 to first chess program
67697 >first : force
67698 <first : # waiting to connect
67800 <first : host = 10.0.0.20, port = 27025
67802 <first : Password required
67806 <first : hallo Welcome to p2p 0.3
67898 <first : # connected
67898 <first : feature debug=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0
67898 >first : accepted debug
67898 >first : accepted sigint
67898 >first : accepted sigterm
67952 <first : feature setboard=1 usermove=1 debug=1 ping=1 name=1 reuse=0 exclude=1 pause=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0 done=0
67952 >first : accepted setboard
67952 >first : accepted usermove
67953 >first : accepted debug
67953 >first : accepted ping
67953 >first : accepted name
67953 >first : accepted reuse
67953 >first : accepted exclude
67953 >first : accepted pause
67953 >first : accepted sigint
67953 >first : accepted sigterm
67953 >first : accepted done
67956 <first : feature option="UCI2WB debug output -check 0"
67956 >first : accepted option
67956 <first : feature option="ponder always -check 0"
67956 >first : accepted option
68045 <first : feature myname="MayhemDuck 2.4 (UCI2WB)"
68045 >first : accepted myname
68048 <first : feature option="Duck960 -check 0"
68048 >first : accepted option
68048 <first : feature option="Debug -check 0"
68048 >first : accepted option
68048 <first : feature option="OwnBook -check 1"
68048 >first : accepted option
68048 <first : feature option="Level -spin 100 0 100"
68048 >first : accepted option
68048 <first : feature option="MoveOverhead -spin 100 0 10000"
68048 >first : accepted option
68048 <first : feature variants="duck"
68048 >first : accepted variants
68048 <first : feature smp=1 memory=0 done=1
68048 >first : accepted smp
68048 >first : accepted memory
68048 >first : accepted done
68048 <first : Error (unknown command): cores
68048 <first : pong 2
GameEnds(30, xboard exit, 2)
77799 >first : quit

[hgm]

From the debug log it is clear that XBoard still tries to play games of normal chess on the engines it connects with. I suppose the effect of starting it in Duck Chess is reverted by the fact that it also starts with Fairy Max, (by default), which does not support Duck Chess. This probably makes XBoard switch back to a variant that Fairy-Max does play. (In this case normal chess.)

Try to start XBoard without an engine:

xboard -debug -ncp -variant duck

BTW, you should be able to see at any time whether XBoard is set to Duck Chess or not. When it does not display a Duck on the board it is not, and starting an engine at that point which only plays Duck Chess is likely to cause trouble.

[rgrosz789]

I tried loading xboard using your idea:
xboard -fcp "mayhemduck23" -debug -variant duck

I got it to play one game, but it still fails most of the time. Doesn't matter if I use mayhemduck or FSFDuck on the remote machines.

I got a different error one time - "recv failed with error: 104". Here is the xboard.debug file

locale = en_US.UTF-8
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
shuffleOpenings = 0
shuffleOpenings = 0
Version: xboard 4.9.1 + mayhemduck23 ()
Reset(1, 0) from gameMode 0
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
GameEnds(0, (null), 2)
shuffleOpenings = 0
StartChildProcess (dir=".") mayhemduck23
328 >first : xboard
protover 2
338 <first : MayhemDuck 2.3 by Toni Helminen
498 <first : Unknown command: xboard
498 <first : Unknown command: protover
1330 >first : new
random
1330 >first : variant duck
1330 >first : level 0 3 2
1330 >first : post
1330 >first : hard
Impossible move , type = 0
1330 <first : Unknown command: new
1331 <first : Unknown command: random
1331 <first : Unknown command: variant
1331 <first : Unknown command: level
1331 <first : Unknown command: post
1331 <first : Unknown command: hard
136469 >first : quit
Unload first
StartChildProcess (dir=".") connect -p 27035 10.0.0.26
136484 >first : xboard
protover 2
Reset(1, 1) from gameMode 0
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
GameEnds(0, (null), 2)
136484 >first : force
shuffleOpenings = 0
136488 >first : new
random
136488 >first : variant duck
136488 >first : level 0 3 2
136488 >first : post
136488 >first : hard
Impossible move , type = 0
136488 <first : # waiting to connect
136617 <first : host = 10.0.0.26, port = 27035
136643 <first : Password required
136669 <first : hallo Welcome to p2p 0.3
136688 <first : # connected
136688 <first : feature debug=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0
136688 >first : accepted debug
136689 >first : accepted sigint
136689 >first : accepted sigterm
136850 <first : feature setboard=1 usermove=1 debug=1 ping=1 name=1 reuse=0 exclude=1 pause=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0 done=0
136850 >first : accepted setboard
136850 >first : accepted usermove
136850 >first : accepted debug
136850 >first : accepted ping
136850 >first : accepted name
136850 >first : accepted reuse
136850 >first : accepted exclude
136850 >first : accepted pause
136850 >first : accepted sigint
136850 >first : accepted sigterm
136850 >first : accepted done
136885 <first : feature option="UCI2WB debug output -check 0"
136885 >first : accepted option
136885 <first : feature option="ponder always -check 0"
136885 >first : accepted option
136988 <first : feature myname="MayhemDuck 2.4 (UCI2WB)"
136989 >first : accepted myname
136995 <first : feature option="Duck960 -check 0"
136995 >first : accepted option
136995 <first : feature option="Debug -check 0"
136995 >first : accepted option
136995 <first : feature option="OwnBook -check 1"
136995 >first : accepted option
136995 <first : feature option="Level -spin 100 0 100"
136995 >first : accepted option
136995 <first : feature option="MoveOverhead -spin 100 0 10000"
136995 >first : accepted option
136995 <first : feature variants="duck"
136995 >first : accepted variants
136995 <first : feature smp=1 memory=0 done=1
136995 >first : accepted smp
136995 >first : accepted memory
136995 >first : accepted done
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
136996 >first : cores 1
136996 >first : new
random
136996 >first : variant duck
136996 >first : level 0 3 2
136996 >first : post
136996 >first : hard
136996 >first : ping 1
Impossible move , type = 0
137042 <first : Error (unknown command): cores
137092 <first : pong 1
Unload second
Reset(1, 1) from gameMode 0
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
GameEnds(0, (null), 2)
143798 >first : quit
shuffleOpenings = 0
StartChildProcess (dir=".") connect -p 27035 10.0.0.26
143803 >first : xboard
protover 2
143803 >first : cores 1
143803 >first : new
random
143803 >first : variant duck
143803 >first : level 0 3 2
143803 >first : post
143803 >first : hard
143803 >first : ping 2
Impossible move , type = 0
143806 <first : # waiting to connect
143934 <first : host = 10.0.0.26, port = 27035
143986 <first : Password required
144005 <first : # connected
144005 <first : feature debug=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0
144005 >first : accepted debug
144005 >first : accepted sigint
144005 >first : accepted sigterm
144007 <first : hallo Welcome to p2p 0.3
144108 <first : feature setboard=1 usermove=1 debug=1 ping=1 name=1 reuse=0 exclude=1 pause=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0 done=0
144108 >first : accepted setboard
144108 >first : accepted usermove
144108 >first : accepted debug
144108 >first : accepted ping
144108 >first : accepted name
144108 >first : accepted reuse
144108 >first : accepted exclude
144108 >first : accepted pause
144108 >first : accepted sigint
144108 >first : accepted sigterm
144108 >first : accepted done
144131 <first : feature option="UCI2WB debug output -check 0"
144131 >first : accepted option
144131 <first : feature option="ponder always -check 0"
144131 >first : accepted option
144131 <first : feature myname="MayhemDuck 2.4 (UCI2WB)"
144131 >first : accepted myname
144132 <first : feature option="Duck960 -check 0"
144132 >first : accepted option
144132 <first : feature option="Debug -check 0"
144132 >first : accepted option
144132 <first : feature option="OwnBook -check 1"
144132 >first : accepted option
144132 <first : feature option="Level -spin 100 0 100"
144132 >first : accepted option
144132 <first : feature option="MoveOverhead -spin 100 0 10000"
144132 >first : accepted option
144132 <first : feature variants="duck"
144132 >first : accepted variants
144132 <first : feature smp=1 memory=0 done=1
144132 >first : accepted smp
144132 >first : accepted memory
144132 >first : accepted done
144132 <first : Error (unknown command): cores
144132 <first : pong 2
Reset(0, 1) from gameMode 0
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
GameEnds(0, (null), 2)
148051 >first : quit
shuffleOpenings = 0
StartChildProcess (dir=".") connect -p 27035 10.0.0.26
148055 >first : xboard
protover 2
148055 >first : cores 1
148055 >first : new
random
148055 >first : variant duck
148055 >first : level 0 3 2
148055 >first : post
148055 >first : hard
148055 >first : ping 3
Impossible move , type = 0
148056 >first : force
148057 <first : # waiting to connect
148161 <first : host = 10.0.0.26, port = 27035
148257 <first : # connected
148257 <first : feature debug=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0
148257 >first : accepted debug
148257 >first : accepted sigint
148257 >first : accepted sigterm
148329 <first : telluser recv failed with error: 104
GameEnds(30, xboard exit, 2)
323983 >first : quit

[rgrosz789]

Try to start XBoard without an engine:

xboard -debug -ncp -variant duck

And I also tried this - but it made no difference.

[hgm]

It seems that you are plagued by a mix of problems. In the latest debug log everything works as it should from the perspective of XBoard and the engine: you get a connection, the engine announces itself through it, XBoard does request it to play a game of Duck Chess...

But then things run aground, because the attempt to read the remainder of the engine's reply to the 'protover 2' command fails with a network error 104. I don't think this has anything to do with the connect program, as on earlier attempts to load an engine things continued beyond this point. It looks like the TCP/IP connection between the machines is not reliable, and can disconnect spontaneously.

[rgrosz789]

I don't think this has anything to do with the connect program, as on earlier attempts to load an engine things continued beyond this point. It looks like the TCP/IP connection between the machines is not reliable, and can disconnect spontaneously.

Great minds think alike - it is possible my wi-fi network may not be stable enough.

I purchased several network cables yesterday, and started connecting all of the linux machines with the wi-fi connection disabled.

[rgrosz789]

I tried a five game match of duck chess.

Host - mint
Remote - kde and fedora, both mayhemduck24

Last night it failed at the end of the first game. Today it got through two games, then connection aborted on kde machine.

Fedora took about 1:30 for the first move. Teamviewer notification indicated loss of network.

Something strange happened when Black queened at the end of game two. This line appears several times in xboard.debug, at lines 301, 1707, 3655 and then repeated to the end:
Impossible move a1d1à, type = 26



Here is the beginning and end of the 4,094 lines of xboard.debug:

locale = en_US.UTF-8
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
shuffleOpenings = 0
shuffleOpenings = 0
Version: xboard 4.9.1 ()
Reset(1, 0) from gameMode 0
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
GameEnds(0, (null), 2)
shuffleOpenings = 0
Unload first
StartChildProcess (dir=".") connect -p 27025 10.0.0.20
8961 >first : xboard
protover 2
Reset(1, 1) from gameMode 0
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
GameEnds(0, (null), 2)
8961 >first : force
shuffleOpenings = 0
8965 >first : new
random
8965 >first : variant duck
8965 >first : level 0 3 2
8965 >first : post
8965 >first : hard
Impossible move , type = 0
8966 <first : # waiting to connect
9065 <first : host = 10.0.0.20, port = 27025
9065 <first : Password required
9066 <first : hallo Welcome to p2p 0.3
9164 <first : # connected
9164 <first : feature debug=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0
9164 >first : accepted debug
9164 >first : accepted sigint
9164 >first : accepted sigterm
9212 <first : feature setboard=1 usermove=1 debug=1 ping=1 name=1 reuse=0 exclude=1 pause=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0 done=0
9212 >first : accepted setboard
9213 >first : accepted usermove
9213 >first : accepted debug
9213 >first : accepted ping
9213 >first : accepted name
9213 >first : accepted reuse
9213 >first : accepted exclude
9213 >first : accepted pause
9213 >first : accepted sigint
9213 >first : accepted sigterm
9213 >first : accepted done
9213 <first : feature option="UCI2WB debug output -check 0"
9213 >first : accepted option
9213 <first : feature option="ponder always -check 0"
9213 >first : accepted option
9311 <first : feature myname="MayhemDuck 2.4 (UCI2WB)"
9312 >first : accepted myname
9312 <first : feature option="Duck960 -check 0"
9312 >first : accepted option
9312 <first : feature option="Debug -check 0"
9312 >first : accepted option
9312 <first : feature option="OwnBook -check 1"
9312 >first : accepted option
9312 <first : feature option="Level -spin 100 0 100"
9312 >first : accepted option
9312 <first : feature option="MoveOverhead -spin 100 0 10000"
9312 >first : accepted option
9312 <first : feature variants="duck"
9312 >first : accepted variants
9312 <first : feature smp=1 memory=0 done=1
9312 >first : accepted smp
9312 >first : accepted memory
9312 >first : accepted done
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
9313 >first : cores 1
9313 >first : new
random
9313 >first : variant duck
9313 >first : level 0 3 2
9313 >first : post
9313 >first : hard
9313 >first : ping 1
Impossible move , type = 0
9314 <first : Error (unknown command): cores
9356 <first : pong 1
Unload second
Reset(1, 1) from gameMode 0
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
GameEnds(0, (null), 2)
16308 >first : quit
shuffleOpenings = 0
StartChildProcess (dir=".") connect -p 27025 10.0.0.20
16310 >first : xboard
protover 2
16310 >first : cores 1
16310 >first : new
random
16310 >first : variant duck
16310 >first : level 0 3 2
16310 >first : post
16310 >first : hard
16310 >first : ping 2
Impossible move , type = 0
16311 <first : # waiting to connect
16412 <first : host = 10.0.0.20, port = 27025
16412 <first : Password required
16413 <first : hallo Welcome to p2p 0.3
16511 <first : # connected
16511 <first : feature debug=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0
16511 >first : accepted debug
16511 >first : accepted sigint
16511 >first : accepted sigterm
16556 <first : feature setboard=1 usermove=1 debug=1 ping=1 name=1 reuse=0 exclude=1 pause=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0 done=0
16556 >first : accepted setboard
16556 >first : accepted usermove
16556 >first : accepted debug
16556 >first : accepted ping
16556 >first : accepted name
16556 >first : accepted reuse
16556 >first : accepted exclude
16556 >first : accepted pause
16556 >first : accepted sigint
16556 >first : accepted sigterm
16556 >first : accepted done
16556 <first : feature option="UCI2WB debug output -check 0"
16556 >first : accepted option
16556 <first : feature option="ponder always -check 0"
16556 >first : accepted option
16633 <first : feature myname="MayhemDuck 2.4 (UCI2WB)"
16633 >first : accepted myname
16633 <first : feature option="Duck960 -check 0"
16633 >first : accepted option
16633 <first : feature option="Debug -check 0"
16633 >first : accepted option
16633 <first : feature option="OwnBook -check 1"
16633 >first : accepted option
16633 <first : feature option="Level -spin 100 0 100"
16633 >first : accepted option
16633 <first : feature option="MoveOverhead -spin 100 0 10000"
16633 >first : accepted option
16633 <first : feature variants="duck"
16633 >first : accepted variants
16633 <first : feature smp=1 memory=0 done=1
16633 >first : accepted smp
16634 >first : accepted memory
16634 >first : accepted done
16634 <first : Error (unknown command): cores
16634 <first : pong 2
Reset(0, 1) from gameMode 0
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
GameEnds(0, (null), 2)
20696 >first : quit
shuffleOpenings = 0
StartChildProcess (dir=".") connect -p 27025 10.0.0.20
20699 >first : xboard
protover 2
20699 >first : cores 1
20699 >first : new
random
20699 >first : variant duck
20699 >first : level 0 3 2
20699 >first : post
20699 >first : hard
20699 >first : ping 3
Impossible move , type = 0
20700 >first : force
20701 <first : # waiting to connect
20801 <first : host = 10.0.0.20, port = 27025
20802 <first : Password required
20802 <first : hallo Welcome to p2p 0.3
20901 <first : # connected
20901 <first : feature debug=1 sigint=0 sigterm=0
20901 >first : accepted debug
20901 >first : accepted sigint
20901 >first : accepted sigterm
20943 <first : feature setboard=1 usermove=1 debug=1 ping=1 name=1 reuse=0 exclude=1 pause=1 sigint=0

.
.
.
.

book hit = (NULL)
1093421 >first : usermove 1093421 >first : b7a7,a7b1
1093496 <second:
1093496 <first : 11 0 0 0 Bad move: a2a1,a1c1q
132132132132132132132132
65132132132132132131132
132132132 70132132 66132
132132132132132132 69132
132132132132132132132132
132132132132132132132132
132 66132132132132132132
132133132132132132132132
Impossible move a1d1à, type = 26
1093497 <first : 1 2759 0 4674 d6d4,d4a6
1093497 <first : 2 2759 0 9348 d6d4,d4a6
1093616 <first : 3 3425 15 952549 d6c6,c6b8
1093658 <first : 4 3425 19 1236764 d6c6,c6b8
1093698 <first : 5 3425 23 1508571 d6c6,c6b8
1093719 <first : 6 3425 25 1653069 d6c6,c6b8
1093798 <first : 7 3425 33 2677977 d6c6,c6b8
1094403 <first : 8 3425 93 12077024 d6c6,c6b8
1095129 <first : 9 3425 166 22886320 d6c6,c6b8
1095849 <first : 10 3425 238 33680511 d6c6,c6b8
1095991 <first : 11 3425 252 35718295 d6c6,c6b8
1095992 <first : move d6c6,
1095992 <first : move c6b8
1095992 >second: time 1393
1095992 >second: otim 1324
book hit = (NULL)
1095992 >second: usermove 1095992 >second: d6c6,c6b8
1096068 <first :
1096068 <second: 15 0 0 0 Bad move: a2a1,a1c1q
132133132132132132132132
65132132132132132131132
132132 70132132132 66132
132132132132132132 69132
132132132132132132132132
132132132132132132132132
132 66132132132132132132
132132132132132132132132
Impossible move a1d1à, type = 26
1096069 <second: 1 -3425 0 1564 a7a6,a6b6
1096069 <second: 2 -3425 0 4230 a7a6,a6b6
1096069 <second: 3 -3425 0 12220 a7a6,a6b6
1096069 <second: 4 -3425 0 17246 a7a6,a6b6
1096069 <second: 5 -3425 0 22272 a7a6,a6b6
1096069 <second: 6 -3425 0 27298 a7a6,a6b6
1096069 <second: 7 -3492 1 52919 a7a6,a6b6
1096069 <second: 8 -3492 1 87809 a7a6,a6b6
1096069 <second: 9 -3492 2 122699 a7a6,a6b6
1096233 <second: 10 -5242 19 695668 a7a6,a6b6
1096246 <second: 11 -5242 21 735822 a7a6,a6b6
1096374 <second: 12 -10485 33 1548529 a7a6,a6b6
1096374 <second: move a7a6,
1096374 <second: move a6b6
1096374 >first : time 1324
1096374 >first : otim 1555
book hit = (NULL)
1096374 >first : usermove 1096374 >first : a7a6,a6b6
1096449 <second:
1096449 <first : 11 0 0 0 Bad move: a2a1,a1c1q
132132132132132132132132
132132132132132132131132
65133 70132132132 66132
132132132132132132 69132
132132132132132132132132
132132132132132132132132
132 66132132132132132132
132132132132132132132132
Impossible move a1d1à, type = 26
1096450 <first : 1 3425 0 4902 b2b1,b1a7q
1096450 <first : 2 3425 0 9804 b2b1,b1a7q
1096491 <first : 3 5242 7 321130 g5b5,b5a7
1096499 <first : 4 5242 8 370582 g5b5,b5a7
1096507 <first : 5 5242 8 419568 g5b5,b5a7
1096514 <first : 6 5242 9 467628 g5b5,b5a7
1096521 <first : 7 10485 10 547872 g5b5,b5a7
1096522 <first : move g5b5,
1096522 <first : move b5a7
1096522 >second: time 1555
1096522 >second: otim 1509
book hit = (NULL)
1096522 >second: usermove 1096522 >second: g5b5,b5a7
1096622 <first :
1096622 <second: 12 0 0 0 Bad move: a2a1,a1c1q
132132132132132132132132
133132132132132132131132
65132 70132132132 66132
132 69132132132132132132
132132132132132132132132
132132132132132132132132
132 66132132132132132132
132132132132132132132132
Impossible move a1d1à, type = 26
1096623 <second: 1 -5242 0 3116 a6b5,b5a8
1096623 <second: 2 -5242 0 7016 a6b5,b5a8
1096623 <second: 3 -10485 0 7245 a6b5,b5a8
1096623 <second: move a6b5,
1096623 <second: move b5a8
1096623 >first : time 1509
1096623 >first : otim 1745
book hit = (NULL)
1096623 >first : usermove 1096623 >first : a6b5,b5a8
1096697 <second:
1096698 <first : 7 0 0 0 Bad move: a2a1,a1c1q
133132132132132132132132
132132132132132132131132
132132 70132132132 66132
132 65132132132132132132
132132132132132132132132
132132132132132132132132
132 66132132132132132132
132132132132132132132132
Impossible move a1d1à, type = 26
1096698 <first : 1 10485 0 0 c6b5,b5a1
1096698 <first : move c6b5,
1096698 <first : move b5a1
1096698 >second: usermove 1096698 >second: c6b5,b5a1
GameEnds(28, Xboard adjudication: King destroyed, 4)
GE(28, Xboard adjudication: King destroyed, 4) bare king k=4 color=66
1096698 >first : result 0-1 {Xboard adjudication: King destroyed}
1096698 >second: result 0-1 {Xboard adjudication: King destroyed}
1096698 >first : quit
1096699 >second: quit
Reset(0, 0) from gameMode 8
recognized 'duck' (-1) as variant duck
GameEnds(0, (null), 2)
shuffleOpenings = 0
StartChildProcess (dir=".") connect -p 27025 10.0.0.20
1096775 >first : xboard
protover 2
1096777 <first : # waiting to connect
1096877 <first : host = 10.0.0.20, port = 27025
1096877 <first : telluser (10.0.0.20) Unable to connect to server!
1097776 >first : cores 1
1097776 >first : new
random
1097776 >first : variant duck
1097776 >first : level 0 3 2
1097776 >first : post
1097776 >first : hard
1097776 >first : ping 5
Impossible move c6b5, type = 0
Feeding moves 0 through 0 to first chess program
1097777 >first : force
GameEnds(30, xboard exit, 2)
1175949 >first : quit