Duck Chess

[fifdspence]

But I have noticed an annoying pattern. In every game that Fairy-Max plays against DuckSlayer or TJchess Duck, the game stops due to an "illegal move".

I had this problem as well, and was fortunately able to work around it. In Options -> General I unchecked "Test Legality" and then restarted Winboard.

[hgm]

My mistake - very unlikely that Fairy-Max will ever run out of time.

But I have noticed an annoying pattern. In every game that Fairy-Max plays against DuckSlayer or TJchess Duck, the game stops due to an "illegal move".

But the move is NOT illegal. Sometimes the move is made by Fairy-Max, but that is not consistent.

I am afraid this was due to a bug in WinBoard; when testing to see if a Duck move was legal it tested whether it went to an empty square. But it tested this before the FIDE move. So when the Duck tried to move to the from-square of the FIDE move, it thought it went to an occupied square.

I fixed this now; new version at http://hgm.nubati.net/Duck2.zip . (Flush browser cache to make sure you won't download the old version!)

[rgrosz789]

Have made for you a ready-to-play suite, an avx2 compile of FSFDuck embedded in Winboard. It is made for a machine with 24 threads, but the settings are made quite save, Max nr of CPUs is set only to 20.
Here you can download it:

https://filehorst.de/d/etcltive

BTW from now on, further tests of duck engines have to be done by others than me. As mentioned, I am too deep involved in the FSF Duck progress, and cannot longer serve as a neutral tester

Thank you for creating this. Fairy Stockfish works better than the earlier version, and it resolves the "jumping duck" problem:

[MTaktikos]

My mistake - very unlikely that Fairy-Max will ever run out of time.

But I have noticed an annoying pattern. In every game that Fairy-Max plays against DuckSlayer or TJchess Duck, the game stops due to an "illegal move".

But the move is NOT illegal. Sometimes the move is made by Fairy-Max, but that is not consistent.

I am afraid this was due to a bug in WinBoard; when testing to see if a Duck move was legal it tested whether it went to an empty square. But it tested this before the FIDE move. So when the Duck tried to move to the from-square of the FIDE move, it thought it went to an occupied square.

I fixed this now; new version at http://hgm.nubati.net/Duck2.zip . (Flush browser cache to make sure you won't download the old version!)

Thank you. This WB-version gives also false adjucations: according to the Duck roles, in case of a stalemate the stalemated side wins, not the side which stalemates.
Here a constructed game where WB adjucates wrong:
[Event "Computer Chess Game"]
[Site "DESKTOP-UG2MCF4"]
[Date "2023.01.07"]
[Round "-"]
[White "weakplayer1"]
[Black "weakplayer2"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "60/120"]
[Variant "duck"]

1. e4,d6 f6,d4 2. Nf3,c4 c5,c3 3. Ng5,b3 Qa5,c3 4. Nf7,b3 Qxa2,c3 5.
Nxh8,b3 Kf7,c3 6. Ng6,b3 h6,c3 7. Nf4,d3 Kg6,e3 8. Nh3,f3 Kh7,g3 9. Nf4,f3
Kh8,g3 10. h4,f3 Qxb1,b3 11. g4,a2 d5,a3 12. Nxd5,a2 Kh7,a3 13. e5,b3
Qa2,c3 14. e6,b3 Qb1,c3 15. f4,b3 c4,c3 16. f5,b3 c3,d3 17. g5,e3 Kh8,f3
18. g6,e3 Qxc1,f3 19. h5,e3 Qxd1,f3 20. Rxd1,e3 cxd2,d3 21. Rxd2,c3 b6,a3
22. Nxb6,b3 Kh7,c3 23. Nxa8,b3 Na6,c3 24. Bxa6,b3 Bd7,c3 25. Rxd7,d3 Kh8,b3
26. Rd8,h7
{White wins} 1-0

[rgrosz789]

Thank you. This WB-version gives also false adjucations: according to the Duck roles, in case of a stalemate the stalemated side wins, not the side which stalemates.

Thanks for the heads-up. I just had two Xboard adjudications this morning, which I haven't had a chance to review yet.

[hgm]

It doesn't look like a WinBoard adjudication: the result message in that case usually starts with "XBoard adjudication : ...". It could be an engine claim.

[rgrosz789]

I reviewed both of my games with "Xboard adjudication", and they are legitimate:

[Event "Computer Chess Game"]
[Site "XPS-8930"]
[Date "2023.01.07"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Fairy-Stockfish 141222"]
[Black "TJchess-Duck 0.1"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[Variant "duck"]
[Annotator "1. +0.31 1... +0.06"]

1. c4,c6 e5,d6 2. g3,g6 Bc5,d3 3. Bg2,d6 Nf6,d3 4. e3,d6 O-O,c6 5. Ne2,d6
Nc6,e4 6. a3,d6 a5,e4 7. O-O,d6 Qe7,d5 8. Nbc3,d6 Qe6,d5 9. b3,d6 Qg4,e4
10. Nb5,b6 Bd6,f3 11. d4,b6 e4,c5 12. h3,g6 Qf5,c5 13. Bb2,b6 Na7,g4 14.
Nxd6,d5 cxd6,b6 15. g4,g6 Qg5,d5 16. f4,f3 Qh4,g5 17. d5,b6 h6,c3 18. a4,g5
b6,d4 19. Qe1,g3 g5,c3 20. Ng3,f2 gxf4,f5 21. Rxf4,f2 Ba6,f5 22. Kh2,g5
Ne8,d4 23. Nf5,f2 Qg5,h4 24. Qf2,c8 Kh7,f3 25. h4,f6 Qg6,e7 26. Bxe4,f6
Nc8,e7 27. Ng3,f5 Qg8,g6 28. Bf5,e7 Ra7,g6 29. Ne4,e7 Kh8,d4 30. Bxd7,c7
Qg7,c3 31. Bxe8,f6 Rxe8,c3 32. Nf6,e6 Rf8,c3 33. Rg1,e7 Rc7,f5 34. Bd4,h5
Rd8,e4 35. Nh5,f6 Qg6,g7 36. Rf6,h7 Qg8,g6 37. g5,e7 hxg5,g6 38. Rxg5,b5
Qh7,f5 39. Rh6,f6 Qxh6,g7 40. Qf6,g6 Kh7,g7 41. Qxd8,f6 Ne7,g6 42. Qxc7,g8
Ng6,d7 43. Kg3,f6 Qf8,a7
{Xboard adjudication} 1-0

[Event "Computer Chess Game"]
[Site "XPS-8930"]
[Date "2023.01.07"]
[Round "-"]
[White "TJchess-Duck 0.1"]
[Black "Fairy-Stockfish 141222"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[Variant "duck"]
[Annotator "1. +0.26 1... -0.36"]

1. d4,d5 Nf6,c4 2. Bg5,e4 d5,e3 3. Bxf6,c3 exf6,e3 4. a3,e6 Be7,e3 5.
Nc3,d7 c6,e3 6. Nf3,e6 Nd7,e3 7. g3,b6 O-O,e3 8. Qd3,b6 g6,e3 9. Bh3,f5
Re8,g1 10. Bxd7,e3 Bxd7,f1 11. e4,e6 Qb6,c1 12. exd5,b5 Bf5,e4 13. Qe3,b4
Bxc2,f1 14. b4,f5 a5,f1 15. dxc6,d5 bxc6,g1 16. Na2,e4 Qb7,f1 17. Qc3,e4
Ba4,f1 18. Nd2,d6 axb4,c5 19. axb4,b5 Bf8,f1 20. Ne4,e7 Kg7,d6 21. Qf3,e7
f5,d6 22. Nc5,e7 Qb6,f1 23. g4,e7 fxg4,e3 24. Qxg4,e7 Bb5,f1 25. Qe4,e5
Qd8,f1 26. Qe5,e7 Kg8,f1 27. Qe3,e7 Ra3,c3 28. Ne4,b3 Bxb4,g1 29. Kd2,c3
Ba5,c1 30. Kc2,b3 Re6,c3 31. Kb2,b3 Ra4,c5 32. h3,b4 Bb6,c5 33. Kc3,f6
Rc4,b2 34. Kb3,c5 Qd5,c3 35. f3,f6 Bxd4,f4 36. Qc1,c3 c5,d2 37. h4,c3 f5,d2
38. Ng5,c3 Re2,d1 39. Qb1,c3 Ra4,c4 40. Kc2,d2 Qc4,d1 41. Kc1,c3 Re1,f1 42.
Kc2,c3 Qd3,c4 43. Kc1,d1 Rxh1,c2 44. Qb4,d1 Rxb4,c3 45. Nxb4,d1
{Xboard adjudication} 0-1

[rgrosz789]

Something seems to have changed in the latest version of Winboard. When I analyzed Duck chess games before, the move-by-move evaluation would be included when I saved the PGN file:

[Event "?"]
[Site "www.chess.com/variants/duck-chess/game/33133221"]
[Date "Thu Dec 22 2022 15:16:31 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)"]
[Round "-"]
[White "flexingiceberg"]
[Black "DuckBefore"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1927"]
[BlackElo "1908"]
[TimeControl "5+4"]
[Variant "duck"]
[VariantFamily "duck"]
[GameNr "33133221"]
[RuleVariants "DuckChess EnPassant Play4Mate Stalemate=win"]
[Termination "King captured • 0-1"]
[Annotator "2. +0.11 1... +0.00"]

1. e4,c6 e5,d3 {+0.00/21}
(e7e5 @d3 b1c3 @c5 b8c6 @d3 b2b3 @e7 b7b6 @e2 c1a3 @e7 c8a6 @e2 g1f3 @e7 g8f6 @e2 h2h4 )
2. Nf3,c6 {+0.11/22}
(b1c3 @c5 b8c6 @d3 b2b3 @d6 b7b6 @e2 c1a3 @e7 g8f6 @e2 g1f3 @e7 c8a6 @e2 h2h4 @e7 h7h5 @e2 )
2... d6,d3 {-0.03/22}
(d7d6)
3. Be2,d7 {+0.10/22}
(h2h3 @c6 g8f6 @d3 b1c3 @c6 c8e6 @d3 b2b3 @c6 b8d7 @d3 c1a3 @d5 f8e7 )
3... Nf6,d3 {+0.07/21}
(g8f6 @d3 b1c3 @d7 c7c5 @d3 h2h3 @c6 c8e6 @d3 b2b3 @c6 f8e7 @d3 c1a3 @c6 b8a6 @d3 )
4. Nc3,e7 {-0.09/22}
(b1c3 @d7 b8a6 @d3 h2h3 @c5 c8e6 @d3 b2b3 @c5 b7b5 @d3 c1a3 @b4 f8e7 @d3 g2g4 @b4 )
4... Bg4,h6 {+0.09/21}
(c8e6)

I just did a game analysis, and that information was NOT included. The header information also got garbled.

I assume there is a specific switch I can set to get that information ...

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "?"]
[Round "-"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Variant "duck"]
[VariantFamily "duck"]
[Annotator "2. +0.11 2... -0.12"]

1. e4,e6 d6,d3 2. Nf3,e6
(b1c3)
2... Nf6,d3
(g8f6 @d3 b1c3 @e6 c7c5 @d3 h2h3 @e6 b8c6 @d3 b2b3 @e6 g7g6 @d3 g2g4 @e6 f8h6 @g5 f1c4 )
3. Be2,e6
(b1c3 @e6 c7c5 @d3 h2h3 @c6 e7e5 @d3 g2g4 @e6 h7h6 @d3 b2b3 @e6 b8c6 @d3 c1b2 @e6 f8e7 )
3... c5,d3
(f6e4 @d3 b1c3 @f6 e4c3 @e6 d2c3 @e5 c8g4 @d4 f3g5 @f3 g4f5 @d3 c1e3 @f3 e7e5 @d3 f2f4 @c6 )
4. c4,e6
(b1c3 @e6 b8c6 @d3 h2h3 @e6 h7h5 @d3 a2a4 @e6 g7g6 @d3 b2b3 @e6 f8h6 @d3 c1b2 @e6 a7a6 @d3 g2g3 @e6 )
4... g6,d3
(f6e4 @d3 b1c3 @e6 e4f6 @d3 c3d5 @e6 b8c6 @d3 d1c2 @e6 c8d7 @d3 b2b3 @e6 f6e4 @d3 c1b2 @e6 f7f5 @d3 )
5. Nc3,g7
(b1c3 @e6 b8c6 @d3 d1b3 @e6 f8h6 @d3 h2h3 @e6 d8a5 @d3 b3b5 @e6 a5b5 @a4 c4b5 @e6 c6d4 )
5... Bg4,h3
(c8g4 @g1 f3g5 @h6 b8c6 @f3 d2d3 @h6 g4e2 @f3 c3e2 @h6 e7e5 @d2 g5f3 @b4 )

[MTaktikos]

It doesn't look like a WinBoard adjudication: the result message in that case usually starts with "XBoard adjudication : ...". It could be an engine claim.

But - weakplayer were no engines. All the moves were played manually by me. The adjucation can be easily reproduced by playing in Edit mode this moves

[rgrosz789]

New version of TJchessDuck with "cores" command fix. Also increased supported number of cores to 32.
http://tonyjh.com/chess/TJchessDuck_0.2.zip

I uploaded a version of DuckSlayer that should fix the 'blocked-castling' problem. It is at http://hgm.nubati.net/ducks.exe . Didn't have time to test it.

I am wondering if I should try to set up all this software under Linux instead of Windows. I have had problems running the newer versions of both DuckSlayer and TJchessDuck:

[Event "Computer Chess Game"]
[Site "XPS-8930"]
[Date "2023.01.07"]
[Round "-"]
[White "rgros"]
[Black "DuckSlayer 0.00"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[Variant "duck"]

1. e4,e6
{Error: first chess program (ducks) exited unexpectedly} 0-1


Here is the debug output I captured when trying to play a game between those engines. It took about 30 seconds before anything happened:


23388 >first : force
86633 <first : pong 1
StartChildProcess (dir="DuckSlayer") ducks
94043 >second: xboard
protover 2
94058 <second: # command = xboard s=1
94059 <second: # command = protover s=1
94059 <second: feature ping=1 setboard=1 colors=0 usermove=1 memory=1 debug=1 reuse=0 myname="DuckSlayer 0.00"
94059 >second: accepted ping
94059 >second: accepted setboard
94059 >second: accepted colors
94059 >second: accepted usermove
94060 >second: accepted memory
94060 >second: accepted debug
94060 >second: accepted reuse
94060 >second: accepted myname
94060 <second: feature variants="normal,duck"
94060 >second: accepted variants
94060 <second: feature option="Resign -check 0"
94060 >second: accepted option
94060 <second: feature option="Contempt -spin 0 -200 200"
94061 >second: accepted option
94061 <second: feature option="Evaluate piece mobility -check 0"
94061 >second: accepted option
94061 <second: feature option="Evaluate trapped pieces -check 0"
94061 >second: accepted option
94061 <second: feature option="Evaluate drawish material -check 1"
94062 >second: accepted option
94062 <second: feature option="Evaluate specific endings -check 1"
94062 >second: accepted option
94062 <second: feature option="Evaluate pawn structure -check 1"
94062 >second: accepted option
94062 <second: feature option="Evaluate king shelter -check 1"
94062 >second: accepted option
94063 <second: feature option="Evaluate king seige -check 0"
94063 >second: accepted option
94063 <second: feature done=1
94063 >second: accepted done
94063 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94063 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94063 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94064 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94064 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94064 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94064 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94064 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94064 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94064 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94064 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94065 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94065 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94065 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94065 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94065 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94065 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94065 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94065 <second: # command = accepted s=1
94072 >second: memory 2052
94072 >second: new
random
94072 >second: variant duck
94072 >second: level 0 3 2
94072 >second: post
94072 >second: hard
94073 >second: easy
94073 >second: ping 1
Impossible move , type = 0
94073 >second: force
94073 <second: # command = memory s=1
94074 <second: # command = new s=1
94074 <second: # command = random s=1
94074 <second: # command = variant s=1
94074 <second: # command = level s=1
94074 <second: # command = post s=1
94074 <second: # command = hard s=1
94074 <second: # command = easy s=1
94074 <second: # command = ping s=1
94075 <second: pong 1
94075 <second: # command = force s=1
New game (0): TJchessDuck 0.2-DuckSlayer 0.00 (w)
94090 >first : computer
94091 >first : name DuckSlayer 0.00
94091 >second: computer
94091 >first : time 18000
94091 >first : otim 18000
book hit = (NULL)
H5: kill = -1,-1 -1 0
94091 >first : go
nps: w=-1, b=-1
94092 <second: # command = computer s=1
94427 <first : 5 57 32 8234 e2e4 @e6 g8f6 @c3 d1f3
94514 <first : 6 57 40 11781 e2e4 @e6 g8f6 @c3 d1f3 @c6
94601 <first : 7 13 49 56760 e2e4 @e6 g8f6 @c3 e4e5 @e4 f6d5
94697 <first : 8 13 59 109234 e2e4 @e6 g8f6 @c3 e4e5 @e4 f6d5 @c3
94838 <first : 9 49 73 164624 e2e4 @e6 g8f6 @e5 b1c3 @e6 b8c6 @c4 g1f3
94933 <first : 10 49 82 234731 e2e4 @e6 g8f6 @e5 b1c3 @e6 b8c6 @c4 g1f3 @e6
95031 <first : 11 21 92 774992 e2e4 @e6 g8f6 @e5 b1c3 @c4 e7e5 @d4 f1b5 @d6 c7c6
95138 <first : 12 21 103 1028576 e2e4 @e6 g8f6 @e5 b1c3 @c4 e7e5 @d4 f1b5 @d6 c7c6 @e7
95249 <first : 13 28 114 1506932 e2e4 @e6 g8f6 @e5 b1c3 @c4 e7e5 @d3 g1f3 @c5 b8c6 @d3 b2b4
95330 <first : 14 28 114 2201913 e2e4
95380 <first : 14 28 127 2580587 e2e4 @e6 g8f6 @e5 b1c3 @e6 b8c6 @c4 g1h3 @e6 d7d6 @c4 h3f4 @e6
95605 <first : 15 12 150 5174700 e2e4
95867 <first : 15 25 176 8864901 d2d4
95889 <first : 15 25 178 8882705 d2d4 @d6 e7e6 @e4 b1c3 @d6 b8c6 @f3 d1d3 @e7 d7d5 @f4 g1f3
96142 <first : 16 25 193 12449719 d2d4
96180 <first : 16 25 207 12729363 d2d4 @d6 e7e6 @f6 b1c3 @d6 b8c6 @e3 g1f3 @d6 g8f6 @e3 d1d3 @d6 g7g6 @e3
96634 <first : 17 37 252 20835124 d2d4
96719 <first : 17 37 261 22167140 d2d4 @d5 e7e6 @f6 e2e4 @c6 d7d5 @c3 e4e5 @c6 c8d7 @e3 b1c3 @e7 b8c6 @e3 g1f3
97071 <first : 18 36 296 28783060 d2d4
97333 <first : 18 36 322 32280593 d2d4 @d5 e7e6 @e4 g1f3 @d6 b8c6 @e4 b1c3 @d6 g7g5 @e3 d1d3 @e7 c6b4 @e3 d3d1 @e7
97335 <first : 17 36 0 29563535 @d5 e7e6 @e4 g1f3 @d6 b8c6 @e4 b1c3 @d6 g7g5 @e3 d1d3 @e7 c6b4 @e3 d3d1 @e7
Impossible move h2d5, type = 24
98294 <first : 18 19 96 21689970 @d5 g8f6 @f4 c2c4 @d6 b8c6 @d5 g1f3 @d6 e7e6 @e3 b1c3 @d6 g7g5 @e3 d4d5 @d6 e6d5
Impossible move h2d5, type = 24
98705 <first : 19 19 137 31402962 @d5
Impossible move h2d5, type = 24
98954 <first : 19 19 162 34737694 @d5 g8f6 @f4 c2c4 @d6 b8c6 @d5 g1f3 @d6 e7e6 @e3 b1c3 @d6 g7g5 @e3 d4d5 @d6 e6d5 @e3
Impossible move h2d5, type = 24
100301 <first : 20 23 296 68501186 @d5 g8f6 @f4 b1c3 @d5 e7e6 @e3 g1f3 @d6 b8c6 @e3 a2a4 @d6 b7b6 @e3 d1d3 @d6 c8b7 @e3 g2g3
Impossible move h2d5, type = 24
100303 <first : move d2d4,
100303 <first : move d5d5
Handle: kill = 3,4
H2: kill = 3,4
Apply: kill = 3,4
H4: kill = 3,4 d2d4;d5

100303 >second: time 18000
100303 >second: otim 17578
book hit = (NULL)
H5: kill = 3,4 d2d4;d5
0 1
100304 >second: usermove 100304 >second: d2d4,d4d5
100304 >second: go
silence
100308 <second: # command = time s=1
100308 <second: # command = otim s=1
100309 <second: # command = usermove s=1
100309 <second: # before d2d4 0 8 1 2 2 2 1 12 0 8 1 2 2 2 1 12 stm = 0
100309 <second: # Eval B-pair = 0
100309 <second: # Eval Pawns = 0
100309 <second: # Eval weighted = 0
100309 <second: # Eval shelter = 0
100309 <second: no unlike B, pawns = 8
100309 <second: # 0 8 1 2 2 2 1 12 0 8 1 2 2 2 1 12 raw = 0 dicount=0
100310 <second: # root: 10 b1a3,ffffffff
100310 <second: # root: 34 b1c3,ffffffff
100310 <second: # command = go s=1
100728 <second: # 13 11 12 14 10 12 11 13
100729 <second: # 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
100729 <second: # 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
100729 <second: # 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
100729 <second: # 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
100729 <second: # 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
100729 <second: # 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1
100729 <second: # 5 3 4 6 2 4 3 5
100729 <second: # duck at 43
100729 <second: # Eval B-pair = 0
100729 <second: # Eval Pawns = 0
100730 <second: # Eval weighted = -10
100730 <second: # Eval shelter = -10
100730 <second: no unlike B, pawns = 8
100730 <second: # -2 8 1 2 2 2 1 12 0 8 1 2 2 2 1 12 raw = -10 dicount=0
100730 <second: # root: 0 a7a5,ffffffff
100730 <second: 1 0 42 2 a7a5,a1
100733 <second: # root: 25 b8c6,ffffffff
100733 <second: 1 25 42 18 b8c6,a1
100734 <second: # root: -3 b8c6,23
100734 <second: 2 -3 42 84 b8c6,d3 g1f3,a1
100735 <second: # root: 22 b8c6,55
100735 <second: 3 22 42 723 b8c6,f6 c1e3,f6 g8f6,a1
100736 <second: # root: -6 b8c6,25
100736 <second: 4 -6 42 8993 b8c6,f3 g1f3,f6 g8h6,g5 b1c3,a1
100738 <second: 128:4
100738 <second: c7c6 b1a3 d8a5 e1d2 a5g5 bad list c
100738 <second:
Fatal Error: Error: second chess program (ducks) exited unexpectedly
GameEnds(27, Error: second chess program (ducks) exited unexpectedly, 2)
119174 >first : result 1-0 {Error: second chess program (ducks) exited unexpectedly}
Interrupting second
119175 >second: result 1-0 {Error: second chess program (ducks) exited unexpectedly}
119175 >first : force
119175 >first : ping 2
119175 >second: quit
119175 >first : quit
Process 22220 still alive after timeout, killing... result=1