xboard 4.3.15 draw bug

[bob]

Well, just use a GUI always, and your problems will be solved. I don't consider it a useful goal to facilitate playing without a GUI.

It does make me wonder, though, why you were fighting my originally proposed solution to the race-condition problem, which did away with the need for "offer draw", and perfectly conformed to FIDE rules. But as they say, its no use crying over spilled milk.

The problem is not "forever solved". People just like Steven will come along, write a program that is perfectly compliant with the FIDE rules, and then struggle to figure out that cumbersome process we have to use to actually claim a draw or offer a draw, particularly when you want to claim either before or after the move...

I do not recall any "fight" over something that would be a solution to this problem. If you want to refresh my memory, feel free.

My issue has been inconsistent use of terms. If I want to offer a draw, I am not trying to claim a draw. When I want to claim a draw, I am not trying to offer a draw. What we have works, to be sure. But it is confusing on the surface, and requires that a program handle draws in two different ways if the program can work without a GUI, which many can...

[hgm]

The

1/2-1/2 {3-fold repetition after Kh8}

solution. This was accepted by old interfaces (which accepted the 1/2-1/2 'no questions asked' in any situation), it did write down the move in compliance with FIDE regulatons together with the claim, and is atomic.

[bob]

The

1/2-1/2 {3-fold repetition after Kh8}

solution. This was accepted by old interfaces (which accepted the 1/2-1/2 'no questions asked' in any situation), it did write down the move in compliance with FIDE regulatons together with the claim, and is atomic.

Does it work on ICC? If so, it will be better than the "offer draw" mechanism...

[bob]

The

1/2-1/2 {3-fold repetition after Kh8}

solution. This was accepted by old interfaces (which accepted the 1/2-1/2 'no questions asked' in any situation), it did write down the move in compliance with FIDE regulatons together with the claim, and is atomic.

Does it work on ICC? If so, it will be better than the "offer draw" mechanism...

[hgm]

It would have worked on ICC for an interface programmed to make it work: such an interface would translate the atomic command to the non-atomic ICS prescribed sequence

draw
Kh8

For the engine to be understood on older interfaces in ICS-zippy mode, a kludge would still be necessary, though: such interfaces would translate the 1/2-1/2 to "draw" only, and you would still have to send the move after it for the ICS to accept the claim.

Of ourse the ICS would still be babbling about a draw offer being sent, which is what confusd Steven, as this is what ICS do when you claim draws...