tablebases for shredder engine and fritz gui

[ChessAddict]

how do i load tablebases for my engine? There is an option if you want the engine to read from the tablebases. Where are they and where to load them. Is there better tablebases out there? Thanks.

[Mike S.]

Most probably, you will find a directory like ..\TB\ on your CD. These are Nalimov tablebases files, usually the complete 3- and 4-piece tables (70 files). Copy that directory to a harddisk like D:\TB or D:\Chess\TB, or better, copy it to a USB memory stick if it has enough capacity.

Then, choose "Tools/Options, Tablebases" from the Fritz menu and configure the tablebase path there. Restart Fritz. Done.

Alternatively, if the Nalimovs are missing on your CD (I am not sure if they are on each CB. program CD), a useful download is available from the Arena website
http://www.playwitharena.com/
There, go to "User Files, Engines --> Axon, Elostat, Nalimov" and scroll down. Of course you need to unzip that file (~30 MB total size).

[ChessAddict]

Am i supposed to generate and build the table bases first? It's been a while since i did this and forgotten a few steps. Thanks.

[Mike S.]

No, only the steps I mentioned are required. The files are ready to use if they look like this for example:

Code: Select all

Verzeichnis von F:\Tablebases

2007-03-13  18:03    <DIR>          ..
2007-03-13  18:03    <DIR>          .
1999-06-18  21:44               186 knknbw.emd
1999-06-18  21:44               187 knknbb.emd
1999-06-18  21:44               187 kbknbb.emd
1999-06-21  00:04             1.358 knnknbw.emd
1999-06-21  00:04             1.441 knnknbb.emd
1999-06-18  21:44             1.503 kbknbw.emd
2000-06-17  19:06             2.449 knknnbb.emd
2000-06-17  19:05             2.449 knknnbw.emd
2000-06-17  19:06             2.451 kbknnbb.emd
1999-06-18  21:44             5.961 kqknbb.emd
1999-06-18  21:44             7.051 krknbb.emd
1999-06-18  21:44             7.059 krknbw.emd
1999-06-18  21:44             7.605 kqknbw.emd
2000-06-17  19:26            13.989 kbkbnbw.emd
2000-06-17  19:27            13.989 kbkbnbb.emd
2000-06-17  19:06            14.063 kbknnbw.emd
1999-06-18  21:44            16.589 kpknbb.emd
1999-06-18  21:44            17.654 kpknbw.emd
2001-06-01  09:00            70.028 knnkb.nbw.emd
2001-06-01  09:00            75.659 knnkn.nbb.emd
1999-06-18  21:59            84.137 krkbnbb.emd
2001-06-01  09:00            89.336 knnkn.nbw.emd
2000-06-17  22:14           135.331 krrknbw.emd
2000-06-17  22:24           141.855 kqqknbw.emd
1999-06-18  21:52           179.806 krknnbb.emd
2000-06-17  22:24           181.425 kqqknbb.emd
1999-06-18  22:01           189.818 krkrnbb.emd
1999-06-18  22:00           189.818 krkrnbw.emd
2000-06-17  22:14           201.764 krrknbb.emd
1999-06-18  22:23           205.549 kbbknbb.emd
2000-06-17  22:15           211.121 kqrknbw.emd
1999-06-18  21:59           216.606 krkbnbw.emd
1999-06-18  22:23           249.216 kbbknbw.emd
2001-06-01  09:00           256.831 knnkb.nbb.emd
2000-06-17  19:42           257.632 kqkqnbb.emd
2000-06-17  19:42           257.632 kqkqnbw.emd
1999-06-18  22:28           273.890 kqbknbw.emd
1999-06-18  22:26           278.694 krbknbw.emd
2000-06-17  22:01           284.437 kqnknbw.emd
2000-06-17  22:15           296.182 kqrknbb.emd
2000-06-17  22:01           302.140 kqnknbb.emd
2000-06-17  21:59           308.291 krnknbw.emd
1999-06-18  21:52           324.996 krknnbw.emd
1999-06-18  22:28           329.501 kqbknbb.emd
2001-06-01  09:00           329.537 knnkr.nbw.emd
1999-06-18  22:26           357.372 krbknbb.emd
2000-06-17  21:59           367.838 krnknbb.emd
2000-06-17  19:38           369.787 kbkpnbw.emd
2000-06-17  22:41           384.915 kppknbw.emd
2000-06-17  19:32           401.622 kqkbnbw.emd
2000-06-17  19:12           413.756 kqknnbw.emd
1999-06-18  22:18           479.960 kbnknbb.emd
2000-06-17  19:32           505.366 kqkbnbb.emd
1999-06-18  22:18           555.601 kbnknbw.emd
1999-06-18  22:10           562.344 kqkrnbw.emd
2000-06-17  19:12           582.758 kqknnbb.emd
2000-06-17  22:41           610.687 kppknbb.emd
2000-06-17  19:25           618.587 knkpnbw.emd
1999-06-18  22:10           641.119 kqkrnbb.emd
2000-06-17  19:38           775.143 kbkpnbb.emd
2000-06-17  22:29           886.731 kqpknbw.emd
2000-06-17  22:30           913.558 kqpknbb.emd
2000-06-17  19:26         1.089.865 knkpnbb.emd
2000-06-17  20:06         1.103.045 kqkpnbw.emd
2000-06-17  21:56         1.111.988 kpkpnbb.emd
2000-06-17  21:56         1.116.299 kpkpnbw.emd
2000-06-17  22:23         1.167.451 krpknbb.emd
2000-06-17  22:23         1.197.199 krpknbw.emd
1999-06-21  19:05         1.208.181 krkpnbw.emd
2000-06-17  22:12         1.227.423 knpknbb.emd
1999-06-18  22:39         1.290.857 kbpknbb.emd
2000-06-17  20:07         1.353.920 kqkpnbb.emd
1999-06-21  19:05         1.479.273 krkpnbb.emd
1999-06-18  22:39         1.511.181 kbpknbw.emd
2000-06-17  22:12         1.547.889 knpknbw.emd
2001-06-01  09:00         3.411.881 knnkr.nbb.emd
1999-02-11  18:17         4.338.256 krbkrnbb.emd
1999-04-30  23:36         5.584.441 krnkrnbb.emd
2001-06-01  03:00        11.267.500 krrkrnbw.emd
2001-06-01  01:00        14.061.624 kqrkrnbw.emd
1999-04-30  23:34        16.970.339 krnkrnbw.emd
2001-06-01  03:00        17.169.632 krrkrnbb.emd
1999-02-11  18:23        17.189.887 krbkrnbw.emd
2001-06-01  09:00        20.041.961 knnkq.nbw.emd
2001-06-01  09:00        20.875.024 knnkq.nbb.emd
2001-06-01  01:00        28.475.167 kqrkrnbb.emd
2001-06-01  08:00        42.962.550 knnkp.nbw.emd
2001-06-01  08:00        43.337.084 knnkp.nbb.emd
2001-06-01  06:00        68.946.403 krpkrnbb.emd
2001-06-01  06:00        81.247.218 krpkrnbw.emd
              90 Datei(en),    427.748.085 Bytes

These are the 3- and 4-piece tablebases (=70 files with ~ 30 MB total size), and a subset of 20 big files from the 5-piece tablebases.

The only detail to consider in addition is, which tablebases file cache size you want to configure. I use 128 MB because I have plenty of RAM and don't use very large hash tables. But I think hash tables should have priority, and make sure that enough RAM remains free. 32 MB tbs. cache will be enough too, also some test results have indicated that it's size may have no performance impact at all (because other caches or buffers are involved too anyway, although this situation is certainly quite different on different computers, each).

[ChessAddict]

I looked in the file where i saved them and most of the files have .emd ending. Does that mean they are finished? Is there a way to tell if tablebases are correctly installed. What is the "cache" option? Should i adjust it? Right now its at 1mb.

[Mike S.]

1 MB seems extremely small... I'd suggest a minimum of 8 MB. See also my other posting.

To check the tablebase files for correct checksums, I always use a freeware chess program called "Wilhelm" which has this capability:

http://www.geocities.com/rba_schach2000 ... nglish.htm

[ChessAddict]

I tried to download the wilhelm program but the language is in german.

[Mike S.]

Extras/Sprache-->Englisch

[ChessAddict]

The files with .tbs on the end, do they need to be generated or can they already be used as table bases?

[Dirt]

The files with .tbs on the end, do they need to be generated or can they already be used as table bases?

The .tbs files are there for your enjoyment. You can look at what they are with a text editor.