ICC help

[Tony Thomas]

Since the only way I can buy Junior is by buying an ICC account, I have decided to try to figure out how to run an engine on ICC. Does anyone have any step by step help file a non-computer savvy person can comprehend? I just dont want to waste 60 dollars and get a membership and let it go to waste, I might as well use it to test Romichess.

Thanks in advance
Tony Thomas

[Michael Sherwin]

Sounds interesting Tony, and I wish that I knew how to do that as well.

However, to be forced to purchase an account inorder to purchase a program sounds wrong to me. I would not do it. I would just do with out the program.

However, however if you purchase the membership anyway and use it for testing RomiChess then I will pay half. Just pm your mailing address to me and I will send a check.

[CRoberson]

There are several ways to do it.
Which platform will you use?


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Linux with Xboard
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assume name of program is romi

cd to the romi dir
xboard -zp -fcp "romi any_romi_command_line_args" -ics -icshost chessclub.com

You'll get the login prompt - login
then create up to 3 seeks or directly challeng

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Winboard on MS
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winboard /zp /fcp="romi any_romi_command_line_args" /ics /icshost=chessclub.com

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Arena on MS
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There are some windows to pop up and go through.
The only problem with this option is lack of kibitzing.
Only a problem in sanctioned computer chess tournaments.

[Tony Thomas]

I will be using windows, I am leaning towards using Chess partner as I heard that it was much easier for non-computer freaks. I am going to wait until I buy a better computer, so this might not happen anytime soon.

[Ovyron]

I will be using windows, I am leaning towards using Chess partner as I heard that it was much easier for non-computer freaks. I am going to wait until I buy a better computer, so this might not happen anytime soon.

ChessPartner is a great choice for computer chess at ICC (Or FICS) if you have an account. The hard part is getting a human opponent to play your engine...

[Tony Thomas]

I will be using windows, I am leaning towards using Chess partner as I heard that it was much easier for non-computer freaks. I am going to wait until I buy a better computer, so this might not happen anytime soon.

ChessPartner is a great choice for computer chess at ICC (Or FICS) if you have an account. The hard part is getting a human opponent to play your engine...

Why is it harder to get a human to play an engine under Chesspartner?

[Ovyron]

Why is it harder to get a human to play an engine under Chesspartner?

I mean, in general (Sorry if I wasn't clear.)

[Marc Lacrosse]

Why is it harder to get a human to play an engine under Chesspartner?

Not any harder with chesspartner than with any other interface.

This is a general evolution on ICC : most computer accounts do not have the opportunity to play against humans.

The reasons are easy to understand.

On ICC computer accounts are not allowed to challenge human accounts. They are just allowed to say : "hello I am there ready to play" and no GM will challenge your account if you are not one of the very top ones in ICC rating lists (in this case those GMs who compete for the human top spot will try to win a few rating points playing against you but they will never challenge computers who are not at the top of the rating list).

Going high in the rating lists is very difficult : most established top rated computer accounts reject all challenges from newcoming less well rated computer accounts.

So even if you come with rybka plus a good book and a monster hardware you will find it very difficult to climb toward the top of the list.
And as long as you are not at the top you won't get interesting human opponents to play with you ...

... and do not even hope to have a single master human opponent if you play with a weaker configuration ...

Marc

[Ovyron]

Yes, even Larry Kaufman had problems trying to test Rybka 3 on ICC, as nobody wanted to play him (He had very few games and only against other computers.)

[CRoberson]

Only the overly popular engines have trouble getting human opponents.

Telepath gets several IM's and GM's per month playing it and I rarely
put it online compared to others.

Put it online and call it Romi and identify it in the finger notes then
you'll have lots of opponents due to its uniqueness.