Cray Blitz 49h available (working!)

[Tibono]

Hi,
alternative using a config file, enabling free/easy setting of side to play, thinking time and book score margin:

1) Create a CrayBlitz.ini file including:

Code: Select all

; Color to play: set either White or Black
White

; Set time (st=seconds) and opening book score margin (so=millipawns) 
; short format is: st=x (time only, book score margin left to 100 by default) 
; long  format is: st=x\nso=y (keep \n as the separator)
st=10\nso=450

2) Split both your black and white reference ini files designed for InBetween after the truncated line "hard := " (keep the last space)
such as: InBetween.White1.ini

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[InBetween]
CommandLine := cray-blitz.exe
Log := inbetween.log

[Client2Server]
xboard := xboard\nn\ny
quit := end
hard := 

And InBetween.White2.ini

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e8g8 := o-o\ne8g8
e8c8 := o-o-o\ne8c8
1q := 1=Q
.... (till end, truncated here for display convenience)

Do the same split for InBetween.Black1.ini & InBetween.Black2.ini
Use the above ini files names, otherwise adapt the below commands.

Use this cmd file as the WB engine:

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@echo off
set color=
for /f "delims=" %%a in (CrayBlitz.ini) do (if not defined color set color=%%a)
for /f "delims=" %%a in (CrayBlitz.ini) do set st_so=%%a
copy InBetween.%color%1.ini InBetween.ini
echo %st_so%>>InBetween.ini
type InBetween.%color%2.ini>>InBetween.ini
del axboard bxboard xboard inbetween.log
echo 0.000: *** CrayBlitz plays %color% ***>inbetween.log
echo 0.000: *** time (st) and opening book score margin (so) are set to: %st_so% ***>>inbetween.log
start powershell get-content inbetween.log -wait
InBetween

Of course the powershell line is optional (I use this in a narrowed window with reduced size character set, masking over the GUI's engine crappy output).

GUIs such as Arena offer a straightforward access to the WB config file; either to set or check the values.
Sample output using the above CrayBlitz.ini setting:

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0.000: *** CrayBlitz plays White ***
0.000: *** time (st) and opening book score margin (so) are set to: st=10\nso=450 ***
0.000: - Starting server: cray-blitz.exe
...
0.734: > hard
0.734: <  your move, xboard
0.734: <  absolute time per move is  0:10.
0.734: <  your move, xboard
0.734: <  book score margin is  450.
0.734: <  your move, xboard
...
1.828: <  my move    1. d4

Regards,
Tibono

[Jim Ablett]

I've created some standalone winboard executables (using Enigma virtual box) with a selection of secs per move.

https://drive.proton.me/urls/AJ6S3WYRJ0#MaWCYTAuDtc0

Jim.

You also use 'wb2uci' with these executables in the normal way.

Jim.

[Wilhelm]

I tried to play a gauntlet of 20 games (20 white, 20 black) but it didn't work. The first game run normal but the next doesn't start. In Banksia-GUI each third game works, each second gives a timeout. I also tried CuteChess with a 4 sec. delay betwween the games but there only the first game works and then nothing. In Fritz-GUI I find no setting to play only white or black. Trying parallel games then all crashes, only single games possible. I tried it with all executables (with external inbetween and the last ones). Don't know if I made something wrong or if it simply doesn't work.

Wilhelm

[AdminX]

I tried to play a gauntlet of 20 games (20 white, 20 black) but it didn't work. The first game run normal but the next doesn't start. In Banksia-GUI each third game works, each second gives a timeout. I also tried CuteChess with a 4 sec. delay betwween the games but there only the first game works and then nothing. In Fritz-GUI I find no setting to play only white or black. Trying parallel games then all crashes, only single games possible. I tried it with all executables (with external inbetween and the last ones). Don't know if I made something wrong or if it simply doesn't work.

Wilhelm

Now that is lovely artwork to my eyes!

[Alexander Schmidt]

I tried to play a gauntlet of 20 games (20 white, 20 black) but it didn't work. The first game run normal but the next doesn't start. In Banksia-GUI each third game works, each second gives a timeout. I also tried CuteChess with a 4 sec. delay betwween the games but there only the first game works and then nothing. In Fritz-GUI I find no setting to play only white or black. Trying parallel games then all crashes, only single games possible. I tried it with all executables (with external inbetween and the last ones). Don't know if I made something wrong or if it simply doesn't work.

Wilhelm

Hello Wilhelm,

it works only if your GUI restarts the engine after every game, and as long as it don't change the colour between the games. Maybe Banksia restarts the engine after every 3rd game?

I only verified it with Arena, here you can setup a gauntlet, and play 1 round with the configuration for white. After the round is finished, setup the black configuration, add 1 round in the tournament setup.

Make sure to check the option "restart the engine after every game".

Thanks for the nice Logo, like it!

Alex

[Alexander Schmidt]

I am sorry, it took a while, but now I found a workaround to use Cray Blitz as UCI engine with only one configuration for both sides.

Extract the archive in the Cray Blitz folder and use CrayBlitzUCI.exe as engine: https://www.mediafire.com/file/oiln4suc ... I.zip/file

Adjust the thinking time in CrayBlitzWB.ini in this line:

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rejected reuse := st=1

In the following 20 lines contain the thinking time for the 1st move. Usually CrayBlitz uses it's book, so I'd say it is not necesarry to change this as well.

You can play full games without external book, but you have to restart the engine after every game. It works for 199 moves, if you want to increase that, go to the end of the CrayBlitzWB.ini, you well see what you have to do

This works stable for me under Arena 3.5.1 and should work in other GUIs as well.

For Arena 3.5.1 you can also use this WB configuration: https://www.mediafire.com/file/0hlallgy ... B.zip/file

For this configuration you have to adjust the thinking time after "st=" here:

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white := yes\nst=1\npl white

It will likely not work in other GUIs. Advantage is, that the analysis includes depth and eval. Beside that you should be able to switch sides during a game. But if you do that, Cray Blitz uses the book only for the side it started the game.

Both played just 100 automated games without problems, hope this works for others as well. The whole configuratuion is a little bit shaky because it depends on the time and order of the commands from the UI.

[Jim Ablett]

I am sorry, it took a while, but now I found a workaround to use Cray Blitz as UCI engine with only one configuration for both sides.

Extract the archive in the Cray Blitz folder and use CrayBlitzUCI.exe as engine: https://www.mediafire.com/file/oiln4suc ... I.zip/file

Adjust the thinking time in CrayBlitzWB.ini in this line:

Code: Select all

rejected reuse := st=1

In the following 20 lines contain the thinking time for the 1st move. Usually CrayBlitz uses it's book, so I'd say it is not necesarry to change this as well.

You can play full games without external book, but you have to restart the engine after every game. It works for 199 moves, if you want to increase that, go to the end of the CrayBlitzWB.ini, you well see what you have to do

This works stable for me under Arena 3.5.1 and should work in other GUIs as well.

For Arena 3.5.1 you can also use this WB configuration: https://www.mediafire.com/file/0hlallgy ... B.zip/file

For this configuration you have to adjust the thinking time after "st=" here:

Code: Select all

white := yes\nst=1\npl white

It will likely not work in other GUIs. Advantage is, that the analysis includes depth and eval. Beside that you should be able to switch sides during a game. But if you do that, Cray Blitz uses the book only for the side it started the game.

Both played just 100 automated games without problems, hope this works for others as well. The whole configuratuion is a little bit shaky because it depends on the time and order of the commands from the UI.

Amazing work Alex

Jim.

[Alexander Schmidt]

Amazing work Alex

I think your part was the more difficult one

BTW, did you already have look at Kaissa?

http://greko.su/index_en.html

[Jim Ablett]

Amazing work Alex

I think your part was the more difficult one

BTW, did you already have look at Kaissa?

http://greko.su/index_en.html

I have had a look at it in the past and it look a bit of a nightmare to get it compiling/running
on modern machines, but with the emergence of A.I, I may be able to get some help converting it.
Jim.

[Jim Ablett]

Here's a standalone executable of CrayBlitzUCI.

The ini file and opening books are external so you can still adjust time per move as you'd like.

https://drive.proton.me/urls/R6WYC62JS8#H11tfZD4z05v

Jim.