GNU Chess and Xboard

JMJ_coder · 12-10-2007, 12:55 PM

Hello,

I have a couple of questions on GNU Chess and Xboard.

Is there a way to have the move list display automatically when Xboard starts?

Is there a way to have GNU Chess play at different levels, either by general description - beginner, intermediate, expert - or by rating level - 1000, 1500, 2000?

homey · 12-10-2007, 05:32 PM

Sorry but the answer is no on both counts. Unless somebody has an inside track that I don't know of, this game is ruthless and doesn't have any levels. I am always doomed to lose but, I am taking notes!

tronayne · 12-11-2007, 06:00 AM

Yeah, it has a data base of (probably every) opening ever played in the history of the world and you are a mere lamb being led to slaughter -- and there is a Show Move List in the Mode drop-down that'll show you the steps that got you there, though...

JMJ_coder · 12-12-2007, 10:54 AM

Hello,

O.K. - I found something.

Use the depth switch when calling xboard.

-depth or -searchDepth number
Tells the chess engine to look ahead at most the given number of moves when searching for a move to make. Without this option, the chess engine chooses its search depth based on the number of moves and amount of time remaining until the next time control. With the option, the engine will cut off its search early if it reaches the specified depth.

Setting this to a low number will dumb down the chess engine.

cyberfishee · 12-12-2007, 10:08 PM

not by much though.

AFAIK, chess engines implement whats known as quiescence search (selective extension), with a certain set of criterias for interesting moves (eg. captures or checks or promotions) that they will keep searching beyond the set depth.