Favorites.ini

[Kyle Washington]

I read through several posts here, and through the manual - and it seems I'm supposed to copy text from the engine.ini to the favorites.ini file, since you can't add favorites with the clock.  I searched through every directory on my SD card, and I don't seem to have a favorites.ini.

Maybe I just have to create one - but the fresh v3 image file has favorites already in it.  I'm sure Captain Obvious will be the one to reply to me, but I don't see what to do yet.  To be fair, I haven't tried to create one - but I thought I'd ask to see if it was something easy that I missed first.

Kyle

[Randy Reade]

Kyle, 

The favorites.ini file is in the /opt/picochess/engines/armv7l folder. Copy the entries from the engines.ini file located in the same folder. Entries in the favorites.ini must also appear in the engines.ini file.

Randy

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[Kyle Washington]

Thank you sir!  I did a search for this file and did not find it at all - which tells me that my Linux search skills are lacking... which makes sense.  When I browse to that directory with File manager, I see it plain as day.  I couldn't edit it of course... so I went to a terminal and typed sudo mc, and I browsed to it again.  I chose F4 to Edit, and that worked.  I copied it to Favorites_old.ini before starting just to be safe.

I struggle with the Linux commands, but I feel so much more confident now than 2 weeks ago!  It felt so hopeless when I started, not knowing how to even find a command prompt.  Now at least I know it's just something I'm doing wrong.

Lately I've been going back through these messages and re-reading a lot of them.  So much makes sense now.  I want to research more stuff to make my 'perfect chess computer' like Dirk said, except now I'm just configuring what he's already created for us!  It really does seem like a stock DGT Pi would be so limited now that we know what can happen.  :)

I would like to set the ELO of some of the engines to 800, for example.  On the clock I usually navigate to Centaur and choose Friendly 1, or I pick Stockfish and choose Level 1.  It's not a dealbreaker, but I want to set those in favorites.  I read where you can adjust the Rodent engine (which I haven't tried yet), but I picked that one and the Centaur for my favorites.ini file to start with.  Next, I think I want to stop tinkering for a few days and actually play.  I haven't won a game yet, but I am getting more comfortable with the game as a whole.  The technology isn't in my way any more, I guess.  Last night I was playing a game and my son came in to watch me, and he started telling me how to attack the computer's defender instead of a leading piece, and he just took over the game.  He was impressed that we could view it on the webserver screen and just play.  He's very impatient though, so he picks up pieces and sets them down and then does something else - but now that I understand how to start PicoTutor, the behavior of the software wasn't a surprise.

Improving day by day!

Kyle

[RandyR]

Hi Kyle,

We've all been there - starting out using Linux. Although most of my time is spent in Windows, since I learned about PicoChess and bought a DGT board and DGTPi about a year ago, my Linux knowledge has vastly improved, especially using the command line. I don't know what I would do without Google. It seems that every day I am searching for ways to do things from the Terminal that I would have done using a program in Windows. Don't give up. You will learn the most in the early stages.

I don't see the DGTPi as being limited at all. In fact, it is the setup I use daily. I have an RPi4 but that is mostly for compiling or checking out how PicoChess behaves on a standalone setup.

Not every engine supports Elo settings, and even if they do, it's somewhat arbitrary. Elo ratings that you find on the Internet are typically useful only for comparing engines to each other in specific conditions (hardware, tournament settings, etc.). If you find the engine is always beating you at a certain level, just select a lower one. Don't concern yourself with the Elo number, just find an engine whose playing style you like, and adjust the level so it gives you a good challenge, but doesn't destroy you in 10 moves every game! You don't want it to become discouraging. And, over time, you will see improvement. There are also many resources on the Web to help you improve, or books you can learn from.

It's great that your son is interested in chess. I'm sure you look forward to the day where you can play against each other, and he will look forward to the day he is finally able to beat you!

Enjoy.

Randy

[Dirk Sommerfeld]

Hi Kyle, 

for my view ct800 , Rodent (You will find on web a list of their personalitys and strength) and StockfishDD  are good to play nice games. CT800 you can start at the Level 1000 Elo and move up to find the best challenge... Same with StockfishDD, start with Level1 and have fun  ... I like how ct800 play. From the Emu Engines I like Risc2500/Mepisto Montreux... that's Engines from Johan de Konig an this one are lovely two....   That's all I really need to be happy.

Dirk

[Kyle Washington]

Randy - 

 I probably mis-spoke when I said that the RPi was limited.  What I meant to say was that if I bought one of those out of the box and simply used the stock version of PicoChess that came with it, I would not have all of these options!  I think it would be fun to take out the SD card and upgrade it like I am doing now.  In fact, one fellow on here offered a DGT Pi a couple of weeks back... I asked about it because I figured that a used one from this group is probably a better deal than getting one from Amazon... but, he hasn't replied yet.  It's like the touchscreen... I don't NEED one, but I surely do like playing around and learning the new options.

  And you are both correct about the ELO... I aim for an 800 level or so because that's what I assume to be the 'easy' mode.  I don't know what my rating would be, but I would imagine it is less than that.  I taught my son the pieces a couple of years ago, and I even got a chess.com subscription and just ignored it.  Then when the Queen's Gambit caught on, I finally called the local chess club that teaches in the elementary schools.  I'm just outside of Birmingham Alabama, so they don't quite reach our local school.  So, I drive my son to the weekly lessons for an hour each Wed.  After only a couple of weeks he was able to beat me... now I cannot beat him unless he is trying out something new and makes a big mistake.  But I love seeing him learn so much, I don't mind losing.

  In fact, I picked the Centaur engine because of the reviews on the Centaur computer and how they said it would adapt to your level of play.  If you made 5 blunders in a game, then it would make 5 blunders in a game.  (I've since seen this debated back and forth, but that's generally the idea).  I find that it doesn't make OBVIOUS bad moves so I can get some free pieces - it will just play nice and not attack so much.  Sometimes I listen to the PicoTutor and take back a move and try to improve, and sometimes I go ahead and suck it up and take my licks and then see if I can recover.

  I have 2 problems that keep me from learning faster.  First, I'm getting old... ha ha.  (52 next week).  The second is that I love to tinker, so playing with the wires and the Pi and such takes time away from the board.  But, I'm not in a hurry, so it's all good.

  Thank you both for the suggestions - I will try the different engines and let you know if I can finally win one!

Kyle

[Dirk Sommerfeld]

Hi Kyle,  the problem of the centaur is , that the learning effect is not really high. I understand that it is fun to play with centaur, but not more.

If you will be better make tactic training... on lichess or other platforms. Better is Stappen method or chesstutor, which is based on Stappen...  After do this over a view weeks you will go to 1000 and you can beat engines on a low level.  So stockfishDD , ct8000 both level 1 or Rodent with a beginner profile on level 1 is exact what you need. It could by that you have a series of lost, but with a parallel tactic training it comes very soon the day that you can beat this engines on level 1...... And ... I'm 52, too :-)

Try this engines and make a game analyse over liches with the pgn files after the games. look to the moment when you make the mistake an learn from it. from time to time you will see that the mistake comes later and later....

Dirk

[Scally]

Hi all,

Yes great advice by everyone here, don’t worry about feeling old at 52, I turned 65 last weekend and if it wasn’t for this group keeping my mind active, I dread to think where I’d be ….

Thanks everyone,

Al.

[Kyle Washington]

Yes, thank you both! I have tried the analysis on chess.com before, but all it teaches me is that I make a lot of blunders.  :)  I knew that!  I am not quite to the point where I can use that information.  But, the more I play, the less intimidating it all becomes.  I have not heard of the Stappen method - I will definitely look into that.  I have purchased a few books to read, but I haven't done enough rated online games to know if my rating is changing.  I'm not concerned with that yet - I'm having fun learning, and I am getting better at puzzles.

Last night I made it nearly 15 moves before PicoTutor chastised me.  So yes, later and later!

Kyle

[Dirk Sommerfeld]

Kyle , you are on a good way.... Here is a link to chesstutor http://en.chesstutor.eu/ . Level 2 is what you need.... a lot of funny work, all based on stappen and 100% structured.... If you reach the end of this course I think in 6 month or later... you can play with a rating similar to 1200. If you will reach 1400, make level 3. Tis courses are very intelligent and the structure is the base that you will be better......  Reading books is good for a later stage.... The basics is the only thing that will help now. 

Congrats to the 15 moves.....!!!

Dirk