New & Updated PicoChess Engines

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Al

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Jun 25, 2018, 11:45:26 AM6/25/18
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Hi all,

I received a few Emails, Skype Chats, WhatsApp Messages & Messenger Chats asking me to continue with my New Engines. Thanks very much for your nice comments.

Thanks to one of our Developers, I’ve been given access to a private GitHub account where I can store my New and Updated Engines. Access to these will be limited to those people I Know and Trust, sorry.

Here’s the updates I compiled Saturday, a bit late posting but as well as adding and testing them, I’ve been busy with Lc0 x2, trying Dirk’s TuroChamp and trying to update my compilers to later versions, with some success:


Arasan TCEC12-103-g2a9eb3d
Defenchess 1.2 x64 (update)
Embla 1.0.3
Ethereal 10.15
Laser 1.6 beta (update)
McBrain 9.3 (Stockfish derived) - I’m awaiting a faster 9.4 Compile.
RubiChess 0.10-dev MB (update)
Stockfish 9 230618
SugaR_XPrO 230618 32 (Stockfish derived)
Vajolet2 2.6
Zevra 20180623

Other Engines, these require prerequisite installs and further downloads, instructions are in the relevant README files:

lczero v.10 (update) - uses live weights files
The Lc0 chess engine. v0.14.0 - uses test server weights files
PyTuroChamp - thanks to Dirk

Scall...@gmail.com


Cheers,

Al.

Michael Byrne

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Jun 25, 2018, 1:12:45 PM6/25/18
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Thank you Al for your fine work and support. Due directly to your efforts, I’m now enjoying my DGT board more than ever. Originally purchased about 10 years ago, it has been gathering mostly dust. Much appreciated here.

Long Live Picochess Regards ,
Michael

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Philip

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Jun 25, 2018, 1:42:05 PM6/25/18
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Yours is the second post I've seen that expresses concern for another person stealing your work. Is this a problem? I kinda thought Picochess was such a niche software that any "competitor" would have an easier time just doing a fork.  I'm not aware of any one selling Picochess - but I have to admit that I'd be willing to buy a fully functional board. 

Also, DGT is coming out with a new electronic board at the end of the summer that uses a new type of switch. The new board will not recognize individual pieces like the current models do. To be clear: the new board will be able to identify that there is a piece on a particular square - but will not know what piece it is. 

I mention this because I am hoping other manufactures see the void and push products to market. I think a mass produced Picochess board with a Pi Zero W built in could be made/ sold for $100

Anyway, enough rambling. 

Michael Byrne

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Jun 25, 2018, 1:45:34 PM6/25/18
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Have fun doing a position setup with that board. That type of board is not actually new , but it may be new for DGT.  The piece recognizing boards were designed sometime after the type of board you are describing. It would be a downgrade , not an upgrade. 

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Philip

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Jun 25, 2018, 2:14:19 PM6/25/18
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On the board I am building I plan to use Reed switches, but I don't think DGT is using Reed switches on their new 'downgraded' board since and weighted pieces will work. 

I know board setup is not as easy as with the more expensive model - but I'm excited the cost is coming down. 


Message has been deleted

Al

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Jun 30, 2018, 10:17:04 AM6/30/18
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Hi all,

. Arasan v21.0.0-beta-7-gcbf3578
. Defenchess 1.2 x64 (update)
. Ethereal 10.25
. Laser 1.6 beta (update)
. MateFinder 290618 (Stockfish derived)
. McBrain 9.4 (Stockfish derived)
. Rodent III 0.256 32-bit/GCC 6.3.0
. Snowy 0.2-5-gb0aa777
. Stockfish 9 290618
. SugaR_XPrO 290618 32 (Stockfish derived)
. Xiphos 0.3 NO-POPCNT (thanks Jürgen 😄)
. Zevra 20180623 (update)

Other Engines: These require prerequisite installs and further downloads, instructions are in the relevant README files:

.lczero v.10 (update) - uses live weights files
.The Lc0 chess engine. v0.14.0 (update)- uses test server weights files


Cheers,

Al.

(Scall...@gmail.com)

Al

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Jul 1, 2018, 12:47:49 PM7/1/18
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Hi all,

McBrain 9.5 (Stockfish derived)
The lc0 chess engine v014.0 (update)


Cheers,

Al.

Philip

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Jul 3, 2018, 11:10:38 PM7/3/18
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I just saw this guy is trying to sell a collection of picochess engines! https://www.topschach.de/engine-paket-engines-p-4098.html

I am quite tempted to buy the download just to distribute it freely!

Michael Byrne

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Jul 4, 2018, 12:00:52 AM7/4/18
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No , don’t do that . It will just encourage the scumbag to keep doing it. He had taken somebody’s else work and is trying to make money off if it. Total , 100% scumbag. in addition every engine he is selling is protected by a license which he is already violating. Every engine he offers is already freely available for picochess.

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> On Jul 3, 2018, at 11:10 PM, Philip <2high...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I just saw this guy is trying to sell a collection of picochess engines! https://www.topschach.de/engine-paket-engines-p-4098.html
>
> I am quite tempted to buy the download just to distribute it freely!
>

Michael Lang

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Jul 4, 2018, 1:56:10 AM7/4/18
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'Scumbag' is the right word for that guy....shame on him! 😕

Topschach Benny

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Jul 4, 2018, 4:38:32 AM7/4/18
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When you open your eyes and scroll down, you would see that the Download of the Image with 60 Engines is free! If you want everything out of the box you can buy a SD-Card. This is for all the people which do not have any clue about Linux and would like to use the free engines.

I think the free Download of an Image with PicoChess 0.9n + 60 Engines is very good.

BR L

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Jul 4, 2018, 4:40:48 AM7/4/18
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If these engines are all available for picochess, where can they be downloaded?

I know the sources are available and Al has done some great work in building them and getting them to work with picochess, but I don't see them available anywhere to download.

I don't really have the time or skill to do that myself, but would like to try these engine.

Topschach Benny

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Jul 4, 2018, 4:42:18 AM7/4/18
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Hi Michael,

you use my free-download-option of images since 2016 and you are happy with it. Now I offer a free Download of PicoChess 0.9n + 60 Engines and you call me a Scumbag? 

Topschach Benny

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Jul 4, 2018, 4:51:42 AM7/4/18
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Just scroll down here:


Then you see the Option-Field. Choose Download and put it in your basket. Finish the basket and you will get a !FREE! Dowload-Link of an sd-card-image with PicoChess 0.9n + 60 Enignes.

Please use the comment-field to tell me, if you need a PicoChess-Image or a DGT Pi Image.

Topschach Benny

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Jul 4, 2018, 4:55:01 AM7/4/18
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Here you see > It is free

Topschach Benny

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Jul 4, 2018, 5:01:53 AM7/4/18
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Hi BR,

For people like you I offer this free service and how I see you used it some minutes ago. It works.



Am Mittwoch, 4. Juli 2018 10:40:48 UTC+2 schrieb BR L:

BR L

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Jul 4, 2018, 5:09:22 AM7/4/18
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I just downloaded this for free!

Thanks to Topschach for providing this. 

I didn't know about your website but thanks to this thread, now I do.

Al

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Jul 4, 2018, 7:19:37 AM7/4/18
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Hi all,

Ok let’s clear this up.

To ‘BR L’ & ‘Philip who may have not seen my original posts ‘Engines Updates’. Near the end of the thread I put ALL my Compiled Engines online on my GitHub site with simple instructions on how to download them and integrate them into PicoChess.

Then one morning I awoke to find that these had been duplicated on Benny’s site despite my copyright message with no mention of where he got them, originally he was charging for these. (note I have never mentioned who it was before today, after Benny posted here).

I immediately deleted everything from my GitHub site and posted that I was no longer going to offer updates online. Since then I was offered access to a private GitHub server so I started this new post and offered my engine updates again, if I was contacted via email and only then If I knew and trusted them.

Benny and me have since spoken on the phone twice (including this morning). Since my first phone call he has offered my Engines free to download but charges €14.95 for a SD card version (this is for the price of the SD card and the work involved)

Yes they are MY Engine compiles and Benny has agreed to change his website to say where he got them from and to include my name and email address.


>> Benny there’s a couple of mistakes on your Engine listing, at the bottom of your list it states:

CorChessExtended 1.9 110418
Delocto 0.6RubiChess 0.10-dev Board88
Stockfish 220515
Teki 2

Please separate Delocto 0.6 and RubiChess, they are 2 different Engines and Stockfish 220515 is actually Stockfish-Human.

I continue to update my Engines, those on Benny’s website where those I offered as at June 15th.


Cheers,

Al.

Scall...@gmail.com

Topschach Benny

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Jul 4, 2018, 7:51:10 AM7/4/18
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Thank you Al,

I changed it. I also put some information'bout the download-option into the description. Some Thanks-Massage to you follows. :-)

Topschach Benny

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Jul 4, 2018, 7:55:51 AM7/4/18
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Here are the descriptions of all running engines:

Michael Lang

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Jul 4, 2018, 8:06:58 AM7/4/18
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Hi, after the above mentioned changes I take the 'sc......' back! Regards, Michael

Topschach Benny <tops...@gmail.com> schrieb am Mi., 4. Juli 2018, 13:55:
Here are the descriptions of all running engines:

--

Philip

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Jul 4, 2018, 12:48:01 PM7/4/18
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A free download would be great if it worked. 

1. The free download does not work. Attempting to checkout leads to a cart error that prevents me from checking out. 

2. The download is not 'free.'  One is required to sign up for an account on the site. 

If someone gets the download would you please send me the link to download?
Screenshot_20180704-115128.png

BrianLoxton

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Jul 4, 2018, 1:10:45 PM7/4/18
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I had the same problem at first, but it works if you pick a different payment method (even though it is free),
sorry, can't remember which

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Uwe Badermann

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Jul 4, 2018, 4:44:33 PM7/4/18
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Interesting discussion going on here.

Though not my biz a brief comment/question:
I see the description update about free of charge downloads. Ok.
But I do not see any comments related to Al doing the cumbersome work?!

cheers

Philip Catalano

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Jul 5, 2018, 12:28:15 AM7/5/18
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Al,

Thanks for putting in the time to get all these engines working for us!

I have 'bought' the download on Benny's site but am on vacation at the moment. Otherwise, I would be posting a link.

You are a hero for compiling and debugging all the engines. Why not post it on your GitHub?

BR L

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Jul 5, 2018, 5:42:50 AM7/5/18
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Just give it some time, I only got access to the engines yesterday, after I saw the Topshach link.

Al has done lots of work to get these engines working on picochess, but they were previously only available to those he knew and trusted.

Al

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Jul 5, 2018, 6:10:07 AM7/5/18
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Hi all, thanks for your positive comments.

I have then now on a private GitHub server for those I know and trust. There’s a couple of new engines plus all the updates since Benny posted online.

I’d appreciate if others didn’t post their own links, that’s what I’m trying to avoid, I’d like to control who has access.


Thanks,

Al.

Philip

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Jul 5, 2018, 12:23:53 PM7/5/18
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Al, 

Why limit access? 

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Al

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Jul 5, 2018, 12:59:00 PM7/5/18
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Hi Philip,

I did originally.

Once bitten, twice shy ...


Al.

Philip Catalano

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Jul 5, 2018, 4:19:10 PM7/5/18
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Well, Al, that's a bummer.

I'm planning on putting the 60+ engines on GitHub. Obviously, I'll give you credit, but I don't see a point to limit access. To the contrary, the more people using and getting excited about Picochess the better it will be for all of us.

If you have a reason why I should not put them up, please let me know.

Al

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Jul 5, 2018, 4:46:28 PM7/5/18
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Philip,

Please don’t, read my earlier thread ‘Engines Updates’

I did distrubute them freely before. My earlier efforts are available on Benny’s site, now I’m controlling who has access to any new engines or updates to existing ones.

Thanks,

Al.

kretoooo

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Jul 16, 2018, 2:46:34 AM7/16/18
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Hi
first thanks for to work on picochess +60 engines
but which of the 60 engines have the most human like playing style
and how do i best setup it up for beginner level (book or no book) or ?
i have tried stockfish 9 level 2 but i get crushed on there (with big book)
it´s no fun to get crushed every time
thanks

Michael Byrne

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Jul 16, 2018, 5:48:30 AM7/16/18
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McBrain has levels “play Ana” , play “play Grace” , play “Lucas” , play “Poppy” “play Reid”, and then play by Elo starting at 1500.  Ana is the. Weakest and it goes harder from there. The Elo levels are weaker because the number of nodes per second is reduced - it starts off at about 50 nps and but it has no randomization to make it weaker.  The levels  with names attached is level 1500 but it includes randomization of moves , Ana has the most randomization. And it gets progressively harder. All of the weakest levels are level 1500 combined with a SF level  , Ana starts at SF level zero and it increments from there. Think of Ana as Elo  900, Grace is 1000, Lucas is 1100, Poppy is “1200 and “Reid” is 1300.  There is no sexist thing making the ladies weaker than the men - pico likes things in alphabetical order and the names used are the names of my grandchildren.   And of course my name is “Poppy” to them. 🌞
 
Enjoy - Michael , McBrain author 

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kretoooo

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Jul 16, 2018, 2:19:14 PM7/16/18
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Hi Michael
i know it´s off topic but hope it´s ok
thanks for the info and have played poppy and still i lost i wonder how good ELO rating is (mcbrain i am 11-1200 elo in fritz 16 se and hiaras i am 15-1600 elo) just dont know what to believe in

Michael Byrne

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Jul 16, 2018, 2:28:53 PM7/16/18
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Start with Ana and go from there 😊

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