Gandalf 4.32f by Steen Suurballe and Dan Wulff

 

Index

 

Readme file by Gandalf`s programmer Steen Suurballe !

 

Gandalf 4.32f WinBoard engine

This release of Gandalf is a pure WinBoard engine.

Gandalf 4.32f plays positional attack chess and uses a speculative attack function to determine when to attack. But Gandalf also handles quiet positions and the endgame phase very well. The opening book contains 1.2 million unique positions highly optimized for Gandalf 4.32f.

You need Tim Mann's WinBoard interface:
http://research.compaq.com/SRC/personal/Tim_Mann/chess.html

Or commercial GUIs, before you can start playing.

This CD includes separate installations in the "setup" directory for:

a) Gandalf 432f WinBoard engine.
b) Nalimov endgame files (3,4 and some 5 piece).
c) Files for Chess-Base interface.
d) Frank Quisinsky`s computer chess database in PGN and CBH format.
e) The previous version of Gandalf, MS DOS Gandalf 3.0 !

The separate files er also contained in the directories found on the CD.

 

Installation of Gandalf 4.32f WinBoard Engine

Run the setup.exe in your "setup\Gandalf 4.32f" directory

 

To play with the WinBoard interface

See the help file and examples given with the WinBoard download on how to attach the Gandalf 432f engine to the WinBoard interface. There is included a WinBoard.ini file which you can copy to your WinBoard installation directory.

You can also play on ICS / FICS with Gandalf 4.32f (also see WinBoard help files).

Important note: If you add ics to the commandline for server play, Gandalf will whisper/kibitz the opening played and later its evaluation of the position.

 

Installation of Nalimov endgame files

Run the setup.exe from the "setup\Nalimov endgame files" directory

 

Installation of Fritz interface

1) Run the setup.exe in the "setup\files for Chess-Base interface" directory. Choose target as your "ChessBase-Engines" directory
    (default c:\Program Files\ChessBase\Engines).

2) Edit Gandalf4.res so BOOKPATH point to your "gandalf-installation" directory

3) Edit Gandalf4.res so TB point to your "gandalf-installation\tb" (or your nalimov) directory

4) In Fritz: 
    - disable "Use Book" and disable "Tournament Book" under the "Book-options" when you "edit" Gandalf_432f from the list of engines in a match.
       then Fritz 6 (i dont think Fritz 5.32 does this?) will display "No Book" in book choice.

       If you encounter problems try this :
       Attach the "empty" book (found in your engines\gandalf_432f directory) to Gandalf. Fritz should display "empty" in Book Choice Gandalf will
       (in both cases) then use its own book which is preferred.
    - also disable "Use Tablebases". Gandalf handles this by itself.

       PS: I have noticed that in the "Invite Engine" window (tournament mode) the engine you "Edit" is not always highlighted.
             Gandalf 432f MUST be highlighted when "Edit"!

    When using its own book, Gandalf displays "0.00/1" after its book moves in the game list window.

5) The Gandalf_432f.init file:
    a) For engine matches (default) 2'nd line should read:
        CommandLine = nodebug xfritz xboard
    b) For manual play 2'nd line should read:
        CommandLine = nodebug xboard

    Now Gandalf 432f appears in the engines list and is available for playing.

    NOTE : Since this is a WinBoard engine it is NOT 100% certain that all "Fritz options" works under this interface !

 

Installation of Frank Quisinsky database

run setup.exe in "setup\Frank Quisinsky database"

 

Installation of Gandalf 3.0

run setup.exe in "setup\gandalf3"

 

Gandalf4.res settings

Default is:

LEARNING 1                    --> Learning enabled.
DRAW 6 50                     --> If abs (score)<= CONTEMPT for six consecutive moves after move 50 then offer a draw.
CONTEMPT 0                    --> The contempt factor.
RESIGN 7 6                    --> Resign if the score is less than -7.00 for six consecutive moves.
TB c:\winboard\gandalf\tb\    --> Path to the Nalimov endgame files.
BOOKPATH c:\winboard\gandalf\ --> Path to the dbchs.dat file (opening book).
HASH 32                       --> 32 Mb of memory to hashtables (valid numbers are : 4, 8, 16, 20, 32, 56 and 104).
TBCACHE 8                     --> 8 Mb of memory to cach the Nalimov files.

Recommended setting for memory use:

PC with <  32 MB : HASH   8 TBCACHE  2
PC with    32 MB : HASH  16 TBCACHE  4
PC with    64 MB : HASH  32 TBCACHE  8
PC with   128 MB : HASH  56 TBCACHE 16
PC with > 128 MB : HASH 104 TBCACHE 32

Don't hesitate to Mail if you have any questions to:

steen@suurballe.dk

Enjoy!