Author: Mike S.
Date: 15:28:59 12/26/02
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On December 26, 2002 at 09:52:12, Angelo Ciavarella wrote: >Is there any way to play two different chess programs on the same computer? >If not, how can I keep both windows open at the same time so I can enter the >moves? I am running Win 95 and using Fritz 5.32 and Chessmaster 5500. Unfortunately CM5500 doesn't support Auto232 AFAIK. With two programs which are auto232 capable, you could autoplay them by connecting i.e. serial port #1 with serial port #2 with a nullmodem cable, and configure the programs respectively. I have tried that: it worked (although I'm not sure if it works on all comps with all progs...) But when you want to enter the moves manually, it's easy: Simply switch between the programs with Alt-TAB. Alt-TAB switches from one application to the next, in Windows. IMPORTANT: Make sure that both do not ponder (do not use permanent brain), because the CPU resources won't be shared 50-50. Especially Chessmaster is known to take much more than 50% in these case (I don't know if this applies to latest versions still, but I definetely read it often from previous one's). You'll probably have to create a *custom Chessmaster personality*, where you can switch pondering to off. Do the same also in Fritz' engine dialogue (F3) when playing the two programs like that. Also, make sure that neither hash table size is too big, IOW that both fit into your physical RAM, with (at least) ~30 MB reserve for system and programs. Games on one computer with Chessmaster pondering, don't make any sense. Your effort would be wasted. The opponent will get only a minimum of CPU cycles. I read an endless number of newbie messages on rgcc asking, "why does Fritz always loose against Chessmaster" just because of that reason. It always turned out that these people had no idea of pondering and the resource sharing problem when they simply switched between the chess programs without disabling the pondering first. Regards, M.Scheidl
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