Author: Stephen A. Boak
Date: 21:28:51 01/09/05
I have some GUI & Engine comments and questins. The most recent software packages I own are: CM8000, and Chessbase's Fritz 7 & Shredder 7. I downloaded most patches or updates online for all of these, when they were available. I use my engines mostly for overnight game analysis, plus some Infinite/Continuous Analysis while entering and/or annotating my OTB or online slow games. Eventually, my one year free subscription to Playchess expired, and I don't think I can download anymore updates these days (it's been that way for over one year). I didn't download the last available (maybe 2 years ago) Fritz 7 GUI patch that I heard improved only the Playchess GUI, since I never use that, except to obtain the occasional engine patch version. The Shredder 7 CD contains both a Chessbase/Fritz/Playchess GUI, plus a Shredder Classic 6.0 GUI. Initially, I experienced some older Chessbase database compatability problems when using the Chessbase/Fritz/Playchess GUI that came with Shredder 7. I figured the reason my databases were being corrupted was a different database format written by the newer GUIs. Consequently, I simply used the Fritz 7 and Shredder 7 (now 7.04) engines in my older Fritz 6 Chessbase GUI. Despite not having the latest GUI features, this workaround has mostly satisfied my overnight analysis needs until now. In the last few days, I created new databases using the Shredder 7 Chessbase/Fritz/Playchess GUI, and appended my games from my older Fritz 6 Chessbase GUI databases. I haven't noticed any problems, using the newer GUI and the newly created databases, so I am more current, and more satisfied. Otherwise, I haven't been updating or changing my software for some time (don't have Fritz 8, Shredder 8, CM9000 or CM10K, nor any Junior product. I haven't previously taken the time to understand & try to use UCI and/or WB protocols and engine versions. However, today I downloaded Fruit 2.0 (UCI engine), to have another analysis engine available with Fritz 7, and Shredder 7.04. The Shredder website has a Shredder Classic 1.1 update available for free trial download on it. I haven't downloaded it yet. The free download version is apparently limited in functionality, unless a registration number is provided. Does my purchase of Shredder 7 (see above) qualify me to obtain this free Shredder Classic 1.1 download and to thereafter freely obtain full functionality? If so, would I use the registration number provided with my original Shredder 7 package? What are the next one or two strongest (for overnight analysis) free UCI compatible engines I could download? I run on an AMD 2700 CPU w/ 1GB RAM and Win2K Pro. Is one perhaps Crafty? If so, what compilation (& weblink to download) is the best overnight analysis version. I plan to hold out buying new software until perhaps Shredder 9. Over the last year or two, Shredder 7.04 has been my favorite engine for analysis. Shredder usually seems too optimistic in its eval score for the side with advantage; but its suggested moves normally seem more human to me than with other engines. And Shredder's record in comp vs comp tournaments shows it isn't as often wrong as the other engines. It is necessary to take the Shredder 7.04 PV moves with a grain of salt (healthy scepticism), especially the ones deeper in the indicated line, since it often throws in a clinker probably due to hash table best line move retrieval problems. But that's been a very minor problem for me when reading over the overnight game analyses. I solicit your expert comments on my GUI / Engine setup for overnight analysis use. Any tips would be much appreciated regarding other strong UCI engines to obtain and/or other things to try to do or that I need to watch out for. Thanks, --Steve
This page took 0 seconds to execute
Last modified: Thu, 15 Apr 21 08:11:13 -0700
Current Computer Chess Club Forums at Talkchess. This site by Sean Mintz.