+++ /dev/null
-Frequently asked questions (FAQ) on Crafty.
-Last modified on 1996.06.17
-Send corrections/additions/comments to:
-Anil Mungal (amungal@vnet.ibm.com)
-
------
-[1] What is Crafty?
-[1.1] What platforms can Crafty run on?
-[1.2] What is Crafty's rating/strength?
-[1.3] Where can I get Crafty?
-[1.4] How do I build Crafty?
-[1.5] How do I build Crafty's Book?
-[1.6] How can I maximize Crafty's performance?
-[1.7] What are "tablebases" and how do I use 'em?
-[1.8] How can I get a graphical interface with Crafty?
-[1.9] How can I use both Crafty and XBoard to analyze positions/games?
------
-[1] What is Crafty?
-
-Crafty is a chess program written by Bob Hyatt (hyatt@cis.uab.edu).
-It is modeled after Cray Blitz (also written by Bob).
-
-Crafty has the following features:
-- written in C
-- can be compiled with the GNU C compiler on various platforms
-- has a customizable opening book
-- supports tablebases (Steven Edward's endgame database)
-- text interface
-
-Crafty is a work in progress, and is frequently updated/enhanced by Bob.
------
-[1.1] What platforms can Crafty run on?
-
-The decision to write Crafty so that it compiles with the GNU C compiler
-allows it to run on many platforms without the hassle of porting.
-(Thanks Bob)
-
-Currently Crafty runs on:
-
-- DEC alpha running OSF/1-Digital Unix
-- any Cray-1 compatible architecture including XMP, YMP, C90, etc.
-- HP workstation running HP_UX operating system (unix)
-- PC running DOS, Windows, or OS/2 Warp, using DJGPP port of gcc to compile
-- RS/6000 running AIX (unix)
-- Sun SparcStation running Solaris (SYSV/R4) Unix
-- Sun SparcStation running SunOX (BSD) Unix
-- Any architecture running the Linux operating system
-- Microsoft Win95/WinNT, when compiled with Microsoft Visual C++
-- Macintosh and other MacOS-compatible computers
-
-Storage requirements range from 1Mb (small book and no tablebase) to 60Mb
-(largest book and no tablebases) to 300Mb (largest book and all tablebases).
------
-[1.2] What is Crafty's rating/strength?
-
-Crafty's strength is directly dependant upon processor speed, hash table size,
-size and content of it's opening book, and it's use of an endgame database.
-Versions of Crafty running on ICC and FICS have ratings around 2500-2700.
-This does not necessarily mean that Crafty will perform at this level
-under tournament conditions.
-
-Crafty's computational power in nodes/sec has been measured as follows:
-
- Platform Nodes/sec
- -------- ---------
- DEC alpha running OSF/1-Digital Unix 75,000
- Cray-1 XMP, YMP, C90, etc. ??????
- HP workstation running HP_UX operating system 35,000
- 80X86 architecture running LINUX (unix) 30,000 (P5/133)
- Pentium 100 PC 24,000
- Pentium Pro 200 PC 75,000
- RS/6000 running AIX (unix) ??????
- Sun SparcStation running Solaris (SYSV/R4) Unix 30,000 (Sparc-20)
-
-According to the Louget Chess test, Crafty has been given the following ratings:
-
- Platform Hash table Louget rating (comparable to FIDE rating)
- ======== ========== =============
-Crafty v9.21 PP200 56 MB 2395
-Crafty v9.21 PP150 56 MB 2365
-Crafty v9.21 P133 14 MB 2305
-Crafty v9.21 P90 7 MB 2235
-
-Where the platforms were:
-PP200 = Pentium Pro 200 Mhz, 16+256KB internal caches, Aurora Intel motherboard
-PP150 = Pentium Pro 150 Mhz, 16+256KB internal caches, Asustek motherboard
-P133 = Pentium 133 Mhz, 256 KB pipeline burst synchronous L2 cache
-P90 = Pentium 90 Mhz, 256 KB asynchronous cache (Intel Zappa, Triton Chipset)
-
-For more info on the Louget Chess test, you can contact:
-Frederic Louguet (louguet@worldnet.net)
-----
-[1.3] Where can I get Crafty?
-
-You can get Crafty by anonymous FTP at: ftp://news.cis.uab.edu/pub/hyatt
-
-Here is a description of the files that you will probably see.
-
-read.me : Read me file that Bob updates
-crafty.exe : PC DOS executable. (needs DPMI)
-craftyt.exe : PC DOS executable with tablebases support. (needs DPMI)
-crafty.faq : this file
-crafty.linux : Linux executable
-crafty.sun : Sun Sparc-20 executable
-crafty.zip : Crafty source code
-crafty.tar.Z : Crafty source code
-crafty.tar.gz : Crafty source code
-cwsdpmi.exe : DPMI provider
-large1.zip : Large PGN file used to create an opening book (1/4)
-large2.zip : Large PGN file used to create an opening book (2/4)
-large3.zip : Large PGN file used to create an opening book (3/4)
-large4.zip : Large PGN file used to create an opening book (4/4)
-medium.zip : Medium PGN file used to create an opening book
-small.zip : Small PGN file used to create an opening book
-start.zip : Tiny PGN file used to create an opening book
-probs.Z : A test suite of chess problems
-wcrafty.exe : Windows executable.
-wcraftyt.exe : Windows executable with tablebases support.
-
-The Macintosh port of Crafty is available from <ftp://ftp.limunltd.com/crafty/>.
-The Mac versions are supported from <http://www.limunltd.com/crafty/>.
-
------
-[1.4] How do I build Crafty?
-
-If you wish to build Crafty for yourself, you need a copy of the source
-and the GNU C compiler (or the djgpp compiler for DOS) to compile.
-
- a) Unzip/uncompress the source code.
-
- b) Follow the instructions in the Makefile. You will probably have to:
- - comment/uncomment sections based on your hardware platform.
- - edit the directory paths.
- - add whatever optimization flags that you want.
-
- c) type make
-
------
-[1.5] How do I build Crafty's Book?
-
-You need an executable version of Crafty and a PGN file to build it's book.
-Choose between large (unzip large1.zip, large2.zip, large3.zip, large4.zip
-and append them into one file), medium (unzip medium.zip), or small.zip
-(unzip small.zip).
-Large produces a 90Mb-60Mb opening database with 100K GM games; medium produces
-a 30Mb database, and small will produce a 1Mb database. Note that you will
-need at least double this space to create the files, since temporary files
-are written to disk, and then later deleted. Use the following commands to
-build the book:
-
- crafty
- book create <filename> 60
- quit
-
-<filename> should be replaced by the PGN filename that is created when you unzip
-the book file of your choice.
-
-Start.zip contains a small file that is used to create books.bin.
-books.bin is created as follows:
-
- crafty
- books create start.pgn 60
- quit
-
-This file contains suggested openings that fit Crafty's "open" style of
-play better. You can edit/modify this at will, and it takes a fraction of
-a second to re-build after modification, so the big book file can be left
-alone.
-
-Note that the "60" is arbitrary, and is used to cut book lines off at roughly
-60 plies. You "can" say 500, so that the entire games will be stored,
-but you need even more disk space. You can also reduce this number to 30
-(15 moves for each side) to conserve disk space as needed, since the book
-will contain far fewer positions.
------
-[1.6] How can I maximize Crafty's performance?
-
- a) Compile with different combinations of the following options:
- -DCOMPACT_ATTACKS, and -DUSE_SPLIT_SHIFTS. Then check the performance
- of Crafty. The best test is to simply let it search to a fixed depth
- (say sd=8 for example) from the opening position and pick the compiler
- /optimizer options that minimize this time. Pick SD=n so that the search
- takes at least 2 minutes.
-
- b) Increase the size of hash and hashp based on the following
- observations:
- - hash is more important that hashp. the only guidance is that
- you don't want to make hash so large things slow down due to
- excessive paging or swapping.
- - there's a compile option -DFAST. if you use this, crafty won't
- report any hashing statistics, making it harder to decide when
- to make things bigger.
------
-[1.7] What are tablebases and how do I use 'em?
-
-tablebases are endgame databases distributed freely by Steven Edwards
-(sje@mv.mv.com). If you are downloading an executable, for dos you'll
-want craftyt.exe, and for Win95/WinNT, you'll want wcraftyt.exe. If
-you compile your own, -DTABLEBASES will do the trick.
-
-Once you have an executable that expects tablebases, you typically
-put them in a sub-directory TB that should be in the directory where
-you normally run crafty. You can change this by editing the Makefile
-and changing TBDIR to point to where you want 'em.
-
-Next, you need the tablebase files. These are available from ftp.onenet.net
-and other ftp sites. The files are named like this: KBNK.tbb and KBNK.tbw
-for the KBN vs K tablebases. On some ftp machines the "." is replaced by a
-"_". after downloading them, rename them to replace the _ by . or crafty
-will not recognize them. These files are also available from the primary
-Crafty site ftp.cis.uab/edu/pub/hyatt/TB.
-
-The complete set takes about 260Mb, for all 4-man endings. We are working
-on new ones for frequently encountered endings like KRP vs KR. These will
-be made available as they are completed. There are 10 5-piece files now
-available, KRPKR, KRNKR, KRBKR, KRRKR and KQRKR, where each has a .tbb
-and .tbw pair. These files require about 500mb zipped, but will expand
-to about 2.3 gigabytes when unzipped. So be prepared for a large disk
-space requirement.
-
-Note that these databases are "mate in n" type databases, so you'll see
-some interesting mate announcements from Crafty, with Mate in 30 a very
-common occurrence. :)
------
-[1.8] How can I get a graphical interface with Crafty?
-
-On Unix systems, you can use XBoard with Crafty. On Windows systems, you
-can use WinBoard. For more information on XBoard and WinBoard, check out:
-http://www.research.digital.com/SRC/personal/Tim_Mann/chess.html
------
-[1.9] How can I use both Crafty and XBoard to analyze positions/games?
-
-It is now possible to use XBoard and Crafty together to perform
-interactive analysis of positions and stored (PGN, etc.) games.
-
-To do this, you need a recent version of Crafty (12.3 or up) and
-xboard/winboard version 3.6.1 or later.
-
-For instructions, see the winboard/xboard faq, which explains how to use
-this powerful and interesting facility.
------
-** End of Crafty FAQ **
-
-
projects / packages / crafty.git / commitdiff