Ax - a new engine from a newbie

[Pham Hong Nguyen]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Pham Hong Nguyen at 24 May 2002 14:43:06:
Hi all,
I have released the first version of my own engine - Ax. You can download it at
http://www.geocities.com/axchess/
Surely it is weak, potential bugs and lack of knowledge and functions. You and your engines will have much more chances and fun to beat it. Try to see .
Looking forwards to hearing from you.
Regards,
Pham Hong Nguyen

http://www.geocities.com/axchess/

[Frank Quisinsky]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Frank Quisinsky at 24 May 2002 14:50:13:
Als Antwort auf: / As an answer to: Ax - a new engine from a newbie geschrieben von: / posted by: Pham Hong Nguyen at 24 May 2002 14:43:06:

Hi all,
I have released the first version of my own engine - Ax. You can download it at
http://www.geocities.com/axchess/
Surely it is weak, potential bugs and lack of knowledge and functions. You and your engines will have much more chances and fun to beat it. Try to see .
Looking forwards to hearing from you.
Regards,
Pham Hong Nguyen

Hi,
its great Phan Hong!
I wait years of the first program of Japan, Vietnam, China, Korea ...
Now we have it!
Very big thanks for give us your work.
Have fun with WinBoard forum and I am sure "Winboarder" all over the World started much interesting threads about your program in the near future.
Best
Frank

[Telmo Escobar]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Telmo Escobar at 24 May 2002 18:41:40:
Als Antwort auf: / As an answer to: Ax - a new engine from a newbie geschrieben von: / posted by: Pham Hong Nguyen at 24 May 2002 14:43:06:
Thanks Nguyen. Ax plays quite well! Examine this game where, until the unexpected ending, its play makes a lot of sense:

[Event "Computer chess game"]
[Site "Athlon-1200"]
[Date "2002.05.24"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Ax01"]
[Black "Escobar,T"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "120+12"]
1. e4 c5 2. Be2 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 d6 5. O-O g6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Bg7
8. Bb5 Bd7 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Bc4 O-O 11. Rb1 Be6 12. Bxe6 fxe6 13. Qd3 Rb8
14. Be3 a5 15. a3 Ng4 16. Na4 Nxe3 17. Qxe3 c5 18. Qh3 Qd7 19. b3 Bd4 20.
Rbe1 Rf4 21. Re2 Rbf8 22. Nb6 Qb5 23. Qxe6+ Kh8 24. Nc4 a4 25. Qxe7 axb3
26. cxb3 Qxb3 27. g3 Rxf2 28. Rfxf2 Rxf2 29. Rxf2 Qf3 30. Qd8+ Kg7 31. Ne3
Bxe3 32. Qd7+ Kg8 33. Qe6+ Kg7 34. Qd7+ Kg8 35. Qe6+ Kg7 36. Qd7+ Kg8 37.
Qc8+ Kg7 38. Qe6 Qxf2+ 39. Kh1 Qf1#
{Black mates} 0-1
Question 1: this game had to be a draw, why it didn't accept the draw, playing the suicidal 38.Qe6???? instead?
Question 2: doesn't Ax like to play with Black pieces?

[Surak]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Surak at 24 May 2002 20:12:59:
Als Antwort auf: / As an answer to: A game and two questions geschrieben von: / posted by: Telmo Escobar at 24 May 2002 18:41:40:

[Event "Computer chess game"]
[Site "Athlon-1200"]
[Date "2002.05.24"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Ax01"]
[Black "Escobar,T"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "120+12"]
1. e4 c5 2. Be2 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 d6 5. O-O g6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Bg7
8. Bb5 Bd7 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Bc4 O-O 11. Rb1 Be6 12. Bxe6 fxe6 13. Qd3 Rb8
14. Be3 a5 15. a3 Ng4 16. Na4 Nxe3 17. Qxe3 c5 18. Qh3 Qd7 19. b3 Bd4 20.
Rbe1 Rf4 21. Re2 Rbf8 22. Nb6 Qb5 23. Qxe6+ Kh8 24. Nc4 a4 25. Qxe7 axb3
26. cxb3 Qxb3 27. g3 Rxf2 28. Rfxf2 Rxf2 29. Rxf2 Qf3 30. Qd8+ Kg7 31. Ne3
Bxe3 32. Qd7+ Kg8 33. Qe6+ Kg7 34. Qd7+ Kg8 35. Qe6+ Kg7 36. Qd7+ Kg8 37.
Qc8+ Kg7 38. Qe6 Qxf2+ 39. Kh1 Qf1#
{Black mates} 0-1
Question 1: this game had to be a draw, why it didn't accept the draw, playing the suicidal 38.Qe6???? instead?
Question 2: doesn't Ax like to play with Black pieces?

Hi,
I think Ax has a big endgame evaluation bug. In the following game it thinks the position is still a draw after Ax was one queen behind:

(1185) Siboney v1.00 - Ax 0.1 [E15]

Blitz:4'+1" SURAK (1), 24.05.2002

E15: Queen's Indian: 4 g3 sidelines, 4 g3 Ba6 and 4 g3 Bb7 early deviations
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 b7-b6 4.g2-g3 Bc8-a6 5.b2-b3 Ba6-b7 6.Bf1-g2 Bf8-b4+ 7.Bc1-d2 a7-a5 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qd1-c2 c7-c5 10.Rf1-d1 Bb7-e4 last book move 11.Qc2-c1 Be4xf3 12.Bg2xf3 d7-d5 13.a2-a3 Bb4xd2 14.Rd1xd2 c5xd4 15.Rd2xd4 Nb8-c6 16.Rd4-d1 Ra8-c8 17.Nb1-c3 Nc6-e7 18.Nc3-b5 a5-a4 19.Nb5-a7 Rc8-c5 20.b3-b4 Rc5xc4 21.Qc1xc4 d5xc4 22.Rd1xd8 Rf8xd8 23.Ra1-c1 Nf6-d7 24.Rc1xc4 Nd7-e5 25.Rc4-c7 Kg8-f8 [25...Ne5xf3+ 26.e2xf3 Ne7-d5 27.Rc7-c4=] 26.Bf3-e4 f7-f5 27.Be4-c2 Ne7-d5 28.Rc7-c8 [>=28.Rc7-b7!?+/= is worth looking at] 28...Rd8xc8=/+ 29.Na7xc8 b6-b5 30.Nc8-d6 Nd5-c3 31.f2-f4 Ne5-f7 [Instead of 31...Nc3xe2+ 32.Kg1-f2 Ne2-d4 33.f4xe5 Nd4xc2 34.Nd6xb5+/-] 32.Nd6xf7 Kf8xf7 33.Kg1-f2 Kf7-f6 34.Bc2-d3 e6-e5 35.f4xe5+ Kf6xe5 36.Kf2-e1 h7-h6 37.e2-e3 g7-g5 38.h2-h4 g5-g4 39.Ke1-f1 h6-h5 40.Kf1-g1 Ke5-e6 41.Kg1-g2 Ke6-e5 42.Kg2-f1 Ke5-f6 43.Kf1-f2 Kf6-e5 44.Kf2-f1 Ke5-f6 45.Kf1-e1 Kf6-g6?? not a good decision, because now the opponent is right back in the game [>=45...Kf6-e5= is just about the only chance] 46.Ke1-d2+- Nc3-e4+?? leading to a quick end [46...Nc3-d5+-] 47.Bd3xe4 f5xe4 [47...Kg6-f6 does not improve anything 48.Be4-c6 Kf6-e6 49.Bc6xb5+-] 48.Kd2-c3 Kg6-f6 49.Kc3-d4 Kf6-e7 50.Kd4-c5 Ke7-e6 51.Kc5xb5 Ke6-e5 [51...Ke6-d5 praying for a miracle 52.Kb5xa4 Kd5-c4+-] 52.Kb5-c6 Ke5-f6 53.b4-b5 Kf6-f7 54.b5-b6 Kf7-g7 55.b6-b7 Kg7-f6 56.b7-b8Q Kf6-f5 57.Kc6-d6 [57.Kc6-d7 Kf5-g6 58.Qb8-g8+ Kg6-h6 59.Qg8-h8+ Kh6-g6 (Ax-Score: -0.02 !!)60.Kd7-e7 Kg6-f5 61.Qh8xh5#] 57...Kf5-g6 58.Qb8-g8+ Kg6-h6 59.Qg8-h8+ Kh6-g6 60.Kd6-e7 Kg6-f5 61.Qh8xh5# 1-0

[Pham Hong Nguyen]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Pham Hong Nguyen at 25 May 2002 14:36:34:
Als Antwort auf: / As an answer to: Another strange endgame (endgame evaluation bug!?) geschrieben von: / posted by: Surak at 24 May 2002 20:12:59:

Question 2: doesn't Ax like to play with Black pieces?

Hi,
I think Ax has a big endgame evaluation bug. In the following game it thinks

Oops, that is surprising error. Ax works well if it plays in command line mode or tournament mode with others (I just tested those modes). It seems not play alone in WB mode. The reason is that it doesn't receive the "go" command. I don't know how to solve this problem yet. Any advice?
It is not bug. Simply it lacks endgame knowledge and the function to test draw should be revised. Thanks you all for your games.


http://www.geocities.com/axchess

[Lyapko George]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Lyapko George at 27 May 2002 07:29:12:
Als Antwort auf: / As an answer to: Re: Another strange endgame (endgame evaluation bug!?) geschrieben von: / posted by: Pham Hong Nguyen at 25 May 2002 14:36:34:

Question 2: doesn't Ax like to play with Black pieces?

Hi,
I think Ax has a big endgame evaluation bug. In the following game it thinks

Oops, that is surprising error. Ax works well if it plays in command line mode or tournament mode with others (I just tested those modes). It seems not play alone in WB mode. The reason is that it doesn't receive the "go" command. I don't know how to solve this problem yet. Any advice?
It is not bug. Simply it lacks endgame knowledge and the function to test draw should be revised. Thanks you all for your games.

Hi,
You must start your engine with black colour by default and if you get the first move (in comp-human play) start to think immediately. There will be no "go" command. However, in comp-comp games you will receive "force" than move than "go".
Best regards,
George

[Pham Hong Nguyen]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Pham Hong Nguyen at 28 May 2002 02:23:48:
Als Antwort auf: / As an answer to: Re: Another strange endgame (endgame evaluation bug!?) geschrieben von: / posted by: Lyapko George at 27 May 2002 07:29:12:

Hi,
You must start your engine with black colour by default and if you get the first move (in comp-human play) start to think immediately. There will be no "go" command. However, in comp-comp games you will receive "force" than move than "go".
Best regards,
George

Thanks. I will fix in the next version