Chess version 0.04 released

[Albert Bertilsson]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Albert Bertilsson at 12 January 2003 15:24:54:

Hello!
#Chess version 0.04 is released.
For features, history and download follow this link:
http://www.albert.nu/programs/sharpchess/index.htm
As the name implies it is written in C#, thus requiring the .Net framework (download link on the home page).
Speed is not very impressive since the language is interpreted but it seems to play chess anyway.
I've tested it against some other engines and it has been beaten to the ground in all cases but one: MFChess which it has beaten twice (as w and b), I think the level was set to 40 5 0.
/Regards Albert Bertilsson

[Benny Antonsson]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Benny Antonsson at 12 January 2003 15:38:07:
Als Antwort auf: / In reply to: Chess version 0.04 released geschrieben von: / posted by: Albert Bertilsson at 12 January 2003 15:24:54:

Hello!
#Chess version 0.04 is released.
For features, history and download follow this link:
http://www.albert.nu/programs/sharpchess/index.htm
As the name implies it is written in C#, thus requiring the .Net framework (download link on the home page).
Speed is not very impressive since the language is interpreted but it seems to play chess anyway.
I've tested it against some other engines and it has been beaten to the ground in all cases but one: MFChess which it has beaten twice (as w and b), I think the level was set to 40 5 0.
/Regards Albert Bertilsson

I'm very pleased to see that you are making progress Albert !
(ps. Jag har sett att jag fått mail av dig, men hinner inte svara på ett tag, för jag skall iväg till Göteborg angående CeBit-mässan ds.)

[Ed Seid]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Ed Seid at 12 January 2003 17:20:51:
Als Antwort auf: / In reply to: Chess version 0.04 released geschrieben von: / posted by: Albert Bertilsson at 12 January 2003 15:24:54:

I wonder... is this the first WB engine written for .NET? Is anyone working on an engine in VB.NET?

Speed is not very impressive since the language is interpreted

Is this true? C# is interpreted? If so, how about the other .NET languages, like VB.NET?

[Albert Bertilsson]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Albert Bertilsson at 12 January 2003 17:41:18:
Als Antwort auf: / In reply to: First WB engine written for .NET ?? geschrieben von: / posted by: Ed Seid at 12 January 2003 17:20:51:

This is almost certainly the first .Net WB engine. I haven't heard of any other. This is the one record thta never will be claimed by any other engine.
All .Net languages compile into IL-code (intermediate language), that is interpreted. This applies to C#, VB and even MC++ (managed c++).
/Regards Albert Bertilsson

[Claude Dubois]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Claude Dubois at 13 January 2003 11:03:01:
Als Antwort auf: / In reply to: First WB engine written for .NET ?? geschrieben von: / posted by: Ed Seid at 12 January 2003 17:20:51:

Hello,
You can have a look on the link.
Silke Chess Engin is also working with .net
Best wishes
Claude
PS I cannot download sharpchess because I can found the url !

I wonder... is this the first WB engine written for .NET? Is anyone working on an engine in VB.NET?

Speed is not very impressive since the language is interpreted

Is this true? C# is interpreted? If so, how about the other .NET languages, like VB.NET?

Silke Chess

[Albert Bertilsson]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Albert Bertilsson at 13 January 2003 11:24:04:
Als Antwort auf: / In reply to: Re: First WB engine written for .NET ?? geschrieben von: / posted by: Claude Dubois at 13 January 2003 11:03:01:

Thanx a lot for the link, it seems that #Chess wasn't first after all. What is really interesting is that I finally has an engine to match against.
Regards Albert Bertilsson

[Ed Seid]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Ed Seid at 13 January 2003 13:20:35:
Als Antwort auf: / In reply to: Re: First WB engine written for .NET ?? NOT! geschrieben von: / posted by: Albert Bertilsson at 13 January 2003 11:24:04:

Silke Chess - first UCI chess engine written in C#
#Chess - first Winboard chess engine written in C#
Does that sound accurate?
Also, will either of you be releasing source code, so that other aspiring .NET authors don't have to reinvent the wheel?

[Albert Bertilsson]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Albert Bertilsson at 13 January 2003 13:40:01:
Als Antwort auf: / In reply to: Silke Chess and Chess - .NET firsts geschrieben von: / posted by: Ed Seid at 13 January 2003 13:20:35:

Silke Chess - first UCI chess engine written in C#
#Chess - first Winboard chess engine written in C#
Does that sound accurate?
Also, will either of you be releasing source code, so that other aspiring .NET authors don't have to reinvent the wheel?

My goals with #Chess is to give me a first taste of Chess programming. If I like it I'll switch to C++ to do some serious coding, if I don't I'll quit development of #Chess. Anyway the source code will be available for download.
I'll probably consider #Chess done when it's proven to be fairly stable and all rules are ok. Which should be quite soon I hope. When it is correct I'll publish it as 1.0 with complete source code. Although there is nothing out of the ordinary in the code, maybe it can make life easier for all non C++ natives that still which to grasp the basics of chess programming. (The code is really easy to read)
Regards Albert Bertilsson

[Luca Dormio]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Luca Dormio at 13 January 2003 16:19:58:
Als Antwort auf: / In reply to: Re: First WB engine written for .NET ?? geschrieben von: / posted by: Albert Bertilsson at 12 January 2003 17:41:18:

This is almost certainly the first .Net WB engine. I haven't heard of any other. This is the one record thta never will be claimed by any other engine.
All .Net languages compile into IL-code (intermediate language), that is interpreted. This applies to C#, VB and even MC++ (managed c++).

IL is compiled Just-In-Time (ie during startup and execution) by the framework compilers, not interpreted... if you like, you can also precompile it in native code, during installation or after, manually, using the ngen utility which comes with the framework too.
Regards
Luca


LarsenVB Home Page

[Albert Bertilsson]

Geschrieben von: / Posted by: Albert Bertilsson at 13 January 2003 17:42:40:
Als Antwort auf: / In reply to: Re: First WB engine written for .NET ?? geschrieben von: / posted by: Luca Dormio at 13 January 2003 16:19:58:

IL is compiled Just-In-Time (ie during startup and execution) by the framework compilers, not interpreted... if you like, you can also precompile it in native code, during installation or after, manually, using the ngen utility which comes with the framework too.

Of course you are right but since JIT compilers tend to be inferior to the competition (ordinary C++ compilers) languages such as Java and C# are generally view upon as interpreted languages.
I happen to have one of the first versions of the movegenerator implemented in C++ and it's twice as fast, and I think that a newer implementation would be even faster. Anyway the C++ movegenerator is 5x slower than crafty so I guess I have much to learn in this area.
The basic problem can be that my movegenerator is an evolution from this C++ movegenerator and that I have used "weak" features of C#.
I just tried the ngen program and I'm not sure I succeded (but the same command on the file again says it's up to date), but no performance gain could be found.
Regards Albert Bertilsson