Author: Erik Madsen

One Comment

Missed Clever Tactical Shot

  By

Recently I reviewed some blitz games I’ve played on Chess.com over the past few months. I found an enjoyable game where I played very well but missed a clever tactical shot near the end of the game. When reviewing the game, I recognized this position. I remember wishing, during the game, that I had more time on my clock to think and work out the tactics. On second observation, I found the killer move. MadChess, along with world-class chess engines Stockfish and Komodo Dragon, confirmed it’s the best move. Can you find it? Very nice! Here’s the full game, with… Continue Reading

No comments

Banks 87th Amateur Series Division 6

  By

MadChess 3.0 participated in Graham Banks’ 87th amateur tournament in division 6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 1 Cheese 2.2 64-bit **** 0110 1110 ½½01 ½001 1½½1 1½½½ 11½1 ½111 00½1 1111 11½1 30.0/44 2 Nalwald 1.12 64-bit 1001 **** ½½1½ 0½½1 1½11 ½½½1 0½½½ ½½½½ 1½½1 ½1½½ 1½11 1011 28.0/44 3 RuyDos 1.1.11 64-bit 0001 ½½0½ **** ½010 0½1½ 1011 10½1 11½0 00½½ 1½1½ 1110 1111 25.0/44 4 Devel 3.8.4 ½½10 1½½0 ½101 **** ½000 0½0½ 000½ ½1½1 ½1½1 01½1 1½11 1111 24.5/44 5 K2 0.99 ½110 0½00 1½0½ ½111 **** 1½½1… Continue Reading

No comments

MadChess 3.1 Beta 2b475bc (Color-Agnostic Code)

  By

I removed 350 lines of code from MadChess and increased its playing strength by 12 Elo. I’m happy with the ratio. The bulk of changes since my last blog post involve replacing redundant, color-specific code with color-agnostic code, mostly in the Eval class. I replaced code such as this… … with code that’s generalized for multiple pieces and colors. The above is just one example of refactored code. There are many others in PR 22 that adds 2,641 lines of code and removes 3,336 lines of code (net -695 lines of code). This refactoring took a lot of time. I… Continue Reading

No comments

The Mad Lot

  By

MadChess 3.0 participated in a tournament Graham Banks arranged, named The Mad Lot. “The Mad Lot”, ha ha. My engine’s namesake tournament. Rising to the occasion, MadChess 3.0 won the tournament! That’s two consecutive tournament victories for MadChess. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 1 MadChess 3.0 64-bit **** ½½0½ 0111 1½01 0011 ½½½1 11½0 ½10½ ½½½½ 1½11 1½11 ½111 1½1½ 1½11 35.0/52 2 Nalwald 1.10 64-bit ½½1½ **** 101½ 1½10 01½1 1010 1100 10½1 ½1½0 11½1 1½11 ½011 ½11½ 11½1 34.5/52 3 Coiled 0.6 64-bit 1000 010½ **** 1111 ½101 0½11… Continue Reading

No comments

Banks 86th Amateur Series Division 7

  By

MadChess 3.0 participated in Graham Banks’ 86th amateur tournament in division 7. MadChess 3.0 won the tournament! I believe this is MadChess’ first tournament win. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 1 MadChess 3.0 64-bit **** ½1½1 ½½11 1010 ½111 1½01 0101 ½10½ 1000 ½001 ½1½½ 1111 27.0/44 586.25 2 Drosophila 1.6 64-bit ½0½0 **** 00½1 1½½1 ½½½0 01½½ 11½½ ½½1½ 1110 ½1½½ 0111 1111 27.0/44 558.50 3 KnightX 2.8 64-bit ½½00 11½0 **** 1010 1011 ½½1½ 01½½ 11½0 01½½ 101½ 1011 01½½ 25.0/44 536.00 4 Supernova 2.3 64-bit 0101 0½½0 0101 **** ½0½0… Continue Reading