Author: Erik Madsen

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Banks 86th Amateur Series Division 7

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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

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MadChess 3.1 Beta 0c601ea (Singular Move)

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I strengthened MadChess by extending the search horizon of singular moves. I gleaned the idea from the Stockfish chess engine. Quoting from my Pull Request #17: In the GetSearchHorizon method, added call to a new method, IsBestMoveSingular, that determines if best move that had failed high in recent searches is best by a significant margin. If so, extend the search by one ply. A code comment explains why: The best move (from the cache) is singular. That is, it’s the only good move in the position. Evaluation of the current position relies on the accuracy of the singular move’s score.… Continue Reading

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Banks 85th Amateur Series Division 7

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MadChess 3.0 participated in Graham Banks’ 85th amateur tournament in division 7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 1 Nawito 2103 **** 0½11 11½0 11½1 ½01½ 1½11 ½½00 ½001 1½11 0111 1111 ½½11 30.0/44 2 Betsabe II 2020 1½00 **** 101½ 1110 0110 0½1½ ½½10 111½ 1101 1½1½ 101½ 1111 29.0/44 3 FrankWalter 2.4.0 64-bit 00½1 010½ **** ½½10 110½ 01½0 1011 1½11 0101 ½110 ½½1½ 01½½ 24.5/44 4 MadChess 3.0 64-bit 00½0 0001 ½½01 **** 11½0 ½010 1001 ½11½ 1100 1010 ½½1½ 1111 23.0/44 5 Jumbo 0.7.0 64-bit ½10½ 1001 001½ 00½1 ****… Continue Reading

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The Managerie

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MadChess 2.2 participated in a tournament Graham Banks arranged, named The Managerie. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 Raven 1.10 64-bit **** ½0½½ ½01½ ½1½1 ½½½1 1½10 ½11½ 11½1 1½10 1111 24.5/36 2 MadChess 2.2 64-bit ½1½½ **** 10½0 010½ ½0½½ 1½11 ½11½ 1101 111½ ½011 22.5/36 3 RookieMonster 1.8.2 64-bit ½10½ 01½1 **** 0011 ½010 1001 ½½01 ½1½1 10½½ 1111 21.0/36 4 Cosette 5.0 64-bit ½0½0 101½ 1100 **** 1101 1½½0 ½101 ½0½½ 1½11 101½ 20.5/36 5 Bearded N44.5 64-bit ½½½0 ½1½½ ½101 0010 **** 0111 ½011 ½½01 ½11½ 1½½0 20.0/36 6 Waxman 2020… Continue Reading

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MadChess 3.0 Released

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I have released version 3.0 of my chess engine. This is a complete rewrite of the engine using bitboards. I began the project two and a half years ago and worked on it sporadically, with long stretches of inactivity. I didn’t work on MadChess at all in 2019. Life got too busy, personally and professionally. Gradually, I improved MadChess’ playing strength, surpassing the previous version, and crossing the 2600 Elo threshold. Considering MadChess 3.0 doesn’t have a sophisticated evaluation function, I’m satisfied to have reached that milestone. I’ll likely pursue evaluation improvements in a future version. I have written MadChess… Continue Reading