I really like ExChess for its flawless compatibility with Chess for Android. It can use multi threads and delivers one of the best chess performance among the Xboard/Winboard engines. At present only Crafty is playing at relatively "close" ELO level.
The new version 7.88 beta is now ported to Android by Jim Ablett. I expect this one will break the 2900 ELO barrier when i'll have time to introduce it in Rapidroid.
The package below includes both arm5 and arm7 versions and a book as well, in case you want to use it. Don't forget to install search.par too before running the engine. As far as i remember the book is not crucial but the search.par is absolutely necesssary.
Download: HERE
How to use multy threads ? When engine imported options doesn't appear, how to install search.par? Thanks in advance.
ReplyDeleteHash and thread settings must be done in search.par. It's a simple text file that you can edit either in Windows or Android.
ReplyDeleteOnce you've done with the edit, save or transfer the file in your device, preferably in root folder.
Then, you must start Chess for Android and install search.par exactly the same way you did with ExChess engine binary. This places search.par in the folder as the engine.
ExChess should then access and use the settings as expected.
To remember: ExChess is a winboard engine. Droidfish can't load it. Chess for Android however is Winboard compatible. When you import a Winboard engine into CfA, you don't see any options dialog box. Some Winboard engines have settings files which enable some options. Other will run with their default settings.
ReplyDeleteFor example Crafty's case is sad because there's a crafty.rc file but it won't be used under Android although it works under Windows.
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ReplyDeleteI'm afraid i know very little about tablebases. I don't use them under Android. But i still guess that Winboard engines don't support tablebases. I've only heard some UCI engines succeed but not any single success story with Winboard protocol.
ReplyDeleteSec/move level doesn't work(it's moves instantly) whereas 7.41 has no problems. I like it's playing style especially when given odds it plays complicately like human.
DeleteYes. I confirm it can only play with Fischer clock. Fixed time per move results in instant move. However, 7.88 is the strongest of all ExChess versions compiled for Android. Rapidroid ranking currently around 2900 as expected.
DeleteThere is a problem when comparing ExChess 7.88 to Scorpio 2.7.7, whether just in setting up gauntlets or tournaments, or trying to decide which is the best Xboard engine. They can never actually play each other in a fair match as Scorpio can't play Fischer Clock and ExChess moves instantly in seconds per move. The current advantage that gives Scorpio in a head to head is about 90/10 when it really should be about 50/50.
ReplyDeleteYes. Direct match impossible. We can only compare indirectly. Just follow Rapidroid ranking :-)
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