CEPA 0.4.5 featuring Stockfish 2016.09.29

The new version of CEPA comes with more recent Stockfish builds. Thanks Javier!

WHAT'S NEW:
- Stockfish builds of 2016-09-29
- Stockfish armv5 pie fixed
- Option Purchase App
- Own eco codes
- Fixes adjudication bug

Download the latest CEPA update HERE at Google Play.

Android UCI engine update: Arasan 19.1

A good news from September is that Aprijal Pasaribu came in to follow Jim Ablett's path and take over his legacy. Thanks to him, various engine updates will probably to rain on our devices.

After a lot of blitz tests, i'm confident that his builds are healthy and fast, especially on arm7 architecture. Regarding arm8 64-bit, even though he's able to compile without testing, these builds can't run as fast as expected. The reason is that the optimization operations he regularly does imply that the builds run on the target architecture. Unfortunately he doesn't yet own an arm8 device.

I've calculated about 5% less kNps for arm8. That's the same ratio he claimed for arm7, between a "PGO" optimized build and a non-optimized build.

But wait, who cares 5% less nodes as long as he compiles that frequently. Go Aprijal Go!

Below is the link to his first build of Arasan 19.1 dated 2016.09.27. A few blitz tests at 180+2 time control on MTK6752 show that it's stronger than 18.3 which plays in Rapidroid.

GET Arasan 19.1 2016.09.27 for arm7

Android UCI engine update: Stockfish dev't 2016.09.25

I don't know whether the current lack of engine updates is a seasonal effect or could it be that such silence is related to the ongoing TCEC fever that makes the authors concentrate on the tourney and delay the updates? Usually i don't blah-blah for nothing. Since weeks, we've only seen Stockfish development builds falling into the Android zone.

The latest update of Stockfish has just come from two different sources: First one is Aprijal Pasaribu, a visitor of Chesstroid, capable of creating engine binaries for Android arm7 and second is CEPA 0.4.4 update.

There's no 64 bit build available among these, only arm5, arm7 and x86 are ready to plug:

GET Stockfish 2016.09.25 for arm5 nopie bundled with CEPA 0.4.3

GET Stockfish 2016.09.25 for arm7 nopie bundled with CEPA 0.4.4

GET Stockfish 2016.09.25 for arm7.pie bundled with CEPA 0.4.3

GET Stockfish 2016.09.25 for x86.nopie bundled with CEPA 0.4.4

GET Stockfish 2016.09.25 for x86.pie bundled with CEPA 0.4.3

GET Stockfish 2016.09.25 for arm7.pie by Aprijal Pasaribu

GET Stockfish 2016.09.25 for arm7.pie PGO optimized by Aprijal Pasabiru

In case PGO version works well in your device, you can forget the regular version. PGO version is pure and faster by 4 to 6%.

Let me remind that CEPA builds are slower. I didn't test their playing performance and i just assume that more kNps means more ELO between builds based on the same source code.

Finally, those who want to learn more about the new engine cooker can visit Aprijal's blog HERE. 

CEPA 0.4.4 is out

CEPA is and will remain interesting as long as it comes with bundled Stockfish builds. I hope it will present arm8 builds too in the future. For the moment, the new two versions 0.4.3 and 0.4.4 both come with the latest Stockfish builds based on the code of September 25th. As there were no significant update notes about 0.4.4, i assume it's made to complete the missing nopie builds of Stockfish.

An important note for Javiolo, the developer, is that arm5 (supposed to be arm5.pie) version didn't work on my 64bit Lollipop phone. It seems this one is not pie compatible and it has the exact checksum of the nopie version. Probably it's a packing error. But it doesn't matter at all, given that there should be no arm5 device running on Lollipop and beyond. In case you know such config is available somewhere, let me know.

Download and enjoy CEPA update HERE at Google Play.

Chess 8.8.3 by Jeroen Carolus

There are several apps called Chess in Google Play and this "original" name is so frequently used that sometimes my mind is confused while trying to remember which "Chess" is from which developer.

Um, today is my lucky day and i remember that this one is written by Jeroen Carolus. It's quite an old app that i know since almost 3 years. But it's maintained and improved regularly by the author.

The main attractions of "Chess" is the UCI engine import feature, FICS online play and especially the Chess960 aka Fischer random chess compatibility.

Take a look and decide for yourself: HERE at Google Play. 

Yet another chess app for Android: Metal Chess

A new app which looks tiny and simple, based on GreKo 12.9 engine (~2450 ELO). I think it will only appeal to casual players because i didn't see any clock settings in the screenshots but only a difficulty setting. My basic rule of thumb is CLOCKS = SERIOUS APP.

Thanks to Mhoadiev de la Paz for sharing info about Metal Chess. Although i won't install it, i guess some others may be interested. So HERE's the Google Play link to this app.

Chess Free by AI Factory Ltd updated to 2.44

Another update i won't forget to share just because i'm a few weeks late. Nothing changes in terms of engine strength. Only a cloudy fix that i wouldn't call necessary, at least for me. I don't like clouds too much, i'd rather prefer a sunny sky.  

WHAT'S NEW:
* Updates/fixes to Google Play Games cloud saving

Download: HERE at Google Play