Android UCI engine update: Zurichess Fribourg JA

Alexandru Mosoi's engine doesn't stop traveling between Swiss cities. The last stop is Fribourg where Jim Ablett's Android version meets the Windows brother.

Let's remember that Android skipped the previous version Bern. This makes two updates in one step. Rapidroid had seen Zurichess with Appenzeller version first and it'd quickly passed to Basel.

Basel is rated 1952 ELO in Rapidroid as of August-2015. Now it's time for Fribourg to push the flag forward. Since Fribourg promises many improvements over Bern already, i believe a serious boost over Basel is possible. Therefore, higher than 2100 ELO will not surprise me.

One may state 2100 is nothing but i don't share such critisicm. Progress is visible and deserves to be favoured.

Now, time to set up a version replacement via gauntlet games to find out what more brings the brand new Zurichess to Rapidroid ranking.

Download Zurichess Fribourg for Android: HERE

RAPIDROID RELOADED: August-2015

It was unfortunate to skip the release of July but August here takes the revenge with a lot of games and programs added. Hooray!

From June to August, Rapidroid increases from 115 to 117 engines only because of 4 engine updates but from 6346 to 8966 games. More games = More precision after all.

The highlights of this release are:

* DELETED BeeKay due to similarity with Komodo 9 (Doch remains as per larger elo gap)

* DELETED DanasahZ due to similarity with Danasah 5.07 as per the author's advice

* DELETED Bismark due to frequent hangs and bad terminations

* DELETED Joanna due to systematic need for checking and adjudicating the terminations

* UPDATED Komodo 9 to Komodo 9.1 (no ELO change expected in Android)

* UPDATED AND REPLACED Arasan 17.5 by Arasan 18.0

* UPDATED AND REPLACED Cheng4 0.38 by Cheng 4.39

* UPDATED AND REPLACED Hakkapeliitta 120115 by Hakkapeliitta 3.0

* UPDATED AND REPLACED Chess Pro 2013.09 for iOS by 2016.02 64 bit version

* ADDED ExChess 7.71b

* ADDED Bitfoot 1.0 of 07-07-15

* ADDED Superpawn b108

* ADDED Chess Titans as first Windows engine

* ADDED Shredder 1.7.0 for iOS

* ADDED Chess Wise 3.1.7 for iOS

* CANCELED UPDATE of GreKo from 12.5 to 12.8 due to frequent hangs on move

* TESTED AND DISQUALIFIED Galjoen for bad time management

I've choosen Chess Titans as first Windows engine to test just because of endless speculations about its strength in various websites. I was quite surprised to read comments stating it plays at 1700 ELO. Less than ten games reveled the truth. That Windows bundle is really weak. It used approx 11 sec on my i7-M620 at the strongest level which is fair enough vs its rivals. It had 1197 ELO only.

It's nice to include strong IOS programs in Rapidroid, mainly Hiarcs and Shredder. They cope very well with top Android engines, thanks to the A7 processor which delivers about 20% to 50% more Knps compared to Exynos 4412. I'll keep pushing them more manual games to narrow their error margins.

Regarding Stockfish for iOS, i can't introduce it as per the "anti-distortion rule" i try to follow. However i must admit it would probably top the list given that the initial position benchmark favors iPhone with ~1000 kNps vs 750 kNps of Exynos.

I schedule the next release for late September with below additions:

* INTRODUCTION of Fridolin 2.0.0 (2360 ELO expected)

* INTRODUCTION of Novag Secondo as first dedicated chess computer (950 ELO expected)

* INTRODUCTION of Excalibur Chess Explorer LCD (1300 ELO expected)

* More manual games...

BAYES RATINGS AFTER 8966 GAMES PLAYED BY 117 PROGRAMS
Rnk Name                     t o/s  elo   +   - gam sco oppo dra 001 Stockfish 6              4 A32 3219  50  47 168 80% 2994 34%
002 Komodo 9.1               4 A32 3206  50  47 168 78% 2996 33%
003 Critter 1.6a             4 A32 3069  43  42 172 59% 3008 49%
004 Sting SF 4.8.4 JA        4 A32 3045  46  45 172 60% 2967 30% 005 Firenzina 2.4.1 xTreme   4 A32 3012  43  43 168 49% 3019 48%
006 BlackMamba 2.0 32bit     4 A32 3010  43  43 170 52% 2995 49%
007 Texel 1.05               4 A32 2983  46  45 172 55% 2942 31% 008 DeepSaros ver.2.3f       1 A32 2950  45  44 178 57% 2896 34% 009 Senpai 1.0               4 A32 2924  44  44 182 54% 2895 31%
010 Cheng 4.39               4 A32 2894  45  45 176 46% 2929 31%
011 RobboLito 0.085e4l       1 A32 2886  45  45 176 48% 2904 32%
012 Hiarcs 13.71             2 iOS 2878 115 111  28 61% 2800 21% 013 Shredder 1.7.0           2 iOS 2845 109 108  26 54% 2825 46%
014 Gaviota v1.0-d           4 A32 2819  43  43 182 48% 2836 32%
015 Hakkapeliitta 3.0        1 A32 2811  44  44 178 54% 2782 34%
016 Arasan 18.0              4 A32 2802  43  43 182 48% 2828 35%
017 Exchess_7.71.beta.JA_xb  4 A32 2794  44  44 172 51% 2808 36% 018 Grapefruit 1.0           4 A32 2771  40  40 190 49% 2772 45% 019 DiscoCheck 5.2.1         1 A32 2751  43  43 182 48% 2765 40%
020 Cyclone 3.4              4 A32 2744  44  44 178 47% 2767 36% 021 Deep Saros 0.9           4 A32 2713  43  43 178 47% 2729 34%
022 Toga II 3.0              1 A32 2701  42  43 178 48% 2715 35% 023 Bobcat 6.4b              4 A32 2687  44  44 178 46% 2723 25%
024 Doch32 1.3.4 JA          1 A32 2686  44  45 172 44% 2733 33% 025 Deuterium v14.3.34.130   1 A32 2684  42  42 182 54% 2652 40% 026 Chess Pro 2016.02        2 iOS 2662 112 114  22 45% 2690 55%
027 GNU Chess 5.60-32        1 A32 2656  44  44 176 55% 2623 31% 028 Fruit reloaded 2.1       1 A32 2655  44  45 158 49% 2665 41%
029 Scorpio_2.7.7.JA_xb      1 A32 2651  47  47 150 56% 2614 34%
030 Murka 3 ARM UCI          1 A32 2633  42  42 182 48% 2647 36%
031 IvanHoe 9.46b            4 A32 2626  44  44 176 48% 2641 31%
032 Strelka 5                1 A32 2618  44  44 176 53% 2596 26%
033 Crafty_24.1.JA_xb        1 A32 2598  45  45 178 53% 2570 22% 034 Rodent 1.7 build 1       1 A32 2594  44  44 176 52% 2578 31%
035 TheMadPrune 1.7.04       4 A32 2588  47  48 152 45% 2620 29% 036 Tucano_5.00.JA_xb        1 A32 2559  48  49 142 48% 2576 34% 037 CNVCS 1.2.0              2 iOS 2540  94  95  36 46% 2564 36% 038 RedQueen 1.1.97          1 A32 2516  45  46 172 46% 2544 23%
039 Bison 15.1               1 A32 2508  44  44 176 49% 2516 28% 040 Rhetoric 1.4.1           1 A32 2502  44  44 176 48% 2519 29%
041 Alfil 12.10 w32          1 A32 2493  45  45 170 50% 2492 29% 042 Gull 1.2 arm JA          1 A32 2475  45  45 172 51% 2457 32%
043 Chess Genius 4.0.00      2 iOS 2465 180 198  10 30% 2636 20% 044 Cheese 1.7               1 A32 2462  44  45 174 43% 2511 29%
045 Daydreamer 1.75 JA       1 A32 2436  44  44 170 48% 2448 31%
046 GarboChess 3             1 A32 2426  45  45 166 49% 2437 28%
047 Chess Genius 2.6.4       1 A32 2415 223 239   4 38% 2464 75% 048 Glaurung Mainz           1 A32 2412  55  56 114 46% 2442 26%
049 Rotor 0.8                1 A32 2410  45  45 174 45% 2456 28% 050 Danasah_5.07.JA_xb       1 A32 2386  47  47 158 54% 2353 24%
051 BBChess 1.3b JA          1 A32 2378  45  45 172 51% 2369 27%
052 Sloppy_0.23.JA_xb        1 A32 2355  46  46 160 53% 2337 31%
053 Dirty_030411.JA_xb       1 A32 2347  47  47 164 52% 2329 27% 054 Phalanx_XXIV.JA_xb       1 A32 2326  48  48 164 46% 2358 18% 055 GreKo_12.5.JA_xb         1 A32 2323  46  46 166 55% 2290 24%
056 Pepito v1.59             1 A32 2302  43  43 174 52% 2285 36% 057 BetsabeII_1.47.JA_xb     1 A32 2285  49  48 164 53% 2264 19% 058 Maverick 1.0 JA          1 A32 2270  45  46 172 47% 2294 22% 059 Pawny_1.0.JA_uci2xb      1 A32 2269  45  45 178 53% 2247 24%
060 Chess Wise 3.1.7         1 iOS 2256 311 508   2  0% 2465  0% 061 Diablo 0.5.1b JA         1 A32 2241  45  45 174 50% 2241 22% 062 Ifrit_m1.8.JA_uci2xb     1 A32 2237  45  44 172 56% 2193 31%
063 Typhoon_1.0.r358.JA_xb   1 A32 2208  44  43 182 54% 2177 28%
064 Amy_0.8.JA_xb            1 A32 2199  44  44 184 47% 2218 26% 065 Olithink_5.3.2.JA_xb     1 A32 2168  46  46 178 49% 2168 19%
066 Myrddin_0.86.JA_xb       1 A32 2166  47  47 178 55% 2114 21%
067 MangoPaola_1.1.JA_xb     1 A32 2138  44  45 182 49% 2137 23% 068 Natwarlal_0.14.JA_xb     1 A32 2137  45  45 178 53% 2110 22% 069 TJchess 1.1U             1 A32 2130  44  44 188 51% 2123 24%
070 Sungorus 1.4 JA          1 A32 2119  44  44 182 45% 2156 24%
071 Scidlet_2.61b2.JA_xb     1 A32 2069  47  46 184 57% 2011 14% 072 KmtChess_1.21.JA_xb      1 A32 2066  45  45 184 52% 2046 22%
073 Bitfoot 1.0.norev        1 A32 2064  43  43 198 51% 2053 26%
074 NGplay_9.86.JA_xb        1 A32 2037  45  45 180 53% 2014 24%
075 Rattate_Nosferatu.JA_xb  1 A32 2022  46  46 180 47% 2047 18%
076 Resp_0.19.JA_xb          1 A32 2021  45  45 188 51% 2011 18% 077 DanChess_1.04.JA_xb      1 A32 1964  47  47 176 49% 1971 16%
078 Zurichess Basel          1 A32 1952  70  70  82 51% 1943 27%
079 Kurt 0.9.2.2 JA          1 A32 1899  45  45 188 48% 1912 22%
080 Robocide 281214          1 A32 1871  45  46 186 44% 1917 18%
081 Clubfoot_r2293.JA        1 A32 1867  48  47 172 52% 1856 16%
082 Witz_Alpha21.JA_xb       1 A32 1862  46  46 174 45% 1906 22%
083 Woodpecker_2.11.JA_xb    1 A32 1849  49  49 164 50% 1853 14%
084 AdroitChess0.4 JA        1 A32 1837  48  48 176 52% 1813 16%
085 Knightcap_3.7F.JA_xb     1 A32 1833  48  48 168 54% 1800 17%
086 BikJump v1.8             1 A32 1832  47  47 174 51% 1827 20%
087 Leonidas_r83.JA_xb       1 A32 1807  48  48 168 47% 1830 15%
088 Sjeng_1.12.JA_xb         1 A32 1802  48  48 168 48% 1815 15%
089 ZCT-0.3.2500             1 A32 1782  47  47 178 44% 1832 13%
090 Cilian_4.14.JA_xb        1 A32 1779  45  45 178 50% 1779 28% 091 Samchess_JA_xb           1 A32 1773  48  49 164 47% 1801 18%
092 Faile_1.44.JA_xb         1 A32 1769  47  48 156 48% 1788 29%
093 Ecce rev. 508            1 A32 1708  48  48 172 47% 1742 17%
094 Colchess_8.0.JA_xb       1 A32 1690  50  50 144 51% 1680 24%
095 Surprise_4.3.b13.JA_xb   1 A32 1688  64  64 102 52% 1670 12%
096 Claudia v. 0.5           1 A32 1658  66  64 100 60% 1579 16%
097 Smash 1.03               1 A32 1642  49  49 176 52% 1608 13%
098 Zzzzzz_3.5.1.JA_xb       1 A32 1593  52  52 132 56% 1520 30%
099 Rocinante 2.0 JA         1 A32 1572  49  49 170 53% 1518 16%
100 Hoichess_0.12.1.JA_xb    1 A32 1568  48  48 168 50% 1553 20%
101 Jester_0.84.JA_xb        1 A32 1563  57  57 130 55% 1487 10%
102 Gunborg_1.0.JA_uci2xb    1 A32 1562  48  48 176 58% 1461 22%
103 Chenard_2014.07.11.JA_xb 1 A32 1560  54  55 142 46% 1575 12%
104 Colossus 4.0 100X        1 C64 1552 236 208  10 80% 1190 20%
105 Tscp_1.8.1.AB_xb         1 A32 1551  56  57 130 50% 1515 15%
106 Kitteneitor_060513.JA_xb 1 A32 1547  51  51 134 48% 1531 39%
107 Pulse 1.5-cpp            1 A32 1517  48  49 172 54% 1427 29%
108 VIRUTOR CHESS 1.1.1      1 A32 1349  55  56 170 51% 1299  9%
109 Chess for Android        1 A32 1323  52  54 178 45% 1342 16%
110 Superpawn b108           1 A32 1313  63  63 120 47% 1340 14%
111 K2 v.075                 1 A32 1272  68  69 118 47% 1289  7%
112 Chess Titans             1 W64 1197 236 222   6 58% 1165 17% 113 Trappy_Beowulf_2.0.JA_xb 1 A32 1096  59  60 166 38% 1201  8%
114 Colossus 4.0             1 C64 1051 169 180  14 36% 1146 14%
115 Byak 8.10.14.JA          1 A32  979  67  72 120 23% 1255 12%
116 Xadreco_5.7.JA_xb        1 A32  920  72  78 116 17% 1264  7%
117 OliveChess 0.2.7         1 A32  559 318-248  98  0% 1395  0%



Rapidroid test platform:
* GT-N7100 1.6 Ghz * 4, 256 hash: All Android progs
* Codegen Novatab 1.4 Ghz x 4, 256 hash: All Android progs
* Polypad 1010IPS tablet 1.61 Ghz x 2, 128 hash: Single thread Android progs
* HTC Diam 528Mhz, 16MB hash: Windows Mobile
* i7 M620 2.67 Ghz dual + Arena 3.5 + 2GB hash: Windows 64
* iPhone5S A7 1.3Ghz dual: iOS programs
* DosBox 1.74: DOS programs
* WinVICE 2.24: Commodore-64 progs
* Messtiny UCI adapters or CB-Emu2014: Mephisto programs
* Openings: 20 ply from Adam Hair or 16 ply from TCEC, no Q exchange, +0.15 to +0.40 evaluated by Stockfish and Komodo at depth 20 minimum, played twice each color
* Repeating openings and twin games not allowed between two programs
* Tablebases and pondering off
* Time control: 10 to 30 sec/move or 600+0 to 1800+5 or closest known by both programs.

New Android UCI engine: Fridolin 2.0.0 JA

Murphy rules again...

Each time i'm getting very close to release an update to the Rapidroid ranking, the probability of an engine update or new release goes to maximum.

Here it happened again but i'm not gonna feel sad at all.

I think Fridolin was a good choice as a newcomer to Android engine fleet. It's an open source engine written by Christian Sommerfeld, compiled for Android by Jim Ablett.

It played recently in WCCC 2015 in Leiden. Therefore, it's maintained and promoted.

As i didn't test it yet in any of my devices, i can just hope the compile works flawlessy in tournament configurations because giving up an engine which played in WCCC and excluding it from Rapidroid unwillingly will not make me happy.

ELO rating is ~2500 in CCRL for PC version, Thus, Android compile may be ~2350 roughly.

Download Fridolin: HERE

Rapidroid skips July-2015

Due to health problems in the family, it was impossible for me to conclude the schedule of July. I hope skipping one release is nothing when compared to what the future is able to provide.

Struggled between travels by the end of july, i was not able to organise automated tournaments but i could play many manual games between iOS and Android, at least.

I strongly expect non-Android part of Rapidroid will bring more fun to the overall picture, possibly by the end of August.

Meanwhile, i hope to find during August some spare time to process and reflect recent engine updates like:

* Cheng 4.39

* Arasan 18.0

* Hakkapeliita 3.0

* ExChess 7.51 (NEW)

* GreKo 12.8a

* Bitfoot (NEW)

* Superpawn b108 (NEW)

There's a lot remaining to play. As always!

New Android UCI engine: Superpawn b108 JA

The logo is full of humor. It says all our moves are invalid. Well, we must try and see about that.

Superpawn is a new generation engine giving hope for the future, if not with its increasing chess skills, be it with increasing humor by the author. It took a while to see it falling into Android platform before JA prepared a compile.

The engine is written by John Byrd and plays around 1950 ELO on a PC, meaning that 1750 ELO on Android can be expected.

Regarding compatibility, no issues with Chess for Android for me. However, the time management showed some problems after first games. Superpawn uses excessive time when fixed time per move is set. I've already forgot fixed time mode because 25 seconds used vs 5 seconds are way too much beyond tolerance.

When it comes to Fischer clock, Superpawn was not flagged in 120"+1" test games. That sounds good but the way it uses the total time looked strange to me. The first moves took most of the allotted time and from the mid game on, moves were played too fast. Just my first impression, to be confirmed. It even lost to internal Java engine of Chess for Android probably due to weird time usage.

I hope time usage of Superpawn gets validated with further tests so that i can introduce it into Rapidroid rankings as soon as possible.

Download Superpawn: HERE

New Android UCI/XB engine: Galjoen 0.29 JA

A new engine written by Werner Taelemans compiled by Jim Ablett comes take part in the Android engine fleet growing every week. Galjoen is in a priliminary step yet and it needs many more updates to get fine tuned.

I've just tested it with Chess for Android in two timings used in Rapidroid. Unfortunately, Galjoen didn't make any move in Fischer clock mode. Next, it played well in fixed time per move mode without error but consumed 2.2 seconds vs 5 seconds alotted. Increasing to move time to 15 secs didn't yield enough changes: Only 3 seconds per move used.

I didn't yet tested XB mode. All above refer to UCI mode.

For the moment, Galjoen must wait for further versions to be rated in my experiments. Meanwhile engine freaks may give a try with Droidfish as Galjoen is UCI compatible.

Regarding the strength, my rough guess is 1700 ELO max but only in case the allotted time is fully used by the engine.

Download Galjoen: HERE

Android UCI engine update: Arasan 18.0 JA

Jim Ablett didn't wait too long to port the update of Arasan to Android. This one integrates important improvements which i expect to be worth 20 ELOs.

Now download and trigger Arasan: HERE

Android XB engine update: GreKo 12.8a JA

About one week ago,Vladimir Medvedev has released an update to his engine GreKo.

The new version 12.8a comes now to Android thanks to Jim Ablett.

I've already tested and verified it working as xb engine under Chess for Android. Fixed time per move works fine.

Unfortunately, Fischer clock failed again. It always uses 2 seconds fixed.

However the ini file provided in the package delivers additional settings, especially bigger hash which slightly help play better.

Download new GreKo: HERE