Difference between program using pondering or no

[Catherine]

Hi all programmers,

Many stronger programs like Scan and Damage, Dragon in the past, don't use pondering and are so deeper.
I want to know if use pondering can increase the strenght of a program or is it in certains way a weakness by limiting the deep search. Scan or Damage can they use pondering ?
Thank and sorry if my questions seem absurd, i want to learn.
God bless you all !!!!!!!

Catherine.

[Catherine]

Hi all,

In others words, i will be glad to know if it's possible to active the pondering option into Scan's "scan.ini", i read in the hub file precisely in "engine.ini" the line "pondering = true".
If someone can show me the way to active it, it will be so kind. Thank.

Catherine_

[Krzysztof Grzelak]

Hi all,

In others words, i will be glad to know if it's possible to active the pondering option into Scan's "scan.ini", i read in the hub file precisely in "engine.ini" the line "pondering = true".
If someone can show me the way to active it, it will be so kind. Thank.

Catherine_

This option will operate under Linux Ubuntu. As mentioned Fabien.

[Catherine]

Thank Krzysztof,

If Fabien or another can be write this option, we can see if a program is stronger with or without pondering option. Thank.

[Fabien Letouzey]

If Fabien or another can be write this option, we can see if a program is stronger with or without pondering option.

Yes programs are stronger with pondering, but not by much. Also, pondering is mostly used in tournaments or their preparation. The reason is that, at home, it's almost always better to play two games without pondering (or a slower game) than one game with pondering. Remember that pondering requires twice the computation resources and this is the testing bottleneck.

It's unlikely that Scan will ever have a pondering option in DXP mode, due to complications brought by stateful protocols (sending game events such as moves). However Bert might implement a new protocol named UDI in Damage which would avoid this difficulty. You'll have to wait for next year though.

Fabien.

[Krzysztof Grzelak]

Fabien sorry and that I ask what will be next year, you write that "You'll have to wait for next year though".