Computer Draughts 2013

[Rein Halbersma]

I thought I'd preempt Bert this year and start the new topic with New Year's resolutions

2012 was the year that I open sourced my C++ template library, and I haven't regretted that one minute! To everyone who wants to share ideas and code, I can really recommend it: it's more fun, disciplines your thoughts and lets others benefit as well! A small community like computer draughts needs a lot more sharing and discussion to remain viable, and 2012 was a good year for that, with all the ideas and tests coming from Bert and others as well. Oh and 2012 was also the year that I finished managing the review for Wieger's excellent new PDN standard! It already seems ages ago... I also got new hardware in the form of a Nexus 7 and a Xeon E5-1650, so I hope to leverage these toys as well in the near future.

For 2013, I will continue my quest to write a strong open source draughts engine, and hopefully I'll meet some of you in a tournament later next year. Happy 2013!

[BertTuyt]

As usually the best wishes to all, and everyone near to you.

Before entering into the 2013 activities, I should first review my 2012 posting.

So herewith my To DO and Dont Do list for 2012:

To DO:
* I will keep trying to improve the search, without some major improvements KingsRow will be out of sight for some time.
* For the Eval function I will write a new breakthrough routine.
* More matches against KingsRow. My record score in a 158 games match was 16 games lost, I really want to get into the single digit loose scores (to start with) ....
* I will participate in the Dutch Open 2012
* Communicate often in this forum

Dont DO:
* I will (still) not start with the generation of the 8p DB.
* I will not buy a new computer, as we are going through a huge reconstruction of the house, and it seems that "we" have other priorities.

At least I kept my promise with respect to the Dont DO, i didn't start on the 8p DB nor did I buy a new computer..

I think the 2012 score was not that bad:
* I improved the search, and i guess that Damage is now closing in on Kingsrow.
* A new breakthrough routine for the Evaluation was made.
* Damage played several 158 games matches against Kingsrow, and I now succeeded in keeping the number of lost games below 10.
* Unfortunately I did not participate in the Dutch Open 2012
* And last but not least I guess I posted regular in this forum

So herewith the Do and Dont list for 2013, which is quite similar with the 2012 version.

To DO:
* I will manily focus on the parallel implementation of the search.
* I need to rethink evaluation, as it seems that further speed increase might not be the (only) way forward.
* I will (most likely) make a Damage version available for public.
* I will participate in the Dutch Open 2013
* Communicate often in this forum

Dont DO:
* I will (still) not start with the generation of the 8p DB.
* I will not buy a new computer, as I want to have at least 8-cores, and im not sure Intel will produce a 8-core for the Desktop 2011-socket in 2013 .

Bert

[Krzychumag]

I apologise to Bert am asking. Whether the program will be available in the second quarter of this year you wrote which earlier.

--Krzysztof.

[BertTuyt]

Yes 2nd quarter seems realistic...

Bert

[MichelG]

For 2013, i will focus my efforts on playing strength:
1) increase search speed as measured in nodes per second, mostly by finalising the conversion to bitboards. Goal is to be between 1.7 and 2.0 times as fast as v4.1
2) improved evaluation function. I have plenty of ideas to try, with some already tested
3) improved search by better selective search or implementing propcut algorithms
And release it somewhere in the summer.