🚀 go-pugleaf

Great, thanks Simon for addressing my question.

If I can't get GNU's skill level to where I want it -- is there an
internet chess server where I can play against a computer opponent of
variable skill level, in an untimed game.  The idea is that I could
play at work and move a piece or two whenever I had a chance. 
Obviously a human opponent wouldn't stand for this sluggishness.

Thanks all,
John

Simon Waters <Simon@wretched.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:<bkg5rl$6u7$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk>...
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
> 
> John wrote:
> > I have noticed that the GNU Chess command line version supports the
> > "rating <computer> <opponent>" option.  I that in this manner I can
> > dumb the computer down to a skill level where I can beat it.  Why do I
> > supply the opponent rating?
> 
> The ratings are for filling in the game headers when playing on the
> Internet chess server. It is customary to fill in ratings, and more
> important with computers where the same "name" might play several
> hundred points different depending on options.
> 
> In older versions it will change how it uses it's opening book slightly
> when playing weaker opponents, but it definitely wasn't an attempt to
> play weaker chess.
> 
> > My question is, how can I set this rating when running GNU chess from
> > Xboard?  Apparently I can't set the rating command through the command
> > line, and I don't suppose there's a way to set it from Xboard.
> 
> Xboard can send commands to GNU Chess at start up via the Xdefaults or
> equivalent file. See the man page for xboard.
> 
> To weaken GNU Chess you probably want to disable hashing, or use a very
> small hash table (which can be done as a command line option in 5.07),
> you could try feeding a maximum search depth "depth 1" (or 2 or 3) via
> xboard, which should make it play pretty quickly, but I haven't tried that.
> 
> Options for weaker play are high up the list for future releases, as
> well as some extra configuration options, but there are more urgent
> things to fix in 5.07 alas. 5.08 will be a bug fix release :(
> 
>  Simon
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
> Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org
> 
> iD8DBQE/a5qnGFXfHI9FVgYRApEVAJ9+DwF9Ed9Vpb0ZoC94IMz7/M7SmwCfU1mA
> +YkPlHRjShlnH1+9uylfQDY=
> =BDgs
> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----