Maintenance update Houdini 1.5a is available

[Robert Houdart]

The maintenance update Houdini 1.5a is available, see http://www.cruxis.com/chess/houdini.htm .

This update is primarily aimed at Fritz GUI users, and fixes two problems Houdini 1.5 experienced in the Fritz GUI:
- Long engine matches could generate time control issues
- Deep Position analysis didn't work properly

There are some other minor improvements related to Gaviota EGTB detection and usage.
Houdini 1.5a doesn't contain any changes in evaluation or search, and will produce the same analyses and game performance as Houdini 1.5.

Enjoy Houdini!

Robert

[Robert Houdart]

I've had the question whether testers can substitute Houdini 1.5 with Houdini 1.5a, or if it should be retested.

In my opinion there's no need to retest, for all practical purposes (except the Fritz GUI) Houdini 1.5a = Houdini 1.5.
Like I wrote in the announcement: "Houdini 1.5a doesn't contain any changes in evaluation or search, and will produce the same analyses and game performance as Houdini 1.5." One can easily verify this by running a single-thread analysis from the start position.

Robert

[Vael Jean-Paul]

Thank you very much Robert..i will test it out for sure

JP.

[SSTATHIS]

The maintenance update Houdini 1.5a is available, see http://www.cruxis.com/chess/houdini.htm .

This update is primarily aimed at Fritz GUI users, and fixes two problems Houdini 1.5 experienced in the Fritz GUI:
- Long engine matches could generate time control issues
- Deep Position analysis didn't work properly

There are some other minor improvements related to Gaviota EGTB detection and usage.
Houdini 1.5a doesn't contain any changes in evaluation or search, and will produce the same analyses and game performance as Houdini 1.5.

Enjoy Houdini!

Robert

Hi Robert....
What about the problem in Arena 3? Almost always Houdini with ponder on lost in tournaments after book mooves with "Arena Adjudication. Illegal move!"!!!!!!

[Robert Houdart]

Hi Robert....
What about the problem in Arena 3? Almost always Houdini with ponder on lost in tournaments after book mooves with "Arena Adjudication. Illegal move!"!!!!!!

Does the same problem exist in Arena 2.5 or Arena 2.0?

Robert

[SSTATHIS]

Hi Robert....
What about the problem in Arena 3? Almost always Houdini with ponder on lost in tournaments after book mooves with "Arena Adjudication. Illegal move!"!!!!!!

Does the same problem exist in Arena 2.5 or Arena 2.0?

Robert

No problem with arena 2. I don't checked it with arena 2.5. I have already send to Michael Diosi (arena) engine logs to solve the problem..

[Swaminathan]

Thanks a lot, Robert.

Keep up the good work!

[JohnS]

The maintenance update Houdini 1.5a is available, see http://www.cruxis.com/chess/houdini.htm .

Why is there such a big differene in files sizes (966kb for 1.5-w32 and 1.59Mb for 1.5a-w32)?

[Robert Houdart]

The maintenance update Houdini 1.5a is available, see http://www.cruxis.com/chess/houdini.htm .

Why is there such a big differene in files sizes (966kb for 1.5-w32 and 1.59Mb for 1.5a-w32)?

Houdini has a special multi-threading architecture in which each thread has its own code. The more threads, the larger the executable.

The December 15 H1.5 w32 build was for maximum 4 threads.
The December 19 H1.5 w32 build (with large page correction) and the current H1.5a are for maximum 8 threads.

Robert

[mattchess]

Just to confirm, I have run into the same issue with ponder turned on for engine tournaments in Arena. Occasionally Houdini's games get adjudicated for an illegal move. I noticed this when running a tournament between Houdini and Stockfish (both 64 bit) starting from a french KIA through move 2. If it would be helpful I can post the results here.

That said - this is my first post here and I want to thank you very much for a fantastic chess engine and making it available to us. I recently switched over to Arena and SCID after having been using Fritz/chessbase all the time. I am a SCID/Arena convert at this point and Houdini has been a great asset to me in analysis. So thank you again.