RobboTotalBase and RobboTripleBase are compressed and split with 7-Zip (http://7-zip.org) for easier download. For the engine to load and use these TableBases, RobboTripleBase and RobboTotalBase directories must be structured.
1. Create a directory called RobboBases and then create two sub-directories (RobboTripleBase and RobboTotalBase) under RobboBases.
2. Create five sub-directories (2, 3, 4, 5, and Z) under RobboTripleBase directory.
3. Create four sub-directories (3, 4, 5, and Z) under RobboTotalBase directory.
4. Download each archive to the corresponding directory.
5. To extract, right-click the archive (for the split files, use the archive ending with 001), with 7-Zip, make sure to click Extract Here.
Loading And Using
First, if you have Nalimov tablebases and GUI support, you may not need RobboTotalBase. RobboTripleBase, you need however.
Arena: From IvanHoe configuration (UCI) screen, either copy/paste or browse to location where RobboBases are installed. You have to either Register (Totalbase) or load (triplebase) for them to be used during games or analysis mode. But but, I want it to load automatically...help!! Ok!
Under directory where Arena is installed, there is a file (ArenaENG.cfg) that holds configuration for all your engines. Make a backup copy now before reading the next sentence. Open this file with any text editor -- notepad works. You will see strings separated by pipes; ignore these lines. Scroll down until you see something similar:
[SOS 5.1 for Arena] NalimovPath=<empty> MultiPV=1 NalimovCache=1 Hash=0 Nullmove=true Material only=false Ponder=false UseNalimov=true Brute Force=false OwnBook=true
something like this:
RobboTripleBaseDirectory=%ArenaDrive%\chess\tablebases\RobboBases\RobboTripleBase RobboTotalBaseDirectory=%ArenaDrive%\chess\tablebases\RobboBases\RobboTotalBase
Code: Select all
LoadRobboTripleBases=LoadRobboTripleBases
RegisterRobboTotalBases=RegisterRobboTotalBasesBut there is a better approach which is similar to Arena method. Create a new engine, and with show hidden files/folders enabled, browse to
C:\Users\yourname\AppData\Roaming\ChessBase\Engines.UCI
or it might be
C:\Documents and Settings\yourname\Application Data\ChessBase\Engines.UCI
Open the UCI engine file with your favorite text editor, and modify it to mirror sample below with correct directories:
[ENGINE] Name=IvanHoe 9.57b x64 Author=Yakov Petrovich Golyadkin, Igor Igorovich Igoronov, Roberto Pescatore, Yusuf Ralf Weisskopf, Ivan Skavinsky Skavar plus Decembrists (all) Filename=X:\chess\engine\ivanhoe\IvanHoe999957a.exe [OPTIONS] PawnsHash=16 Threads=4 RobboTotalBaseDirectory=X:\chess\tablebases\RobboBases\RobboTotalBase RobboTripleBaseDirectory=X:\chess\tablebases\RobboBases\RobboTripleBase LoadRobboTripleBases=LoadRobboTripleBases RegisterRobboTotalBases=RegisterRobboTotalBases
Code: Select all
RobboTotalBaseDirectory=RobboTotalBaseDirectory
RobboTripleBaseDirectory=RobboTripleBaseDirectory
LoadRobboTripleBases=LoadRobboTripleBases
RegisterRobboTotalBases=RegisterRobboTotalBases
I'd think it would pretty hard for Fire to guess what the new "RobboBase" format was going to be. I'm not completely sure, but I think KLO said the old bases work with the new engines, which is what "backwards" would mean compatibility-wise to me.
I just hate the thought of not able to use the new Robbobases, specifically the 6-pieces with FireBird. I never thought the old bases could still work with the new IvanHoes. I guess I really slacked in the IvanHoe engine follow-ups and updates. Thanks for the information.