polyglot — Winboard protocol to UCI protocol adapter
Synopsis
polyglot [configfile] [-noini] [-ec engine] [-ed enginedirectory] [-en enginename] [-log true/false] [-lf logfile] [-pg <name>=<value>]* [-uci <name>=<value>]*polyglot make-book [-pgn inputfile] [-bin outputfile] [-max-ply ply] [-min-game games] [-min-score score] [-only-white] [-only-black] [-uniform]
polyglot merge-book -in1 inputfile1 -in2 inputfile2 [-out outputfile]
polyglot info-book [-bin inputfile] [-exact]
polyglot dump-book [-bin inputfile] -color color [-out outputfile]
polyglot [configfile] epd-test [engineoptions] [-epd inputfile] [-min-depth depth] [-max-depth depth] [-max-time time] [-depth-delta delta]
polyglot perft [-fen fen] [-max-depth depth]
Description
PolyGlot as adapter and book engine
PolyGlot is a ``UCI adapter''. It connects a GUI interface (such as XBoard, Winboard, Arena or Chessbase) to a UCI chess engine.
By specifying an opening book (in PolyGlot book format) chess engines can transparently use such books.
PolyGlot understands the two main GUI protocols: UCI and xboard. Normally the protocol will be auto detected but this can be overridden in the configuration file.
In xboard mode PolyGlot fully translates between the xboard and UCI protocols. In addition it tries to solve known problems with other adapters. For instance, it detects and reports draws by fifty-move rule, repetition, etc ... It also supports Chess960.
When in UCI mode PolyGlot mostly passes commands from the GUI to the engine and vice versa, except that it will play book moves on behalf of the engine when the occasion arises.
The engine options are exported as UCI options in UCI mode and as ``feature option='' commands in xboard mode. The latter form an extension of the xboard protocol as defined by H.G. Muller.
Options which normally appear in the [PolyGlot] section of the config file (see below) are exported as options with their name prefixed by ``Polyglot''. This makes it easy to filter them in the GUI.
NOTE: Not all options are exported, only those that make sense in the
given mode.
Book making utilities
PolyGlot supports the ``PolyGlot opening book format''. This is the defacto standard non-proprietary opening book format. It is fully documented here
http://alpha.uhasselt.be/Research/Algebra/Toga/book_format.html
Roughly speaking a PolyGlot opening book is a collection of triples (position, move, weight). A ``position'' is represented by a 64-bit Zobrist hash key. The weight is proportional to the probability the move should be played.
Other opening book formats such as ChessBase's .ctg format and Arena's .abk format are undocumented and proprietary. They can only be used by their own GUIs.
PolyGlot can compile a pgn file into a binary PolyGlot book and furthermore it can merge two such binary books into a third one.
PolyGlot can also extract some useful information from PolyGlot books. The utility ``dump-book'' dumps the ``lines'' in a book for a given color. By definition a line is a sequence of moves (from the starting position) in which the given color makes only book moves and the other color makes arbitrary moves (i.e. not necessarily book moves).
Since a PolyGlot book is built up from positions and not lines there may be (and there usually are) many positions in the book that are not on a ``line'' as defined in the previous paragraph. It is convenient to call such positions ``isolated'' positions. The utility ``info-book'' counts such isolated positions.
Some of the isolated positions are provably unreachable and they could in principle be deleted from the book. For example if a book contains only the move ``e4'' in the starting position but also the position after ``d4 d5'' then this last position is provably unreachable since it requires white to make a non-book move when a book move is available. Such situations arise frequently from the priority rules in merging books.
Unfortunately not all isolated positions are provably unreachable and
it is difficult to identify the latter. If invoked with ``-exact'' the
utility info-book will attempt to count the isolated positions which
require a player to make a non-book move when a book move is available.
Due to the possibility of transpositions this is not a fool proof method.
Epd test mode
In epd test mode, PolyGlot will search positions in an epd file and
record the number of times the right best move was found. The
arguments specify when to stop the search in any given position.
Perft counts
A perft count is the number of legal move sequence in a given position up to a given depth. PolyGlot can perform such perft counts. It is however much slower than other more dedicated programs.
Options
When PolyGlot is invoked as an adapter of in epd-test mode it gets its options from a config file and then from the command line. The default config file is ``polyglot.ini'' but an alternative one may be optionally included as first argument. The config file format is described below.The following engine options may be specified on the command line.
- -noini
- Do not use a config file, even if one was specified on the command line.
- -pg
- The argument is a string of the form <name>=<value>. This option will set the Polyglot option <name> to <value>.
- -uci
- The argument is a string of the form <name>=<value>. This option will set the engine option <name> to <value>.
- -ec
- This is an alias for -pg ``EngineCommand=<value>''
- -ed
- This is an alias for -pg ``EngineDir=<value>''
- -en
- This is an alias for -pg ``EngineName=<value>''
- -log (default: false)
- This is an alias for -pg ``Log=<value>''
- -lf (default: "polyglot.log")
- This is an alias for -pg ``LogFile=<value>''.
- -wb (default: "true")
- This is an alias for -pg ``OnlyWbOptions=<value>''.
When invoked as
polyglot make-book
PolyGlot supports the following options
- -pgn (default: "book.pgn")
- Input file in pgn format.
- -bin (default: "book.bin")
- Output file in PolyGlot format.
- -max-ply (default: 1024)
- Specifies the maximum ply-depth of lines included in the book.
- -min-game (default: 3)
- Specifies the minimum number of games that have to contain this move for it to be included in the book.
- -min-score (default: 0.0)
- Specifies the minimum score (or weight) this move should have received for it to be included in the book. The score is 2*(wins)+(draws), globally scaled to fit into 16 bits.
- -only-white
- Include only moves for white in the book.
- -only-black
- Include only moves for black in the book.
- -uniform
- Set all weights to 1. In other words, all moves will be selected with equal probability.
When invoked
as
polyglot merge-book
PolyGlot supports the following options
- -in1
- First input file (in PolyGlot book format).
- -in2
- Second input file (in PolyGlot book format).
- -out (default: out.bin)
- Output file (in PolyGlot book format).
Input files are not symmetrical, ``in1'' has priority over ``in2''. In other words when a position occurs both in ``in1'' and ``in2'' only the moves and weights from ``in1'' will be retained in ``out''.
When invoked
as
polyglot dump-book
PolyGlot supports the following options
- -bin (default: book.bin)
- Input file in PolyGlot book format.
- -color
- The color for whom to generate the lines.
- -out (default: book_<color>.txt)
- The name of the output file.
When invoked
as
polyglot info-book
PolyGlot supports the following options
- -bin (default: book.bin)
- Input file in PolyGlot book format.
- -exact
- Attempt to count the provably unreachable positions among the isolated ones. Note that this takes a very long time.
When invoked as
polyglot epd-test
(possibly with a config file as first argument) PolyGlot supports besides the generic options described above the following additional options.
- -max-depth (default: 63)
- Unconditionally stop the search when this depth has been reached.
- -max-time (default: 5.0)
- Unconditionally stop the seach after this amount of time.
- -depth-delta (default: 3)
- Stop the search if the solution as been found and the best move has been constant for this many depths, on condition that the mininal depth and minimal time have been reached.
- -min-depth (default: 8)
- Minimal search depth when the search is stopped using ``-depth-delta''.
- -min-time (default: 1.0)
- Minimal search time when the search is stopped using ``-depth-delta''.
When invoked as
polyglot perft
PolyGlot supports the following options
- -fen (default: starting position)
- Fen at which to start searching.
- -max-depth (default: 1)
- Maximum depth to search.
Config file format
There should be a different config file for each engine.The config file is in the traditional INI format.
[PolyGLot]
option = value
...
[Engine]
option = value
...
The characters ``#'' and ``;'' serve as comment characters.
Initial and final white space is stripped from option names and
values. If you need to use characters which have a special meaning to
PolyGlot (these are ';#[]=\') you should quote them by preceding them
with '\'. ``Quoting'' other characters in this way has no effect. In
particular the use of '\' as a path separator in windows should
normally not affected.
[PolyGlot] section
This section is used by PolyGlot only. The engine is unaware of these options. The list of available options is detailed below.
- EngineName (default: UCI name)
- This is the name that will appear in the GUI. It is cosmetic only. You can use different names for tweaked versions of the same engine.
- EngineDir (default: ".")
- Full path of the directory where the engine is installed. You can use ``.'' (without the quotes) if you know that PolyGlot will be launched in the engine directory or the engine is in the ``path'' and does not need any data file.
- EngineCommand
- Put here the name of the engine executable file. You can also add command-line arguments. Path searching is used and the current directory will be ``EngineDir''. On Linux the EngineCommand is passed to wordexp so that shell quoting rules and expansions are applied. On Windows the EngineCommand is simply passed to CreateProcess which does its own shell like processing.
- SettingsDir (default: $HOME/.polyglot on Linux; ".\_PG" on Windows)
- The directory where ini files are stored for engines that are started with -noini. Such ini files may be created by pushing the ``Save'' button in the Engine settings dialog in WB/XB 4.4.0 and higher. As a special exception (for WB/XB 4.4.0 compatibility) this directory is also used in case PolyGlot is started with config files named ``polyglot_1st.ini'' or ``polyglot_2nd.ini''.
- Log (default: false)
- Whether PolyGlot should log all transactions with the interface and the engine. This should be necessary only to locate problems.
- LogFile (default: polyglot.log)
-
The name of the log file. Note that it is put where PolyGlot was
launched from, not into the engine directory.
WARNING: Log files are not cleared between sessions, and can become very large. It is safe to remove them though.
- Resign (default: false)
-
Set this to ``true'' if you want PolyGlot to resign on behalf of the
engine.
NOTE: Some engines display buggy scores from time to time although the best move is correct. Use this option only if you know what you are doing (e.g. you always check the final position of games).
- ResignMoves (default: 3)
- Number of consecutive moves with ``resign'' score (see below) before PolyGlot resigns for the engine. Positions with only one legal move are ignored.
- ResignScore (default: 600)
- This is the score in centipawns that will trigger resign ``counting''.
- ShowPonder (default: true)
- Show search information during engine pondering. Turning this off might be better for interactive use in some interfaces.
- ScoreWhite (default: true)
- Report score from white's point of view in xboard mode.
- KibitzMove (default: false)
- Whether to kibitz when playing a move.
- KibitzPV (default: false)
- Whether to kibitz when the PV is changed (new iteration or new best move).
- KibitzCommand (default: "tellall")
- xboard command to use for kibitzing, normally ``tellall'' for kibitzing or ``tellothers'' for whispering.
- KibitzDelay (default: 5)
- How many seconds to wait before starting kibitzing. This has an effect only if ``KibitzPV'' is selected, move kibitzes are always sent regardless of the delay.
- KibitzInterval (default: 0)
- This is another form of throttling. PolyGlot will usually wait this many seconds before doing the next kibitz.
- UCI (default: false)
- If true PolyGlot will not understand xboard commands.
- MateScore (default: 10000)
- Mate score reported to GUI when in xboard mode.
- Book (default: false)
- Indicates whether a PolyGlot book should be used. This has no effect on the engine own book (which can be controlled with the UCI option ``OwnBook'' in the [Engine] section). In particular, it is possible to use both a PolyGlot book and an engine book. In that case, the engine book will be used whenever PolyGlot is out of book. Remember that PolyGlot is unaware of whether the engine is itself using a book or not.
- BookFile (default: book.bin)
- The name of the (binary) book file. Note that PolyGlot will look for it in the directory it was launched from, not in the engine directory. Of course, full path can be used in which case the current directory does not matter.
- BookRandom (default: true)
- Select moves according to their weights in the book. If false the move with the highest weight is selected.
- BookLearn (default: false)
- This is a noop.
- BookDepth (default: 256)
- Stop using the book after this number of moves.
- BookTreshold (default: 5)
- Do not play moves with a weight (probability) lower than this (in per mil).
- UseNice (default: false)
- Run the engine at nice level 5, or ``NiceValue'' if it set. On some operating systems it may be necessary to run the engine at lower priority for it to be responsive to commands from PolyGlot while searching.
- NiceValue (default: 5)
- Nice levels go from -20 to 20 with 20 being the lowest priority. On Unix only root can set negative nice levels. On Windows the standard Win32 priority levels are mapped in a sensible way to Unix nice levels.
- Affinity (default: -1)
- This a bit vector in which each bit represents the processors that a process is allowed to run on. This option works only on Windows.
- STFudge (default: 20)
- PolyGlot will translate ``st x'' as ``go movetime 1000*x-STFudge''. The rationale is that in the UCI specification the argument of movetime is defined as the exact search time whereas the argument of the st command is only an upperbound.
- OnlyWbOptions (default: true)
-
If true then PolyGlot restricts the options it sends to those that
are potentially useful for WinBoard.
Work arounds
Work arounds are identical to options except that they should be used only when necessary. Their purpose is to try to hide problems with various software (not just engines).
IMPORTANT: Any of these work arounds might be removed in future versions of PolyGlot. You are strongly recommended to contact the author of faulty software and truly fix the problem.
PolyGlot supports the following work arounds:
- UCIVersion (default: 2)
- The default value of 2 corresponds to UCI+. Use 1 to select plain UCI for engines that have problems with UCI+.
- CanPonder (default: false)
- PolyGlot now conforms to the documented UCI behaviour: the engine will be allowed to ponder only if it (the engine) declares the ``Ponder'' UCI option. However some engines which can actually ponder do not declare the option. This work around lets PolyGlot know that they can ponder.
- SyncStop (default: false)
- When a ponder miss occurs, Polyglot interrupts the engine and IMMEDIATELY launches a new search. While there should be no problem with this, some engines seem confused and corrupt their search board. ``SyncStop'' forces PolyGlot to wait for the (now useless) ponder search to finish before launching the new search.
- PromoteWorkAround (default: false)
- Some engines do not specify a promotion piece, e.g. they send ``e7e8'' instead of the correct ``e7e8q''. This work around enables the incorrect form (and of course promotes into a queen).
- RepeatPV (default: true)
-
When true, PolyGlot repeats the last pv string (which also contains
score,depth and time usage) it got from the engine. Some engines
however do not send a new pv string just before sending the move.
In that case the output of PolyGlot would be inconsistent.
When RepeatPV is false PolyGlot does not repeat the last pv string.
Due to the way kibitzing is implemented, KibitzMove is disabled in that case.
[Engine] section
This section contains engine UCI options. PolyGlot does not understand them, but sends the information to the engine at startup (converted to UCI form). You can add any UCI option that makes sense to the engine (not just the common options about hash-table size and tablebases).
NOTE: use INI syntax, not UCI. For example ``OwnBook = true'' is correct. It will be replaced by PolyGlot with ``setoption name OwnBook value true'' at engine startup.
Standard UCI options are
Hash
NalimovPath
NalimovCache
OwnBook
Hidden options like ``Ponder'' or ``UCI_xxx'' are automatic and should not be put in an INI file.
The other options are engine-specific. Check their name using a UCI GUI or launch the engine in a console and type ``uci''.
Examples
Running the UCI engine ``fruit'' under xboard 4.3.15 and later (this invokes PolyGlot internally).
xboard -fcp fruit -fUCI
An explicit command line for using the UCI engine ``fruit'' with logging enabled (this works also with older versions of xboard).
xboard -fcp "polyglot -noini -log true -ec fruit"
The equivalent config file would be:
[PolyGlot]
EngineCommand = fruit
Log = true
[Engine]
Compile ``games.pgn'' into a book ``book.bin'' retaining all lines of at most 30 plies.
polyglot make-book -pgn games.pgn -bin book.bin -max-ply 30
Merge books ``w1.bin'' and ``w2.bin'' into a book ``w.bin''.
polyglot merge-book -in1 w1.bin -in2 w2.bin -out w.bin
Inspect lines for white in ``w.bin''
polyglot dump-book -bin w.bin -color white -out w_white.txt
Test epd file ``test.epd'' with a (maximum) search time of 7 minutes per position
polyglot epd-test -epd test.epd -max-time 420