REBEL 11 (update) (original) (raw)

A major update for REBEL 11.0 end-users who have subscribedis available from the Subscription Area. If you are a REBEL 11.0 end-user and haven't subscribed yet then you are adviced to do it now and get this important update.

This update is the work of almost 5 months and is offered for free.

Its main advantage is an increase in playing strength estimated at 40-50 elo points above the version on the REBEL 11 cdrom. Another extra 10-20 elo points should be added because of the use of end-game table bases is now supported.

What's new in the chess engine

• Chess Tiger 14.0
• Gambit Tiger 2.0
• Support for the Nalimov tablebases.
• Improved search algorithm.
• Improved evaluation function.
• Extra Playing Styles: Aggressive, Suicidal

What's new in the User Interface

• Added book learning support.
• Book optimize application to make book access faster.
• Remembers last open database folder.
• Option to have both GUI and engine books active.
• Next best function now works with opening book.
• Added handicap option in levels.
• Reduced playing strength of the beginners levels.
• Support for external devices such as the DGT chessboard.
• Added new features playing on chess servers such as ICC/FICS.
• Much more, read the file RT2-UPD1.TXT after installation.

Using the DGT Chessboard

• Connect the board to a free serial port.
• Start Rebel Tiger.
• Select: Extra -> Options, then select the devices page.
• The DGT driver should be in the list, make sure it is checked.
• Double click the DGT Driver or select and click Settings.
• Select the proper port from the drop down box.
• Several times click OK.
• Now exit and restart the program.
• Select 'New game' and setup the new game position on the DGT board. You should here a click when the board position is in sync with the position on the screen.
• Start making your moves..
• You can also use the board to setup a postion, just enter setup mode and place the pieces on the board.
• Sometimes the position on the screen is rotated from what is on the board, this can be corrected with the following procedure:
  • Remove both kings.
  • Place a white pawn on the 8th row.
  • Put back the kings and pawn.
  • Setting up the begin position also correctly rotates the board. Peer to peer network play

To have to option to use a program like ICQ to start a match between two Rebel-Tiger users some enhancements have been made to the startup command line parameters. To start Rebel-Tiger in peer-to-peer mode use the following options:

cp5.exe [file.fic] /Host=hostname[:port] /HostType=n /Name=user[:password] /HostOptions=n

The optional file parameter can be used to load a pre-configured console.

/Host= - Specify IP or hostname of server to connect to, or localhost when in server mode.
/HostType=n - 0=FICS Server, 1=Rebel-Tiger Client, 2=Rebel-Tiger Server.
/Name= - Optional user name and password.
/HostOptions= - Bit flags: 1=computer plays, 2=auto challenge accept.

More in the file RT2-UPD1.TXT after installation.

Playing style

To conclude a typical example how Gambit Tiger plays the game of chess, its computer opponent had no idea what was going on....

Last minute improvements

• Auto232 now supports network play (only under Windows NT and Windows 2000).
• Improved auto232 stability.

Perfect end-games, the so-called Nalimov Table bases

Table bases are giant sets of databases stored with perfect end-game knowledge and this knowledge can now be used by Rebel-Tiger II for its internal calculations. It means that the chess program understands some very basic end-games without the need of calculating nor programmed chess knowledge because the information is simply retrieved from the table base.

For more explanations about the table bases we point to this pagewhich includes some on-line examples.

The complete available table bases are about 6 giga-bytes in size, impossible to store on one cdrom. In future versions of REBEL the table bases will be available, for now we offer you several solutions how to get and install the most important parts of the table bases:

• You can buy the table bases from several chess dealers, check the REBEL-DEALER list. Prices fluctuate from 40−40-40−60.
• You can download the table bases files for free from the Internet. Be prepared to several days (or weeks) of downloading if you want the full set (more than 6 Gb). The table bases are available from: ftp://ftp.cis.uab.edu/pub/hyatt/TB with thanks to Prof. Robert Hyatt and Eugene Nalimov.
• Create the table bases yourself. Although not advised due to its great complexity we certainly don't want to hold back this most cheapest way. Click here for more information.

Installation of the Table Bases

• Copy (or download) all the table base files into one specific folder (directory) for instance C:\TB
• Start Rebel-Tiger and do:
  VIEW -> PROPERTIES -> CHESS ENGINE -> ADVANCED -> ENDGAME
• Fill-in the table base path (C:\TB) and the cache size (16) The tables bases are now installed.