Posts

BikMove v1.2

Continuing the detour in checkers. I also released v1.2 of BikMove , a checkers engine plugin to Martin Fierz' CheckerBoard application. New features include: Added internal iterative deepening to search Configurable transposition table and endgame database cache Improved evaluation function Avoid querying Fierz's database when *either* side can capture Below are results of a 3-move openings match between BikMove v1.2 and other engines (1 second-per-move, 256MB hash, 256MB database cache, 2-8 piece endgames, best-move for engines that have their own book). BikMove v1.2 vs. Easy Checkers 1.0   : W-L-D: 284-  0-  4  99% BikMove v1.2 vs. Simple Checkers 1.14: W-L-D: 136- 21-131  70% BikMove v1.2 vs. GUI checkers 1.05+  : W-L-D:   9-108-171  33% BikMove v1.2 vs. Cake1.8 + huge book : W-L-D:   0-152-136  24% BikMove v1.2 vs. Kingsrow 1.16d      : W-L-D:   1-181-106  19% For comparison, also some results under similar conditions with v1.1. BikMove v1.1 vs. Simple Check

Improved Checkers Endgame

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To improve endgame play, I have added a few "distance-to-win" endgame databases to Checkers for Android (K-K, p-K, p-p, KK-K). These databases are small enough to reside in memory and are queried during the engine search. In the screenshot below, for instance, the engine (playing black) announces that it will win in 20 moves. If you are up to the challenge, just download version 2.4 of Checkers for Android from the market.  

More Lego Mindstorms NXT

A movie of a robot having some fun fetching and throwing a ball.

Lego Mindstorms NXT

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Through Google, I signed up as volunteer for a Lego engineering mentoring/outreach program in a local school. This was a very good excuse for Karina and me to get reacquainted with our Lego Mindstorms NXT kit (also see our earlier Mindstorms adventures ). As you can see, we had lots of fun together.

Android Game Manuals

It is long overdue, but I finally wrote brief manuals for Chess, Checkers, and Reversi for Android that explain the full menu structure of the games. I plan to add more explanation here over time. Please let me know if you have suggestions.

King Attacked Warning

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It is minor, but the latest release 2.4.3 of Chess for Android now shows a red circle around the king as an in-check (or mate) warning when the move coach is enabled. A sample screenshot is shown below. This version also improves UCI engine unloading on exit.

U.S. Citizenship

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The adventure that started in Indiana in 1996 and continued in California in 1998 reached a very special point today. I received my U.S. Citizenship. Thanks, America, for being my home for so many years and welcoming me into the American family.