Bas Hamstra,


Tao information:

Tao was completely built from scratch and is not based on any other program
or modelled to any other program.  Apart from the standard techniques, such
as the alphabeta algorithm, the use of hastables, tablebases  and some other
common techniques, it is 100% authentical. It is my second chessprogram (the
first one had no name and reached a top rating of 2200 at FICS). 

Tao is about 3-4 years old and it is a bitboard program that uses PVS search
without root (aspiration) window. It does not use futility pruning at any
level, but it does use nullmove pruning. The structure of the program is
more or less object-oriented. 

Tao tends to attack and is a tactical program. Weak point is the endgame.
Although the endgame graduallly improves, much work still has to be done.


Version history:

4.3. Low knowledge version of Tao, tuned for searching deeply, knowledge
that let it search less deep was discarded if possible. I tuned on the basis
of blitz games.
4.4. Not much different, slighly more efficient search
5.0. Added a lot of knowledge, especially about endgames, more advanced
mobility, kingattacks and trapped pieces. This version searches less deep
than 4.3/4.4 and it might score somewhat less in blitz, but at longer time
controls it is stronger.
5.1 Tried to rewrite eval
5.2 Threw the new eval away and copied the old one back, added TableBase
support and UCI support, tuned eval somewhat more aggressive
5.3 There appeared to be many timemanagment bugs in 5.2. Time management
fixes for UCI and Winboard and other small fixes, some tuning changes in
evaluation
5.4 Last details in time management fixes, I consider this topic solved
now. Rewrote one kingsafety term, because I felt it was not accurate. This
worked well  and I tuned the value up. This worked even excellent and at the
Internet server it achieved the highest rating ever. Compiled with MSVC to
create a 30% faster executable VCYin54.exe.


Results

Testsuites:
WAC 295/300 at 5 sec position
LCT-II 2600
BS2830 2752

(Be welcome to mail me other results, I will put them here)

Internet server:
ICC standard rating 2583 (highest 2612)
FICS standard rating 2453 (highest 2453)

Recent computermatches 60/0 time control:
Tao-Comet 11,5-9,5
Tao-Pepito 11-9
Tao-Yace 10-10


Questions/Suggestions

Mailto: Bas Hamstra

Have fun!

Bas Hamstra.