	Bestia 0.90 (21.02.2003)                       (c) 2000-2003 Lyapko George 

Bestia is a 32-bit free chess engine running under Winboard. It is based on my old DOS
chess program with a same name, except that evaluation function is derivated from 
TSCP v1.42(with many improvements). Bestia is written in Delphi 5.

How to get it work under Winboard?
-------------------------------------------------
Download and install Winboard from
http://www.research.digital.com/SRC/personal/Tim_Mann/chess.html

Copy file Bestia_090.exe (opening book and Bestia.cfg optionally) to a new folder
(for instance c:\Bestia).

Include the following lines to the winboard.ini:

a) under firstChessProgramNames
c:\\Bestia\\Bestia_090 

b) under secondChessProgramNames
c:\\Bestia\\Bestia_090 

How to create book?
-------------------------
Extract all files from book.zip to Bestia's folder.
Execute bkcreate.exe.
You should receive book called "bestia.bk".

Winboard compatibility
--------------------------------
All basic features(except ICS mode) are supported(including protover 2).

EPD test suites
---------------------
To test EPD simply type from command line:

Bestia_090 <XXX.epd> [<N> <YYY>],

where
XXX.epd - EPD file to solve
N - time for each position in seconds (by default - 30 sec)
YYY - output file

Built-in bench
-------------------
Start Bestia_090 in text mode.
Type bench <n>,
where n is number of plies.
At the moment bench is done on the same position as TSCP does (just for comparison reasons).
Here you can see the Bestia's growing:-)

		Results on my AMD K6-2/450 for 5 plies:

	Nodes		Seconds		Knps
v0.1b -	515633		4.57		112.7
v0.2a -	515633		4.54		113.6
v0.2b -	515633		4.17		123.5
v0.2c -	515526		4.14		124.5
v0.2d -	390832		3.16		123.9
v0.3a -	319156		2.67		119.8
v0.3b -	319156		2.63		121.6
v0.3c -	310946		2.47		125.9
v0.3d -	310541		2.47		125.5
v0.3e -	252759		2.04		124.2
v0.3f -	233863		2.12		110.3
v0.3g -	238994		0.84		286.2
v0.3h -	150659		0.54		279.5
v0.4 -	92081		0.38		244.2
v0.5 -	154499		0.72		215.0				
v0.6 -	154499		0.63		246.4
v0.7 -	151117		0.54		279.3
v0.8 -	149207		0.57		261.8
v0.88 -	149328		0.65		228.3
v0.90 -	149271

6 plies:
	Nodes		Seconds		Knps
v0.2a -	6083072		56.84		107.0
v0.2b -	6083072		50.66		120.1
v0.2c -	6087175		50.36		120.9
v0.2d -	3663963		30.01		121.7
v0.3a -	3152756		26.58		118.6
v0.3b -	3152756		26.17		120.5
v0.3c -	2290229		18.39		124.6
v0.3d -	2489982		19.91		125.0
v0.3e -	1999976		16.98		117.8
v0.3f -	2040957		18.11		112.7
v0.3g -	1713871		5.93		289.0
v0.3h -	1086038		3.90		278.5
v0.4 -	481335		2.05		234.8
v0.5 -	958630		3.78		253.9
v0.6 -	958630		3.95		242.8
v0.7 -	1036992		3.86		268.9
v0.8 -	907995		3.52		254.6
v0.88 -	875698		3.72		234.3
v0.90 -	872380

Playing strength
-----------------------
I hope that Bestia has a rating of 2200(+/-100) ELO(in blitz maybe over 2250) 
if we assume TSCP rating of 1800.

History
----------
v0.90   - even more endgame knowledge;
	- improved time management in incremental mode;
	- built-in KRNKR knowledge.
v0.88	- some bugs fixed;
	- better play under Fritz interface;
	- improved time management;
	- fixed KBNK endgame;
	- more endgame knowledge (KRKPP, KRKN, KRKB etc.).
v0.8	- analyze mode support;
	- protocol version 2(feature,setboard,ping) support;
	- pondering(very simple) support;
	- better pawns endgame and rook vs.pawn endgame understanding;
	- some evaluation bugfixes;
	- little speed-up(2-3%) in attacked square determination;
	- better incremental time control handling.
v0.7	- board representation changed from 8x8 to 16x12(10% speed-up);
	- added one-reply extension(~5% slower, but deeper search);
	- tweaks in endgame knowledge.
v0.6	- more endgame knowledge(KBPkp);
	- fixed bug in endgame pawn hash evaluation(which caused terrible endgame play sometimes)
v0.5	- some simple endgame knowledge;
	- again opening book format change;
	- material balance score adjusting.
v0.4	- major updates in evaluation function;
	- best move is stored in hash;
	- opening book format changed;
	- hash size is adjustable(from cfg-file);
	- draw offering, accepting(cfg);
	- result learning(cfg);
	- edit mode support;
	- resigning now is optional(cfg).
v0.3h	- non-recursive null-move added;
	- simple static exchange evaluation added (thx. Igor Korshunov for tip);
	- repeated position determination during search fixed;
	- fixed bug in rooks position evaluation;
	- some changes in king safety evaluation;
	- added possibility to read Unix-style EPD's(0x0A line termination).
v0.3g	- major speed-up due to changes to attacked square determination and
	  moves generator (100-300%);
	- pawn hash;
	- killer moves;
	- razoring of uninteresting moves;
	- early exit from evaluation;
	- exits search if mate is found;
	- changes to white first move choosing mode. Previous versions have 
	played A openings in more than 30% cases: that is abnormal
	(Thanks Lars Hallerstrom for pointing out the problem);
	- some tweaks to evaluation (e.g. KNNkp,KBkp,KNkp now treated no
	more than draw for side without pawns).
v0.3f	- minor evaluation speed-up;
	- added check extension;
	- removed quiescence search hashing.
v0.3e	- changed hashtable update mode;
	- repetition check is based on HT;
	- added storing quiescence result in HT (about 10-30% speed-up)
v0.3d	- fixed hashtable look-up bug(may lead to resign by no obvious reason,
	especially in quick games);
	- move sorting slightly changed;
	- 3 repetition detection changed again...
v0.3c	- again fixed mate claiming bug;
	- move generation speed-up.
v0.3b	- fixed bug:mate claiming 2-5 moves before there is really mate;
	- hash tables are cleared after each game.
v0.3a	- added position hash-tables (fixed at 8Mb): must be great strength improvement;
	- fixed bug when opponent promotes to minor piece.
v0.2d	- again(at least) fixed insufficient material bug;
	- 3-rep bug (it doesn't check the side on move);
	- added aspiration search.
v0.2c	- incorrect insufficient material draw claiming bug fixed;
	- 50 moves draw claiming;
	- better repetition handling.
v0.2b	- better time handling.
v0.2a	- opening book;
	- draws recognition(3-rep,insufficient material);
	- search speed improvements;
	- suddendeath time control improvement.
v0.1b	- EPD test suites solving
v0.1a	- first version

About author
-------------
I was born at August 10, 1962 in Mukachevo(Transkarpathia,Ukraine).
Hungarian by nationality.
Now I'm working as a programmer at Fischer-Mukachevo ski factory.
Married for second time.
2 sons: Alexander (1983) and Andras (1997)
Hobbies: sport (especially tennis and football), chess, programming.
Sometimes I play chess at Chess.net,FICS(user 'lyapko') or MSN Gaming Zone(user 'Mukachewo').
My current rating at chess.net is 2100-2200 in lightning and 2000-2100 
in blitz(so it is almost comparable to the rating of Bestia - though I am stronger,
I make too much mistakes...).

mail:
Yuri Lyapko
ul.G.Petrova,30/66
89607 Mukachevo
Ukraine

email:yuriy.lyapko@mk.fischer-ski.com

www: http://www.geocities.com/lyapko

