1 POLYGLOT(6) POLYGLOT(6)
6 PolyGlot - Winboard protocol to UCI protocol adapter
7 - book engine for Polyglot books
8 - a collection of utilities for creating and analyzing
10 - a utility for analyzing epd files
14 polyglot [configfile] [-noini] [-ec engine] [-ed enginedirectory] [-en
15 enginename] [-log true/false] [-lf logfile] [-pg <name>=<value>]* [-uci
18 polyglot make-book [-pgn inputfile] [-bin outputfile] [-max-ply ply]
19 [-min-game games] [-min-score score] [-only-white] [-only-black]
22 polyglot merge-book -in1 inputfile1 -in2 inputfile2 [-out outputfile]
24 polyglot info-book [-bin inputfile] [-exact]
26 polyglot dump-book [-bin inputfile] -color color [-out outputfile]
28 polyglot [configfile] epd-test [engineoptions] [-epd inputfile]
29 [-min-depth depth] [-max-depth depth] [-max-time time] [-depth-delta
32 polyglot perft [-fen fen] [-max-depth depth]
35 PolyGlot as adapter and book engine
36 PolyGlot is a "UCI adapter". It connects a GUI interface (such as
37 XBoard, Winboard, Arena or Chessbase) to a UCI chess engine.
39 By specifying an opening book (in PolyGlot book format) chess engines
40 can transparently use such books.
42 PolyGlot understands the two main GUI protocols: UCI and xboard.
43 Normally the protocol will be auto detected but this can be overridden
44 in the configuration file.
46 In xboard mode PolyGlot fully translates between the xboard and UCI
47 protocols. In addition it tries to solve known problems with other
48 adapters. For instance, it detects and reports draws by fifty-move
49 rule, repetition, etc ... It also supports Chess960.
51 When in UCI mode PolyGlot mostly passes commands from the GUI to the
52 engine and vice versa, except that it will play book moves on behalf of
53 the engine when the occasion arises.
55 The engine options are exported as UCI options in UCI mode and as
56 "feature option=" commands in xboard mode. The latter form an extension
57 of the xboard protocol as defined by H.G. Muller.
59 Options which normally appear in the [PolyGlot] section of the config
60 file (see below) are exported as options with their name prefixed by
61 "Polyglot". This makes it easy to filter them in the GUI.
63 NOTE: Not all options are exported, only those that make sense in the
67 PolyGlot supports the "PolyGlot opening book format". This is the
68 defacto standard non-proprietary opening book format. It is fully
71 http://hgm.nubati.net/book_format.html
73 Roughly speaking a PolyGlot opening book is a collection of triples
74 (position, move, weight). A "position" is represented by a 64-bit
75 Zobrist hash key. The weight is proportional to the probability the
76 move should be played.
78 Other opening book formats such as ChessBase's .ctg format and Arena's
79 .abk format are undocumented and proprietary. They can only be used by
82 PolyGlot can compile a pgn file into a binary PolyGlot book and
83 furthermore it can merge two such binary books into a third one.
85 PolyGlot can also extract some useful information from PolyGlot books.
86 The utility "dump-book" dumps the "lines" in a book for a given color.
87 By definition a line is a sequence of moves (from the starting
88 position) in which the given color makes only book moves and the other
89 color makes arbitrary moves (i.e. not necessarily book moves).
91 Since a PolyGlot book is built up from positions and not lines there
92 may be (and there usually are) many positions in the book that are not
93 on a "line" as defined in the previous paragraph. It is convenient to
94 call such positions "isolated" positions. The utility "info-book"
95 counts such isolated positions.
97 Some of the isolated positions are provably unreachable and they could
98 in principle be deleted from the book. For example if a book contains
99 only the move "e4" in the starting position but also the position after
100 "d4 d5" then this last position is provably unreachable since it
101 requires white to make a non-book move when a book move is available.
102 Such situations arise frequently from the priority rules in merging
105 Unfortunately not all isolated positions are provably unreachable and
106 it is difficult to identify the latter. If invoked with "-exact" the
107 utility info-book will attempt to count the isolated positions which
108 require a player to make a non-book move when a book move is available.
109 Due to the possibility of transpositions this is not a fool proof
113 In epd test mode, PolyGlot will search positions in an epd file and
114 record the number of times the right best move was found. The
115 arguments specify when to stop the search in any given position.
118 A perft count is the number of legal move sequence in a given position
119 up to a given depth. PolyGlot can perform such perft counts. It is
120 however much slower than other more dedicated programs.
123 When PolyGlot is invoked as an adapter of in epd-test mode it gets its
124 options from a config file and then from the command line. The default
125 config file is "polyglot.ini" but an alternative one may be optionally
126 included as first argument. The config file format is described below.
128 The following engine options may be specified on the command line.
131 Do not use a config file, even if one was specified on the command
134 -pg The argument is a string of the form <name>=<value>. This option
135 will set the Polyglot option <name> to <value>.
138 The argument is a string of the form <name>=<value>. This option
139 will set the engine option <name> to <value>.
141 -ec This is an alias for -pg "EngineCommand=<value>"
143 -ed This is an alias for -pg "EngineDir=<value>"
145 -en This is an alias for -pg "EngineName=<value>"
147 -log (default: false)
148 This is an alias for -pg "Log=<value>"
150 -lf (default: "polyglot.log")
151 This is an alias for -pg "LogFile=<value>".
153 -wb (default: "true")
154 This is an alias for -pg "OnlyWbOptions=<value>".
159 PolyGlot supports the following options
161 -pgn (default: "book.pgn")
162 Input file in pgn format.
164 -bin (default: "book.bin")
165 Output file in PolyGlot format.
167 -max-ply (default: 1024)
168 Specifies the maximum ply-depth of lines included in the book.
170 -min-game (default: 3)
171 Specifies the minimum number of games that have to contain this
172 move for it to be included in the book.
174 -min-score (default: 0.0)
175 Specifies the minimum score (or weight) this move should have
176 received for it to be included in the book. The score is
177 2*(wins)+(draws), globally scaled to fit into 16 bits.
180 Include only moves for white in the book.
183 Include only moves for black in the book.
186 Set all weights to 1. In other words, all moves will be selected
187 with equal probability.
192 PolyGlot supports the following options
195 First input file (in PolyGlot book format).
198 Second input file (in PolyGlot book format).
200 -out (default: out.bin)
201 Output file (in PolyGlot book format).
203 Input files are not symmetrical, "in1" has priority over "in2". In
204 other words when a position occurs both in "in1" and "in2" only the
205 moves and weights from "in1" will be retained in "out".
210 PolyGlot supports the following options
212 -bin (default: book.bin)
213 Input file in PolyGlot book format.
216 The color for whom to generate the lines.
218 -out (default: book_<color>.txt)
219 The name of the output file.
224 PolyGlot supports the following options
226 -bin (default: book.bin)
227 Input file in PolyGlot book format.
230 Attempt to count the provably unreachable positions among the
231 isolated ones. Note that this takes a very long time.
236 (possibly with a config file as first argument) PolyGlot supports
237 besides the generic options described above the following additional
240 -max-depth (default: 63)
241 Unconditionally stop the search when this depth has been reached.
243 -max-time (default: 5.0)
244 Unconditionally stop the seach after this amount of time.
246 -depth-delta (default: 3)
247 Stop the search if the solution as been found and the best move has
248 been constant for this many depths, on condition that the mininal
249 depth and minimal time have been reached.
251 -min-depth (default: 8)
252 Minimal search depth when the search is stopped using
255 -min-time (default: 1.0)
256 Minimal search time when the search is stopped using
262 PolyGlot supports the following options
264 -fen (default: starting position)
265 Fen at which to start searching.
267 -max-depth (default: 1)
268 Maximum depth to search.
271 There should be a different config file for each engine.
273 The config file is in the traditional INI format.
282 The characters "#" and ";" serve as comment characters.
284 Initial and final white space is stripped from option names and values.
285 If you need to use characters which have a special meaning to PolyGlot
286 (these are ';#[]=\') you should quote them by preceding them with '\'.
287 "Quoting" other characters in this way has no effect. In particular the
288 use of '\' as a path separator in windows should normally not affected.
291 This section is used by PolyGlot only. The engine is unaware of these
292 options. The list of available options is detailed below.
294 EngineName (default: UCI name)
295 This is the name that will appear in the GUI. It is cosmetic only.
296 You can use different names for tweaked versions of the same
299 EngineDir (default: ".")
300 Full path of the directory where the engine is installed. You can
301 use "." (without the quotes) if you know that PolyGlot will be
302 launched in the engine directory or the engine is in the "path" and
303 does not need any data file.
306 Put here the name of the engine executable file. You can also add
307 command-line arguments. Path searching is used and the current
308 directory will be "EngineDir". On Linux the EngineCommand is passed
309 to wordexp so that shell quoting rules and expansions are applied.
310 On Windows the EngineCommand is simply passed to CreateProcess
311 which does its own shell like processing.
313 SettingsDir (default: $HOME/.polyglot on Linux; ".\_PG" on Windows)
314 The directory where ini files are stored for engines that are
315 started with -noini. Such ini files may be created by pushing the
316 "Save" button in the Engine settings dialog in WB/XB 4.4.0 and
317 higher. As a special exception (for WB/XB 4.4.0 compatibility) this
318 directory is also used in case PolyGlot is started with config
319 files named "polyglot_1st.ini" or "polyglot_2nd.ini".
322 Whether PolyGlot should log all transactions with the interface and
323 the engine. This should be necessary only to locate problems.
325 LogFile (default: polyglot.log)
326 The name of the log file. Note that it is put where PolyGlot was
327 launched from, not into the engine directory.
329 WARNING: Log files are not cleared between sessions, and can become
330 very large. It is safe to remove them though.
332 Resign (default: false)
333 Set this to "true" if you want PolyGlot to resign on behalf of the
336 NOTE: Some engines display buggy scores from time to time although
337 the best move is correct. Use this option only if you know what
338 you are doing (e.g. you always check the final position of games).
340 ResignMoves (default: 3)
341 Number of consecutive moves with "resign" score (see below) before
342 PolyGlot resigns for the engine. Positions with only one legal
345 ResignScore (default: 600)
346 This is the score in centipawns that will trigger resign
349 QueenNeverResigns (default: true)
350 Suppresses resigning irrespective of the score, as long as the
351 engine still has a Queen (hoping for a perpetual).
353 HandleDraws (default: false)
354 When set Polyglot can accept draw offers on behalf of the engine,
355 when the last reported engine score is below Polyglot's contempt.
357 ContemptScore (default: 30)
358 This is the score in centipawns that the engine must minimally see
359 in its own disadvantage before Polyglot will accept a draw offer.
361 ShowPonder (default: true)
362 Show search information during engine pondering. Turning this off
363 might be better for interactive use in some interfaces.
365 ShowTbHits (default: false)
366 Reports extra info on selective depth, search speed (knps) and
367 tablebase hits at the beginning of the PV field in the thinking
368 output of WinBoard protocol, just before the real PV.
370 ScoreWhite (default: true)
371 Report score from white's point of view in xboard mode. (Wrecks
374 KibitzMove (default: false)
375 Whether to kibitz when playing a move.
377 KibitzPV (default: false)
378 Whether to kibitz when the PV is changed (new iteration or new best
381 KibitzCommand (default: "tellall")
382 xboard command to use for kibitzing, normally "tellall" for
383 kibitzing or "tellothers" for whispering.
385 KibitzDelay (default: 5)
386 How many seconds to wait before starting kibitzing. This has an
387 effect only if "KibitzPV" is selected, move kibitzes are always
388 sent regardless of the delay.
390 KibitzInterval (default: 0)
391 This is another form of throttling. PolyGlot will usually wait this
392 many seconds before doing the next kibitz.
395 If true PolyGlot will not understand xboard commands.
397 MateScore (default: 0)
398 Mate score reported to GUI when in xboard mode. When set to 0 it
399 uses the new CECP convention of reporting 100000 + N for mate in N
400 moves, and -(100000 + N) for mated in N.
402 Book (default: false)
403 Indicates whether a PolyGlot book should be used. This has no
404 effect on the engine own book (which can be controlled with the UCI
405 option "OwnBook" in the [Engine] section). In particular, it is
406 possible to use both a PolyGlot book and an engine book. In that
407 case, the engine book will be used whenever PolyGlot is out of
408 book. Remember that PolyGlot is unaware of whether the engine is
409 itself using a book or not.
411 BookFile (default: book.bin)
412 The name of the (binary) book file. Note that PolyGlot will look
413 for it in the directory it was launched from, not in the engine
414 directory. Of course, full path can be used in which case the
415 current directory does not matter.
417 BookRandom (default: true)
418 Select moves according to their weights in the book. If false the
419 move with the highest weight is selected.
421 BookLearn (default: false)
422 Switches on updating of the 'learn fields' of the opening book,
423 which for each move record the number of times the move was played,
424 and the number of half-points scored with it. It also switches on
425 making use of this information already in the book, for altering
426 the move-selection probabilities from those specified by the book
427 weights. (Rarely played moves will be favored, moves with a
428 significant poor performance will be shunned.) This option must be
429 set before the book is specified, or the updating of the learn info
432 BookDepth (default: 256)
433 Stop using the book after this number of moves.
435 BookTreshold (default: 5)
436 Do not play moves with a weight (probability) lower than this (in
439 UseNice (default: false)
440 Run the engine at nice level 5, or "NiceValue" if it set. On some
441 operating systems it may be necessary to run the engine at lower
442 priority for it to be responsive to commands from PolyGlot while
445 NiceValue (default: 5)
446 Nice levels go from -20 to 20 with 20 being the lowest priority.
447 On Unix only root can set negative nice levels. On Windows the
448 standard Win32 priority levels are mapped in a sensible way to Unix
451 Affinity (default: -1)
452 This a bit vector in which each bit represents the processors that
453 a process is allowed to run on. This option works only on Windows.
455 STFudge (default: 20)
456 PolyGlot will translate "st x" as "go movetime 1000*x-STFudge".
457 The rationale is that in the UCI specification the argument of
458 movetime is defined as the exact search time whereas the argument
459 of the st command is only an upperbound.
461 OnlyWbOptions (default: true)
462 If true then PolyGlot restricts the options it sends to those that
463 are potentially useful for WinBoard.
466 Work arounds are identical to options except that they should be used
467 only when necessary. Their purpose is to try to hide problems with
468 various software (not just engines).
470 IMPORTANT: Any of these work arounds might be removed in future
471 versions of PolyGlot. You are strongly recommended to contact the
472 author of faulty software and truly fix the problem.
474 PolyGlot supports the following work arounds:
476 UCIVersion (default: 2)
477 The default value of 2 corresponds to UCI+. Use 1 to select plain
478 UCI for engines that have problems with UCI+.
480 CanPonder (default: false)
481 PolyGlot now conforms to the documented UCI behaviour: the engine
482 will be allowed to ponder only if it (the engine) declares the
483 "Ponder" UCI option. However some engines which can actually
484 ponder do not declare the option. This work around lets PolyGlot
485 know that they can ponder.
487 SyncStop (default: false)
488 When a ponder miss occurs, Polyglot interrupts the engine and
489 IMMEDIATELY launches a new search. While there should be no
490 problem with this, some engines seem confused and corrupt their
491 search board. "SyncStop" forces PolyGlot to wait for the (now
492 useless) ponder search to finish before launching the new search.
494 PromoteWorkAround (default: false)
495 Some engines do not specify a promotion piece, e.g. they send
496 "e7e8" instead of the correct "e7e8q". This work around enables
497 the incorrect form (and of course promotes into a queen).
499 RepeatPV (default: true)
500 When true, PolyGlot repeats the last pv string (which also contains
501 score,depth and time usage) it got from the engine. Some engines
502 however do not send a new pv string just before sending the move.
503 In that case the output of PolyGlot would be inconsistent. When
504 RepeatPV is false PolyGlot does not repeat the last pv string. Due
505 to the way kibitzing is implemented, KibitzMove is disabled in that
509 This section contains engine UCI options. PolyGlot does not understand
510 them, but sends the information to the engine at startup (converted to
511 UCI form). You can add any UCI option that makes sense to the engine
512 (not just the common options about hash-table size and tablebases).
514 NOTE: use INI syntax, not UCI. For example "OwnBook = true" is
515 correct. It will be replaced by PolyGlot with "setoption name OwnBook
516 value true" at engine startup.
518 Standard UCI options are
528 Hidden options like "Ponder" or "UCI_xxx" are automatic and should not
529 be put in an INI file.
531 The other options are engine-specific. Check their name using a UCI
532 GUI or launch the engine in a console and type "uci".
535 Running the UCI engine "fruit" under xboard 4.3.15 and later (this
536 invokes PolyGlot internally).
538 xboard -fcp fruit -fUCI
540 An explicit command line for using the UCI engine "fruit" with logging
541 enabled (this works also with older versions of xboard).
543 xboard -fcp "polyglot -noini -log true -ec fruit"
545 The equivalent config file would be:
548 EngineCommand = fruit
552 Compile "games.pgn" into a book "book.bin" retaining all lines of at
555 polyglot make-book -pgn games.pgn -bin book.bin -max-ply 30
557 Merge books "w1.bin" and "w2.bin" into a book "w.bin".
559 polyglot merge-book -in1 w1.bin -in2 w2.bin -out w.bin
561 Inspect lines for white in "w.bin"
563 polyglot dump-book -bin w.bin -color white -out w_white.txt
565 Test epd file "test.epd" with a (maximum) search time of 7 minutes per
568 polyglot epd-test -epd test.epd -max-time 420
571 PolyGlot always returns 0 on exit.
574 Main author: Fabien Letouzey<fabien_letouzey(at)hotmail.com>
576 Native Windows port: Huang Chen<webmaster@elephantbase.net> ("Morning
579 Various enhancements: Fonzy Bleumers<match(at)geenvis.net>
581 UCI port and implementation of new WB protocol: Michel Van den Bergh
582 <michel.vandenbergh(at)uhasselt.be>
589 2015-10-20 POLYGLOT(6)