💡📝H. G. Muller wrote on Sun, Jun 21, 2020 05:56 PM UTC:
Checkmate on larger boards
I upgraded the checkmating applet: it is now capable of generating the 3-men EGT on boards of other sizes as well. I put two controls in the text where you can select the number of files and ranks. It works up to 16x16; on my computer it could then still generate the EGT in about 10 sec. (Although this might also depend on what piece you are calculating for.)
I also put in some check boxes for selecting some board types other than rectangular: Omega-Chess type with Wizard squares, a Gustavian board, or the board used for 4-player Chess on chess.com. These are implemented by patially filling a rectangular board with unmovable, uncapturable obstacles, so you would always have to specify the outermost dimensions of the board. (E.g. Omega Chess would be 12 x 12.)
I also added checkboxes for selecting two rule modifications: you can calculate the EGT under the rule that stalemate is a win. (Used f.e. in Wildebeest Chess, to make the KWK end-game a win.) I also added a winning condition that I consider of interest myself, namely that you win when you can force the opponent into a corner. This tells you in end-games that are general draws whether the problem is some special complication in delivering the final blow (such as with Wildebeest), or that your material is just to weak to confine the bare King. Playing with stalemate=win rules is no good measure for that, as this rule makes driving into a corner easier, because you can use the threat of stalemate to do it, even when the corner is still far away.
The page for checkmating individual pre-configured pieces has also been upgraded; it also contains controls for the board size (which by default is still 8x8). These can be preconfigured through the URL, with the CGI arguments ?files=F&ranks=R.
It all seems to work; I don't really have trusted data to compare with, for most of these features.
Checkmate on larger boards
I upgraded the checkmating applet: it is now capable of generating the 3-men EGT on boards of other sizes as well. I put two controls in the text where you can select the number of files and ranks. It works up to 16x16; on my computer it could then still generate the EGT in about 10 sec. (Although this might also depend on what piece you are calculating for.)
I also put in some check boxes for selecting some board types other than rectangular: Omega-Chess type with Wizard squares, a Gustavian board, or the board used for 4-player Chess on chess.com. These are implemented by patially filling a rectangular board with unmovable, uncapturable obstacles, so you would always have to specify the outermost dimensions of the board. (E.g. Omega Chess would be 12 x 12.)
I also added checkboxes for selecting two rule modifications: you can calculate the EGT under the rule that stalemate is a win. (Used f.e. in Wildebeest Chess, to make the KWK end-game a win.) I also added a winning condition that I consider of interest myself, namely that you win when you can force the opponent into a corner. This tells you in end-games that are general draws whether the problem is some special complication in delivering the final blow (such as with Wildebeest), or that your material is just to weak to confine the bare King. Playing with stalemate=win rules is no good measure for that, as this rule makes driving into a corner easier, because you can use the threat of stalemate to do it, even when the corner is still far away.
The page for checkmating individual pre-configured pieces has also been upgraded; it also contains controls for the board size (which by default is still 8x8). These can be preconfigured through the URL, with the CGI arguments ?files=F&ranks=R.
It all seems to work; I don't really have trusted data to compare with, for most of these features.