Tag: stockfish

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analyzethis android

Android 10 security and installing new Engine files

Google and Android are increasing the security with Android 10.0 and there are implications for our Android users who install external Chess engines from downloaded files.

Background

Earlier, one could download binary/executable files of Android chess engines. Analyze This app allowed installing these binary files and you could use these Chess engines in the app.

But Google/Android has now made this impossible with new security restrictions on Android. Basically Apps can no longer allow user to locate a binary/executable file and then make it run.

For the tech savvy:

https://developer.android.com/about/versions/10/behavior-changes-10

And starting November 2020, all Apps will be forced to target the new API 29 (i.e. Android 10), which means our new upcoming App update on Analyze This will no longer support installation of external chess engine files.

From Nov 2020, all app updates need to target API 29+ (Android 10)

BUT, this does not affect Chess engines which are bundled into separate apps and support the OEX (Open Exchange Chess protocol)

What should you do next?

If your favorite Chess engine is already bundled in another app, then thats the only way forward. Analyze This comes with the Stockfish 12 binary. Other engines like Leela/Komodo etc can be installed via their respective apps.

Or you can search the Android Play Store for chess engine apps (there are few out there). Once installed, fire up the Analyze This app – Manage Engines and the new engines should get installed.

Categories
analyzethis ios

Engine vs Engine & Threats on Analyze This iOS!

Analyze This v3.2 with improved ‘Engine vs Engine’ is now available on the Apple App store! Most of these features were already in our Android version since a while. So it was about time the iOS version also got them!

Whats New

  • Improved Engine vs Engine – The earlier update could only play one side at a time. Now its easier to ask the Engine to play both sides. Just select ‘Play this Side’ once. Then after the Engine makes its move, choose the option again. The Engine will then continue to play both sides till the game finishes!
  • Share game link – With the kind of changes iOS and Android platform makes, sometimes it becomes difficult to share a pgn or text with friends. Or a pgn on WhatsApp may look fine on Android but show some weird format on WhatsApp in iOS. We cannot control that, but we can surely try and improve the experience for our users. Not if you want to share a single game, just tap the Menu – Share – Game link. This will create a link to this game. And your friends can tap on the link and it will open right in their Analyze This app! A great way for Students to exchange their game with their coach. Ofcourse, we will improve this feature to make it easier to import and share a collection of games.
  • Show threat – Say you want to understand the threats in the current position or basically understand what would happen if you are not careful, the ‘Show threat’ feature comes in handy. Just tap the engine name and Show threat.
  • iPad layout issues – In this release we also fixed layout issues on the iPad, especially in the Position Setup and Share screen.
Categories
analyzethis android

Analyze games or play vs Leela Chess Engine in Analyze This app

UPDATE (Jun 2020): Its now even more easier to use Leela Chess in Analyze This app (pro). Read here.
—
Computer Chess has made a tremendous amount of progress in recent months. And especially, Leela Chess! Earlier, Leela Chess ala lc0 only worked on special hardware.

But recently, its been made to work on Android too! This is fantastic news for so many Android users, which means the Engine can run natively on the phone (without connecting to any cloud service to run the engine)

NOTE

  • This only works for Analyze This on Android. Not in the Analyze This iOS app.
  • Its still a work in progress and these are not official builds. Means there could be some problems that you may encounter
  • Thought lc0 did beat Stockfish earlier, but we cannot currently expect that kind of performance on our smartphones, since lc0 really is powerful when running on a GPU. For the most powerful analysis need, Stockfish would still be a better option for your phone. If you need variety or more human like moves, then go ahead and try lc0.
  • So lc0 will still be quite weak, but it can very well perform at a GM level, depending on your device.
  • The below download links have a built-in “weights file”. In the near future, via an app update, we will provide an option such that you can specify a different weights file for varied strength.
STEPS
To run lc0 engine in Analyze This app (both Free and Pro version):
 
DOWNLOAD OPTION A (Download on PC. Unzip. Copy to phone)
  1. Download the engine with built-in weights. Either this or this (if 32bit armv7 device) or this or this (64bit architecture). If not sure, you can very well download both the zips
  2. Unzip the file. Copy the content which is inside (lc0) onto your phone’s sdcard

DOWNLOAD OPTION B (Directly on phone)

  1. You can download the file directly on your phone. Link 1 (32bit armv7) or Link 2 (64bit)
STEPS IN ANALYZE THIS APP
  1. Now fire up your Analyze This app
  2. Tap Board Actions Menu  -> Manage Engines
  3. Tap INSTALL ENGINE option at the top
  4. Locate the lc0 engine file which you unzipped and copied in Option A OR the one that you downloaded in Option B.

Thats it! If the engine file is supported on your device, you now have Leela Chess working on your Analyze This app. You can analyze your games with a more human touch.

Or you can also play a few games using the Play This Side option!
HOW TO PLAY
Tap the name of the Engine and choose Play This Side. Engine will play the currently selected side, while you can make moves for the other side!
 
 
 
 
 
Categories
analyzethis

Minor update to Analyze This app – Stockfish 4.0 & less battery drain and heating!

I have just released v2.0.6 of Analyze This app, with some important improvements:

  • Stockfish 4.0 – The Stockfish engine has been upgraded to v 4.0! I have found this version to be definitely better. This is also good on your battery, since by default it uses only a single core.
  • Less battery drain and heating – Using iChess on a multi-core device would often cause the device to heat up when continuously solving puzzles. This update brings better battery usage and definitely lesser heating!
  • Bug/Crash fixes – Some important bugs and crashes have been fixed.

This is just a small release. More “feature” updates are in the pipleline!

Categories
analyzethis ichess

Minor updates to iChess and Analyze This, simultaneously!

Probably my first release where I pressed the ‘Submit’ button and published 4 (both iChess and Analyze This versions) apps at the same time!

iChess v3.1.6
* Illegal moves are not allowed
* Review mode has been enhanced. Now you can easily add moves, jump to any position and move back and forth.
* Bug fixes in alternate moves.
* Minor enhancements

Analyze This v2.0.3
* Improved stability when loading PGN
* Stockfish engine crash
* Minor engine output changes
* Other enhancements

Special thanks to Tadek, Che, Gilberto for their kind feedback (without adding a bad review)! 😉

Categories
analyzethis

Analyze This in Action [Video]

Here is a video of Analyze This app in action.

Categories
analyzethis

AnalyzeThis just got Stronger, Better & Prettier

Today’s AnalyzeThis update brings the most powerful open source engines, Stockfish 2.2 and Critter 1.6, at your finger tips!

What’s new in v1.2
☆ Critter & Stockfish just became even more stronger! Critter upgraded to 1.6 and Stockfish upgraded to 2.2.


☆ Start/Stop engines. Now you have the power to simply turn off one engine, while the other engine is digging deeper into the position. Lesser battery, better results!


☆ Increase/Decrease engine primary variations/lines. Wish to try some more variations from the engines? Just press + and the engine will provide you with additional primary variations.


☆ Edit board added. Now you can set pieces manually

☆ Copy game as PGN. Future versions will have direct PGN Load/Save support. Till then, you can manually Copy the game as PGN using this feature and paste in your favorite program.


☆ Takeback and move Forward buttons! Yes, yes I know. The existing method was not always intuitive and would also cause false touches. Now, you have dedicated buttons that get out of your way (hide themselves), so that you can just focus on the position!


☆ Other enhancements and stability fixes. Show/Hide board coordinates. See App Settings.

Categories
analyzethis android ichess

New ‘Analyze This’ app and updates to iChess & Chess Book Study

Today, I am happy to release my 3rd Chess app for Android devices, ‘Analyze This’.
Its a unique app which gives you the power of two Chess engines, simulataneously!

As soon as you fire the app, Stockfish and Critter, two well known strong open source engines, start chewing the position and provide instant analysis.
If you find an interesting position while reading a chess blog, just paste the FEN notation in ‘Analyze This’.

Note: It is NOT an app for playing against the mobile.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pereira.analysis

      ‘iChess for Android’ and ‘Chess Book Study’ apps have also been updated. These two apps now have engine support via Analyze This.

Just long press on the board and click Analyze This option. Stockfish and Critter will start providing you instant analysis.

iChess for Android finally has landscape mode support aaand a new app icon!