http://www.multiupload.com/MSUYVOOIHW

Official page:

http://www.cruxis.com/chess/houdini.htm

Download mirror:

http://www.speedyshare.com/files/25725991/Houdini_15.zip

What's new in Houdini 1.5

Improved Evaluation and Search

Positional evaluation and search algorithm have been improved to make this by far the strongest Houdini ever.

Single executable

Previous releases had different executables depending on the number of cores or the availability of SSE4.2 extensions. In Houdini 1.5 all the code has been integrated into a single executable for each platform (32/64-bit).

Gaviota End Game Table Base support

Houdini 1.5 integrates Gaviota end game table base support, see below for more details.

Configurable Contempt

The notion of "contempt" implies that Houdini will try to avoid draws during game play. The Contempt level can be chosen between 0 (none) and 2 (aggressive), the default value of 1 should be a good compromise in most situations.

The Analysis_Contempt option will activate the Contempt for position analysis, this is usually not recommended.

Large Page Support

There is no longer a separate UCI option for large memory pages. If large memory pages are available they will be used, see below for how to configure Windows to enable this feature.

Clear Hash button

A new Clear Hash button is available in the UCI interface.

This is my first post on Xanga.

Recently I read a book 'Bobby Fischer: His Approach to Chess' authored by Elie Agur. The content is quite attractive but some of the annotation is horrific.

An example on page 62 (Fischer - Sarapu, 1967),

[2r1k2r/pp1qbppp/4pn2/4Q1B1/3N4/8/PPP2PPP/2KR3R w - - 0 1]

The game continues with 14.f4

Here is one of demonstrated variations :

14. ... h6

15. Bh4 Bd6

16. Qe2 Bxf4+

17. Kb1 g5

(Here White can keep the initiative by 18.Rhf1, but the author omits this move. He demonstrate a blunder instead.)

18. Nb5(??) Qe7

(Black's best response is Qc6, planning to exchange the Queen on c4. If White plays Nxa7, then Qc4 Rd3 gxh4 Nxc8 (computer line is b3 Qxc2+!! Qxc2 Rxc2 Kxc2 Rg8 Black is fine) Qxc8 Rf1 Bg5. Black's position is strange but solid, a drawish ending will come soon.)

19. Nxa7 Rc5

(The Q-side is too weak for Black, White may play Bf2! Rd5 (Re5 Kf8 Nc8 Qe8 Bd4 White is winning.) Bd4 Black is paralyzed.)

20. Be1! Re5

(Why the author adds an exclamation mark on 20.Be1? It is probably a weak move. Black may have chance to survive by 20. ... Bb8 Nb5 Re5 Qc4 Qc5 White still stands better, but without any clear winning way. 20. ... Re5 is too compromising, as White will find Qc4 quite easily.)

21. Qc4 Qc5
(21. ... Qc5?? is a more compromising move, but it is impossible to suggest any playable move. Rc5 to prevent the check leads to Qa4+ Kf8 Bb4 or Rd5 leads to Bc3 and Black is strategically lost.)

22. Qa4+ b5

23. Nxb5!, etc.

(White wins in this compromising variation.)

Although it is hard to agree with all the annotations in this book, the author writes a very interesting book on playing style of the eternal legend - Bobby Fischer. I will try to flip through the whole book. And then I will turn to Israel Gelfer's 'Positional Chess Handbook'.