BagaturChess Files

Version 1.4d (31 August 2016)
  * Memory optimizations: increased memory usage percent, hence more entries into the transposition table (now on 40/40 time controls search goes deeper)
  * Fix for endgames without pawns
  * Fix for mate distance prunning
  * Updated readme files
  
Version 1.4c (15 June 2016)
  * 25+ ELO stronger (measured versus 1.4b with 150+ games - 1m+1s and 5m+5s time controls)
  * Memory optimizations: no java objects creation during search, hence less java garbage collection and more engine performance
  * Renamed *.exe files
  
Version 1.4b (31 May 2016)
  * 28+ ELO stronger (measured versus 1.4a)
  * Search optimizations: adjustments of the depth reduction amount used in late move reduction and null move reduction
  * Default memory increased from 256MB to 1024MB. Could be set in the corresponding *.ini files to *exe files (or bat files if you don't use *.exe starters)
  * Fixes in UCI communication with Arena UI (e.g. start-stop issues, MultiPV under Pondering issues)
  
Version 1.4a (24 May 2016)
  * Bugfix: removed bug when in some endgames engine just stop thinking
  * New UCI option Openning Mode - 'random' and 'most played first'
  * Changed logo
  * Simplified distribution structure
  
Version 1.4 (11 May 2016)
  * 35+ ELO stronger!
  * Added Windows 64 support for Gaviota Endgame Tablebases
  * Search optimizations: New depth reduction function used in late move reduction, extensions adjustments, more reliable static pruning, separate transposition table per CPU (preparation for the new parallel search)
  * Evaluation function: support for double bishops, good and bad bishops
  * Draw probability adjustment for endgames with different colored bishops
  * Updated *.exe files to support Java 7 and Java 8
  * Default memory increased from 128MB to 256MB. Could be set in the corresponding *.ini files to *exe files (or bat files if you don't use *.exe starters)
  * Improved memory management
  * Fixed Pondering
  
Version 1.3a (07 December 2012)
  * Endgame Tablebases support - Gaviota EGTB (currently, for win 32 only). Find more details in readme.txt.
  * New UCI option 'Logging Policy' is introduced - 'single file', 'multiple files' and 'none'
  * SMP version: fixed Operation System dependent issue, which causes the engine to use only one thread in some conditions
  
Version 1.3 (05 July 2012)
  * SMP version is finally enabled and now works as expected. Your feedback is welcome, especially if you run it on more than 2 physical CPUs.
  * Fixed new bug which appears in rare cases and cause the engine to exit with error
  
Version 1.2g (5 June 2012)
  * 50 ELO stronger! Improved search algorithm (e.g. better tuned null move pruning)
  * Improved SMP version although there is still room for improvement
  
Version 1.2f (26 May 2012)
  * SMP version is now stronger. It is working with the latest 'single core' searcher algorithm as a basis
  * Fixed bug which appears in rare cases and cause the engine to stop working
  
Version 1.2e (12 May 2012)
  * 40 ELO stronger: optimized search - improved move ordering and search parameters
  
Version 1.2d (9 December 2011)
  * 30 ELO stronger: optimized search - use the data from unsuccessful null move search in order not to reduce the strongest move of opponent
  * bugfix: "loss on time" introduced by version 1.2c
  
Version 1.2c (4 December 2011)
  * 30 ELO stronger: optimized search by making null move heuristic a bit more aggressive
  
Version 1.2b (3 November 2011)
  * bugfix: read and use the option set for threads count of SMP version
  
Version 1.2a (30 October 2011)
  * 50 ELO stronger than version 1.2. Achieved by tuning of search algorithm.
  * Min threads count of SMP version are set to 2. Reported by Olivier Deville during OpenWar 9th Edition test games
  * Default process priority is set to 'normal'
  * Technical: Refactoring of configuration API & Impl code
  
Version 1.2 (10 September 2011)
  * MultiPV search mode implemented! (a.k.a K-Best Moves search)
  * Improved time-control of 'sudden death' playing mode (reported by Lars Hallerstrom during ChessWar XVII)
  * Reduced adaptive extensions in non-pv nodes for better and faster search. Now in most cases the engine succeed to make one additional iteration for the same time.
  * Evaluation: Increased King Safety weight with 10%
  
Version 1.1.3 (27 August 2011)
  * Fixed "loss on time" issue during time-per-move mode. Reported by Olivier Deville during ChessWar XVII test games
  * Fixed "loss on time" issue in 40th move with tournament time controls like 40/X. Again catched and reported by Olivier Deville
  * Fixed issue in 64 bits EXE - again memory issue which appears in some rare cases 
  * Updated readme files (e.g. credits section)
  * UCI: Usage of Transposition table entries' scores in PV nodes is implemented as UCI option (default value is false)
  * Technical: Trust window of MTD search is now adaptive and vary between 0 and 32 centipawn depending on the stability of the best move (bigger stability when one and the same best move appears in more search iterations)
  * Technical: Transposition table's entries (their scores) in PV nodes are used only if the length of the best line is enough (with the expected depth)
  * Technical: Big source code refactoring in regards to the changes of the configuration concept
  
Version 1.1.2 (23 August 2011)
  * Hot-fix of memory issue. Engine hangs and throws OutOfMemory error after last memory tunings in version 1.1.1. Now it should work fine.
  * Decreased trust window of MTD Search from 8 to 0. Now each iteration needs a bit more researches but on the other hand more transposition table's entries has 'exact' type. 
  * Enable the usage of transposition table's entries (their scores) also in PV nodes
  * UCI: Fixed issue in 'setoption' UCI command. Sometimes Arena sends not only name-value pair but also additional information.
  * Changed own opening book. The new one is based on Hitman 5.2.
  
Version 1.1.1 (17 August 2011)
  * Added EXE files for 32 and 64 bits Windows platforms. Now the usage is easy and the engine could be used in different UIs (then Arena) like Fritz and Polyglot.
  * Default memory decreased from 256MB to 128MB. Could be set in the corresponding *.ini files to *exe files (or bat files if you don't use *.exe starters)
  * More efficient cache usage - Transposition Table 40% of the free memory, Eval Cache - 40% of the free memory, Pawns Eval Cache - 20 % of the free memory.
  * Directory structure of the distribution (zip file) is changed again.
  * Fixed 'slow search' problem. It appears sometimes with given combination of hardware/windows/java and is related with the limited speed of I/O operations with the file system and process streams.
  * UCI: uci options for evaluation function are implemented. Now the weights could be set from GUI. The following evaluation's components are included: King Safety, Mobility, Safe Mobility, Cental Space, Piece-Square, Pawns Structure, Passed Pawns.
  * UCI: Send search information more often to UCI GUI (not only with the best line / principal variation)
  * UCI: Go search with count of 'nodes' implemented
  * UCI: Move immediately if mate is found in 3 sequential search depths
  
Version 1.1.0 (2 August 2011)
  * Pondering mode implemented! Mate distance pruning disabled during Pondering.
  * Added to-do list in the distribution. Feel free to contribute. :-)
  * Bagatur's LOGO changed. Many thanks to Dusan Stamenkovic, http://www.chessmosaic.com/
  * Improved time management: work well in tournament mode (with given moves to the next control a.k.a. 'movestogo' property of 'go' UCI command)
  * Fixed bug reported during ChessWar XVII: Use 'long algebraic notation' instead of SAN in order to be UCI compatible
  * Fixed bug reported during ChessWar XVII: Parallel search is now optional. Two separate *.bat files are created for running Bagatur on either signle-core or multi-core.
  * Disable usage of opening book and single reply optimization during analyze mode
  * Improved read-me file: Fixed typos. Added 'Clarifications' section. Added 'Credits' section. 
  * Changed directory structure of the distribution. Added 'bin' and 'dat' folders.
  
Version 1.0.1 (22 July 2011)
  * Fixed bug reported during ChessWar XVII: "Loss on time" in games with fixed time (without time's increment per move)
  * Reduced debug information in the engine's log file
  
Version 1.0.0 (27 Feb 2011)
  * Initial code base