Chess-gambiteer Files

README-Chess-gambiteer4.4 (Danasah , Ufim Rodin, Patricia 5 and optional other xboard engines) Aug 2025

updates Aug 2025
------------------
added option (bat file) to play at clubplayer level) against Patricia 5 (with big gambit book!)
at Elo level (set in polyglot.ini of approx 1400   (you can set it to your own level)

See instructions for use further down


updates 27 July :
- new improved gambits.bin (gambit) polyglot book
- 
(update for sourceforge)
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A program package for: 

- training as human chess player against gambit play (or sometimes unconventional openings) by the computer, 
with  a chess engine (Danasah8.3 (*) ) for which you can set the level (in danahcfg.txt; currently set to 
1460, but can go as high as eg. 2800; look also then at the player level options in the same file);  the book 
is similar as with the chessgamb1 files, the  book  is made in such a way that 1) real lousy gambits are  not  
played, and 2) the book is choosing a gambit line as often as possible, so for Black it might go for e.g. a 
Benko  gambit or so  and  if you let it play with White, a lot of e4 gambits can be  played.  

NB the accuracy of the small.bin book which is used when playing against the engine is not high, if you 
play well it sometimes is possible to get a relatively large advantage after the opening (for such purpose 
it is  recommened to analyze your game after it's finished (save the game in pgn via the winboard menu).

- watching games played at master level or even GM level with the 'gambits' book can be done  in the subdirectory 
WATCH-Engine-gambitgames; the gambits.bin book used in the GM vs FM situation  is more solid, 
and has been tuned with some testgames on playchess.com (and some analysis eg. with the Obsisidan engine 
giving imo some more realistic evals, rather than the frequentlyh occurring 0.0 SF scores (for correct openings
and similar watching Patricia 3 -with gambit book) playing games  agains GM resp FM level engines in 
another subdirectory (with slightly slowertime conrols)

- see other readme's for further instructions.

Instructions for use:
=====================
Simply start the chessgambiteer program with a Winboard  interface  by doubleclicking  the 'START-Chgamb-play.bat' file.  
Then start a game  with white by  playing a  move, or use the menu Mode-Machine-White (if you want to play with Black)
If you  try a gambit yourself, the program will  sometimes  try to play a  countergambit (or sometimes an unconventional  line). 

For  human In the winboard interface  you can  set time  options (default 5/3),  whereby 'rapid' play (somewhere 
in between 15 and 25 minutes)  is recommended if you seriously are trying to beat the engine (and it's book...). 
NB to let the program start with White, select Mode in the Winboard menu, and then Machine White.

For watching gambit games at higher levels of play (two engines), look at the subdirectory  Watch-Engine-gambitgames, 
there are two entries 1) master level (with gambit book) vs club level player, and 
2) Gm level; (with gambit book) vs master level player
Both at 3/1 time control. 

Now included when watching games at the IM (or GM) level are Danasah Nnue engines (*)  and  a bigger book (big.bin) 
at GM level to prevent that the engine is soon out of book.  The gambit gameswill  most  often result in 
entertaining -not boring- games, and can be very instructive to see how a higher level (D.nnue) with gambit
book is beating a lower ranking player (D-LS or Rodin) with a better attacking plan after the opening.

July: also added to other Watch-games routines, with Chenard and Dragon engines added; have a look
at the watchgames.bat files they speak for themselves i suggest.

My own involvement in this project is ending, so sending me comments, complaints, suggestions for  improvements and 
other  criticism will be useless.. (tip for serious improval: fork another  sourcecode system e.g. on sourceforge.net, or github, 
and  cooperate with others).  Only with respect to the (gambit)book-lines i might continue  to contribute, 
on the hand, maybe also not, in view of other projects; see also the todo.txt !!

See the polyglot subdirectory for smaller books, gambits.bin is default in the 
chess-gamb2.3 files, with use of the danasah.ls (ls for limit strength) engine.

General comment: (when playing as human) 
------------------------------------------
Less advanced players may initially have difficulty in playing a good game against this gambit-program; you'll probably see opening 
systems you never have seen before, and suddenly in the middlegame you'll discover you made a (usually tactical) mistake. 
Tip for improvement(s): register at www.chesstempo.com or www.lichess.org (puzzles from real games) and try to improve your tactical   
vision; after a while, although this may take years,  you *will* improve.  
Tip2: see the (kindle or printed book) about learning openings  for (beginners)/intermediate  players at the  weblink 
at amazon below,  Describing how to develop a suitable  opening repertoire.  
Tip3 play against real human players, e.g. at chess.com, and 
improve other aspects of your chess, eg. the endgame.

About the free/opensource  Chess gambiteer (sub)package
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Made/updated by J.Kaan(**)  2017-2024, it is meant for chess training with  gambits, playerstrength approx.  1100-2500 Elo (!), 
thus depending on settings  suitable both for beginners, or intermediate players or even  more advanced players  
(good luck refuting the gambits :) . Depending on Elo settings, you be able to get  at least -often- a draw, 
or win, unless overseeing a tactical   possibility; which may occur frequently with the gambit books(s)... :)
With the carefully selected gambits, watching the games between a stronger player with a gambit book
and a weaker player can be highly instructive;  but also... : Have fun !:)

If you like the package,  donations are wellcom to continue this work  
https://coff.ee/jefk
Or a donation to Charity:
https://olanesti-md.info/en/ngo-en/associatie-ok-sopport-2

(*) source of Danasah's engine :
https://sites.google.com/site/danasah/english/engine#h.p_ID_56
credits to Pedro Castro (original) and Dan Shawul (upgrade with limit strength)
You can find other Danash 88/90 versions eg SSE2, AVX2, etc at the site above.

(**) by J.E.F. Kaan , CCM (chess correspondence master)
www.superchess.bloogspot.com
https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Chess-Openings-intermediate-levels-ebook/dp/B00WKE1HJC
(Kindle edition at Amazon)

(***) Winboard 4.3.15 use, courtesy Harm Muller, 

NB in the directory files, i've given a list of opening names (Caxo) from the late FM Eric Schiller
For a huge list of gambits (and names!), there is the Gambit Encyclopedia by M.Saba which you can get here for 15 $
https://scacchiegambetti.blogspot.com/2011/06/encyclopeia-of-chess-gambits-symbolic.html