Opening book by Harry Schnapp - Arena Main book

Latest update: MD 2006-03-23 (08:40 MEZ)

[ Chapter 1 ] = Hints for optimal use

[ Chapter 2 ] = Supplementary Notes
[ Chapter 3 ] = The formation of my work
[ Chapter 4 ] = Copyright!
[ Chapter 5 ] = Download!
Chapter #1
Hints for optimal use: You can find more interesting hints in the Arena help on Arena book options!
"My recommendations in the Book menu".
1. Use Arenas mainbook:
a. Activate.
2. Use transpositions:
a. Activate.
3. Minimal conditions to play the move:
a. Not Activated (Numbers remain on "0").
b. It is also possible to have these values set to "1"
4. Probability set by:
a. Priority: Cursor can be arbitrarily set from - to +!
5. Options of Priorities:
a. Game Notation window (to the right of the chessboard), click on the Book tab.
b. You will see the moves in the book and other detailed information. Now right click in this window. You
can fix priorities. The values 0-9 regulate how often the move should actually be played.
6. Number of games:
a. How important is the number of games in the playout preferences for you?
b. CURSOR should be of MAXIMUM, Hint by Harry: June, 19th, 2004.
7. Win percentage:
a. If the cursor is at the left, this option is deactivated.
b. You can put in whether the win percentage affects the probability of move.
c. CURSOR should be of minimum, Hint by Harry: June 19th, 2004.
8. Use book up to halfmove:
a. If you dont wish for long variations a "Limit" can be set here.
b. If ALL Playout functions are switched off, lesser known variations are played also.

Chapter #2
Supplementary Notes:
For Engine-Engine duels, the same book should be used for both engines, provided no book or a considerably
weaker book is provided with the engine. As an alternative, both engines could play with two different Arena books. An
engine with a very extensive book should play the opening with the own library. In this case you can switch the Arena
mainbook on at the fullest depth.

If two extensive books alternating one on top of the other meet, there will be either longer variations or shorter
variations on a random basis. After only 4-5 ply, of course, a book will drive the other book until the first calculated
engine move. Chess remains a game of infinite possibilities. The material balance remains and is independent from the
length of the played out openings.
Maximum material difference is in rare cases a "half" pawn more. When ALL Playout functions are turned off,
including GAME NUMBERS and PRIORITY, then the book plays randomly less known variations. In this case, a
mixture between classic, standard and very rarely played openings occurs. also in this case, the positions reached
remain even.
RECOMMENDABLE, ONLY IF BOTH ENGINES PLAY WITH THE SAME BOOK:
The length of openings are very different, mostly between 12 and 48 ply. In addition, there are a small number
of very short and very long variants (under 12 and/or over 48 ply). If an opening is not to be used, you can switch it off.
Example: Kings Gambit:
After the moves 1. e4 e5 you can in the opening book table (Game Notation window, tab "Book") mark the
white move "f4" with priority "0". Thus white 2. f4 is not played and accordingly black will not need to react to the Kings
Gambit.

Chapter #3 - The formation of my work

The first time I saw Arena 1.01, with the opening book functions by Martin Blume and shortly afterwards the
good PGN Random Database from Olivier Deville, I had In the Arena Support Forum directed an appeal to Olivier for
an *.abk Book (Arena's Book format) to be produced.
When no satisfactory answer came, I thought to myself...
"Well then, Ill give it a go. I have ample first class material, chess-theory knowledge also. However, the book
should be produced for approximately 150 Engines, so that no disadvantages originate for the Engines develop. It
should not matter, whether the opening book of the Engine Shredder, The King, Belzebub or ColChess is used."
It was completely clear me that without an appropriate compromise this venture could not be managed. But
how should the compromise be made?
I got the idea by chance, as I observed a game between Shredder 7.04 and Aristarch 4.37. Shredder chose a
simple and known gambit opening from its gigantic book with the sacrifice on the fifth move. Aristarch, known as a
tough defender, kept the material until into the endgame where Shredder recovered it with difficulty. Immediately the
notion came to me that top programs often have problems playing out the opening with a material deficit. Therefore I
have shortened most gambit variations up to the key move and have left the engine the decision, as to whether it
sacrifices or not. Arithmetically it is practically impossible, so that the sacrifice is not made in 98% of the cases!. Maybe
Fritz would now and then have had something to complain about, but that doesn't play under Arena anyway and doesn't
need my book. Consequently, I began my work, with the attempt, to make a small book for engines between 1,700 and
2,700 ELO, from PGN Data, which I had been in the habit of filtering for "very clean variations".
I have been involved in this craziness, day by day, on average 9-10 hours, with very good material, companion
literature from around the world and valuable unpublished collections of known authors, of which one is unfortunately
no longer alive.
Without help of my two sons, my spouse and even my sister who translated some fantastic Russian chess
literature, it would not have been possible to manage to create so extensive a book in "only 6 1/2 months"! I am 70
years old, and at this ripe age I think not necessarily always about money. Thanks to God, I am looked after in my old
age well and my effort is exclusively for the Arena Project.
If my work recognized and is respected so much the better!

Chapter #4 - Copyright!
For this opening book and of course also other data on the Arena website our Copyright conditions are valid.
Another publication / distribution of the opening book of Harry Schnapp is not allowed without authorisation of the
authors.

Chapter #5 - Download!

WinRAR can be found under: http://www.rarlab.com/ - For the bigger files we used WinRAR . Arena Little
Mainbook: 270.524 moves, depth = 25 plays! Little Mainbook v. 1.0 (1.03 MB, RAR format). If two different engines will
use this book in engine tournaments the book is very efficient. The variants will be no longer than 16 - 25 half moves.
Added in Arena Setup 2! - Please read News-Ticker Message 18, 51, 87. Arena Mainbook: 176.295 variations,
2.104.400 moves, depth = 68 plys! Mainbook v. 7.03 (6,38 MB, RAR format)
Update History:
Version 3.0: Increased by 18.734 variations and 318.269 moves (version 3.0 is not longer available).
Version 4.0: Increased by 11.994 variations and 223.456 moves (version 4.0 is not longer available).
Version 4.5: Increased by 01.003 variations and 018.238 moves (version 4.5 is not longer available).
Version 5.0: Increased by 14.279 variations and 227.714 moves (version 5.0 is not longer available).
Version 6.0: Increased by 08.242 variations and 173.685 moves (version 6.0 is not longer available).
Version 7.0: Increased by 04.594 variations and 062.559 moves (version 7.0 is not longer available).
Version 7.01: Increased by 01.290 variations and 020.657 moves (version 7.01 is not longer available).
Version 7.02: Increased by 01.692 variations and 023.271 moves (version 7.02 is not longer available).
Version 7.03: Increased by 01.629 variations and 043.577 moves.
Harry Schnapp comments on the new versions of his books:
Version 4.0: an allround book that can be used freely with all engines, offering simple run-of-the-mill positions
without limitations.
Version 4.5: this is an update with additional 1,003 variants containing 18.238 moves, very suitable for
stronger engines that can use the new lines without any limitations. For the middle class and weaker programs a
limitation of 40 ply should be set on very long variations so as to avoid strategically sensitive terminal positions.
Version 5.0: no PGN files out of game collections were used, but analyzed openings from the related
theoretical sources, and as always, I created only the target lines and did not draw upon the actual games. Further
information can be found in the news-ticker report 87!
Version 6.0: 8,242 new lines are a mixture of modern and classical openings. I simplified some continuations,
as I think that that the ensuing positions could be strategically difficult for NON TOP Engines. Dangerous gambit lines
are still not not played, only ready to counter-act against. In contrast to the version 5.0 I offer a number of longer
variations so as to upset the evenly distributed short, medium and long sequences. If both engines use Mainbook 6.0,
a limit of 24-32 ply is recommended in order to avoid direct transitions to the endgame.
Version 7.0:The main purpose of this new Mainbook version was not to enlarge the contents but to change
and improve alredy existing lines. Opening books that are too large are better qualified to train humans in chess
openings than for games between engines. Therefore I want to avoid that the Mainbook increases too much. As the
Mainbook is a general opening book that can be used by all engines running under Arena I have to take care for the
neutrality of the generated positions. They should not favour a special playing style. For example lines are avoided that
lead to positions with sacrificed material for a strong attack or lines that lead to closed positions with pawn chains
where a breakthrough is very difficult. Lines of the first kind favour tactical engines, lines of the second kind improve the
chances of weaker engines not to lose against top engines. As in previous Mainbook versions the length of the opening
lines varies in dependence upon their complexity. The positions generated by the book should be suited for top engines
as well as for weaker ones. I already intended this hitherto but this time I sharpened the criteria to achieve this goal. If a
book generates only simple positions that allow only simple continuations the result is a standardization that handicaps
the better engines. Therefore the generated positions should allow not only simple continuations but also strategic deep
ones.
Version 7.01:Most of these lines are suited for games against engines using other books,as a weapon against
openings that are not played by the Mainbook. Several long move sequences were shortened and improved. This
version is exclusively available at the Arena home page.
Version 7.02: Version 7.02 contains older classical, modern or seldom played openings.
Version 7.03: Some lines are extremly long and are especially adequate for middlegame traning.
Note: On the basis of this huge work by Harry Schnapp, we dedicate a separate area on the website to this book. You
can find more Arena opening books by our Gladiators in User Files, engines section.
Written by: Harry Schnapp (Germany); Published by Frank Quisinsky (Germany); Translated by Christopher Conkie
(Scotland).