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KingsRow Italian 10-piece WLD and MTC Database Installation

Description

This page contains instructions for installing the KingsRow Italian win/loss/draw (WLD) and moves-to-conversion (MTC) endgame database files. The WLD db has data for positions with 2 pieces through 9 pieces with up to 5 pieces on one side, and for 5x5 10-piece positions with one or fewer kings on a side. The MTC db has data for positions with moves-to-conversion values that are at least 10 plies. The MTC db only has positions with 2 pieces through 9 pieces, since the 10-piece subset with one or fewer kings on a side does not contain any positions with large MTC values.

System Requirements

Operating System: Windows XP or Windows 2000.
Disk space: 75GB.
RAM: 1.5GB or more recommended. These databases can be used with somewhat reduced performance with 1GB of RAM.

WLD db Installation

Insert the DVD labeled "WLD - 1" into the drive.
Run the program "wld_setup.exe" which is on the DVD.
Follow the prompts as the setup program runs. Setup will default to installing the db in the folder "c:\kr_ital_wld". If you are installing to a different disk drive then change the "c:" to the disk that you want to use.
Insert the additional DVDs when prompted.

MTC db Installation

Insert the DVD labeled "MTC - 1" into the drive.
Run the program "mtc_setup.exe" which is on the DVD.
Follow the prompts as the setup program runs. Setup will default to installing the db in the folder "c:\kr_ital_mtc". If you are installing to a different disk drive then change the "c:" to the disk that you want to use.
When prompted to "insert disk 2", insert the disk labeled "MTC - 2". This disk is also labeled "WLD - 8".

Configuring KingsRow to use the endgame databases

Set your windows Virtual Memory to at least 2048MB.
- Window 2000: go to Control Panel, System, Advanced, Performance Options, and click the Change button for Virtual Memory.
- Window XP: go to Control Panel, System, Advanced, Performance Settings, Advanced,, and click the Change button for Virtual Memory.
- If the Initial Size and the Maximum Size are less than 2048, then change them to 2048.
Run CheckerBoard.
Go to the menu Engine, Select, select kr_italian.dll as the primary engine.
Go to the menu Engine, Options:
- In the "Database Directory" box, type c:\kr_ital_wld. If you installed the database on a different disk drive then enter that drive instead of c:
- In the "Hashtable" box select 32
- In the "Endgame DB" box
  - If your PC has 1GB RAM, select 768
  - If your PC has 1.5GB RAM, select 1280
  - If your PC has 2GB RAM, select 1664
  - If your PC has more than 2GB RAM, you may be able to use more Endgame DB memory and get even better performance with KingsRow. In order to do this, you need to be running Windows XP Pro (not the Home version), and you need to put the "/3GB" switch in your windows boot.ini file. Do a Google search for "/3GB switch" to learn more about this. You also need to increase your windows Virtual Memory to 3000 or 4000 if you going to use more than 2000 for your Endgame DB setting. If your PC has 3GB RAM you can set your Endgame DB memory to 2688.
- Click OK to exit from Engine Options.
  Notes:
  - You may need to use a smaller "Endgame DB" setting than shown above, depending on how your PC is configured.
  - If you change the Hashtable setting, you should also change the Endgame DB setting so that the sum of both settings does not increase.
  - If you change either your Hashtable or Endgame DB setting after the first search, you should exit CheckerBoard and start it up again before continuing.
Use the menu Engine, Command to bring up the engine command message box. Enter the following text into the box:
set mtcpath c:\kr_ital_mtc
If you installed the MTC database on a different disk drive then enter that drive instead of c:
Start a search by clicking the ! (play) icon. Wait for about one minute while KingsRow initializes the databases. Watch the messages on the status line at the bottom of the CheckerBoard window. It will display something like "Wait for db init; KingsRowItalian db, 10 pieces, ...".
- If after a minute or so you get the message "Cannot open endgame db driver. See kr_italian.log for details", then your Endgame DB setting is too high. Go back to the Engine, Options menu and reduce your Endgame DB setting to the next smaller number. Click OK to exit from Engine Options, and now exit CheckerBoard completely. Run CheckerBoard again and start another search with this smaller Endgame DB setting.
- If you have trouble, look for messages in the file kr_italian.log which is in the CheckerBoard\Engines folder. This is a text file which can be viewed with Notepad.
- After the first search, you can check in the menu Engine, About. It should say something like "Using the KingsRow Italian 10-piece database...", and also "Using the mtc database". If instead it says "Not using an endgame database" then you have not configured it correctly.