Rebel 10 FAQ

- 1. General -

Index

1. General

2. Problems in Running Rebel

3. Using Rebel

4. Rebel Opening Books

5. Rebel Database

6. EOC

Mail Me


1. General

1.1. Introduction

The basic material for this FAQ are the most asked questions (and answers) of the Rebel users to the Rebel team and the Rebel related discussions at the RebelBoard, in the Computer-Chess Club and the rec.games.chess.computer newsgroup.

To solve any questions/problems in using Rebel 10.0, follow the following lookup strategy:

  1. Read the manual (see the Rebel menu START).
    You can also drag a selected menu item with the mouse button to the question mark box (upper left corner of the screen), to get a context help for this menu item.
  2. Read the README file (see the Rebel menu START)
  3. Read this FAQ
  4. Look at the Rebel home page for further information. Especially useful are the "Tip of the Week" sections, devided in a Expert and a Novice section
  5. Visit the RebelBoard. This is a forum to ask your questions and lookup other questions and answers to this questions.
  6. Mail me or Schröder BV for further help

1.2. Schröder BV

Rebel 10.0 is a product of Schröder BV (headed by Ed Schröder)

    Schröder BV
    Software Development
    Postbus 6365 7401 JJ
    Deventer, The Netherlands
    Email: info@rebel.nl
    WWW:   http://www.rebel.nl/
and available since October 1998.

1.3. Actual Version: Rebel 10.0c

The actual Rebel version is Rebel 10.0c. Introduced in this version are some engine changes, to optimize Rebel for computer-computer play. This version can be downloaded by registered Rebel 10 users from the Rebel 10 internet subscription area.

New features introduced with Rebel 10.0c:

  • New option "System Tiger"
    The first fruit of the Rebel-Tiger approach. This engine feature will make Rebel 10 2.5 times faster in ply-depth. The feature is available from the new pull down item "System Tiger".
  • Improved hash table algorithm.
    This new algorithm will work out positively especially in the end-game.
  • Improved tactics introducing new extensions.
  • The feature COMBINATION is drastically changed.
    When set to ON "combination" is valid for the "whole game" now.

Because Rebel 10.0c is a changed engine only version, Rebel 10.0b is still available at the Rebel 10 internet subscription area.

New features introduced with Rebel 10.0b:

  • Added support for the Saitek Kasparov external chess board.
  • Added support for the Mephisto external chess board.
  • Added an automatic game annotator while playing your games.
  • Added STRONGEST SETTINGS option.
    This will automatically set REBEL10 on its strongest settings for maximum playing strength.
  • Added SAVE ENGINE SETTINGS.
    On request REBEL10 will save all settings of the engine.
  • Better (more precise) ELO calculation during program launch for rated games.
  • Added (command line) parameter "S" to bypass the --press a key-- message during program launch.

How to install the update

  • Download the file rebel10c.zip or rebel10b.zip
    You will find the download link at the Rebel 10 Internet subscription area.
  • Extract all the files in the ZIP archive into your Rebel 10 installation directory
    This will add the following files to your Rebel 10 directory:
    • INSTALL.EXE
    • REBEL10.001
    • REBEL10.002
    • REBEL10.003
  • Insert your Rebel 10 Cdrom into your Cdrom drive
  • Run the INSTALL.EXE program

1.3.1. Difference between Rebel 10.0c and Rebel 10.0b

Rebel 10.0b is a bug fixed and enhanced version of Rebel 10.0. Rebel 10.0c has all the features of Rebel 10.0b plus a changed engine version.

Rebel 10.0c is, in the opinion of Schröder BV, optimized for computer-computer play.
Rebel 10.0b is better in human-computer play.

1.3.2. Use both Rebel 10.0c and Rebel 10.0b

As mentioned above, Rebel 10.0c and Rebel 10.0b have both advantages. If you use Rebel both for human-computer and computer-computer play it is best to use both versions. To use both versions, proceed as follows:

First install Rebel 10.0c (as described in 1.3). Than create a subdirectory (say R10C) in your Rebel 10 installation directory and copy the following files into this new created directory: REBEL.EXE, REBEL.CFG and REBEL.TRL.

Next install Rebel 10.0b (as described in 1.3). Than create a subdirectory (say R10B) in your Rebel 10 installation directory and copy the following files into this new created directory: REBEL.EXE, REBEL.CFG and REBEL.TRL.

If you want to use Rebel 10.0c (Rebel 10.0b), than copy the three files from the R10C (R10B) subdirectory into your Rebel 10 installation directory.

You can also use our simple DOS batch file R10SEL.BAT for doing this automatically.

1.4. Chess Engine Improvements

The main chess engine improvements are:

  • Anti Grandmaster option
  • Refined tactical behavior in testing positions
  • Hash table maximum changed from 60 Mb to 120 Mb

See the Playing Strength section of the Rebel 10 description at the Rebel homepage for a more detailed description.

1.5. System Requirements

  • CPU 80386 or higher
  • Internal memory at least 8 Mb
  • Free harddisk space of 15 Mb
  • Cdrom player

The following platforms are supported by Rebel 10:

  • MS-DOS 5.0 or higher
  • Windows V3.x
  • Windows 95
  • Windows 98

There is no official OS/2 or MacOS support. Because Rebel 10 may or may not run under Windows NT for unknown reasons, there is also no Windows NT support.

The maximum of supported RAM (max. hashtable size) is 120 Mb.

1.6. Rebel Calling Parameters

REBEL A no double games check in autoplay (AUTO232) mode
REBEL S don't show the Rebel 10 startup screen.
Introduced with the first update (Rebel 10.0a)
REBEL V bypasses the VESA mode (in case of problems with VESA VGA cards)
REBEL W limit the hash table to 256 kb
REBEL W1 limit the hash table to 512 kb
REBEL W2 limit the hash table to 1 Mb
REBEL W3 limit the hash table to 2 Mb
REBEL W4 limit the hash table to 4 Mb
REBEL W5 limit the hash table to 13 Mb
REBEL W6 limit the hash table to 28 Mb
REBEL W7 limit the hash table to 40 Mb
REBEL W8 limit the hash table to 60 Mb
REBEL W9 limit the hash table to 100 Mb
EPD filename analyse the position, contained in the EPD file.
The Rebel 10 startup screen will be skipped
PGN filename direct load of the PGN file.
The Rebel 10 startup screen will be skipped

The hash table limitations are added to avoid swap delays in a Windows Environment.

1.7. Rebel 10 Internet Subscription

All customers of Rebel 10 (new or update) with internet access can register for the Rebel 10 subscription area. All members have access to free updates of Rebel 10, the REBELBASE, part of the Rebel 10 Cdrom and much more.
Read the Rebel 10 subscription description for further details.

1.8. Rebel Add-Ons

Schröder BV offers the following add-ons for Rebel 10.0:

Rebel Encyclopedia of Chess CD

Encyclopedia of Chess (or simply EOC) is a SUPER chess tree with multiple functions. It will help you to make the right moves based on the statistics of Grandmasters and the chess history of 150 years. If you need help in a position just ask the EOC of 60,000,000 (spelled as sixty million!) unique positions and then make up your mind which move to play. EOC is an unique reference for opening preparation because all the major games of the last 150 years are in the EOC database.

Read the EOC description at the Schröder BV web area for further details.

Rebel Gold
Opening books, containing 12 million book moves, in Rebel format (.MVS).

Have a look at the Schröder BV web area to find out more about this products.

1.9. Free PGN game material

You can find a lot of game material in PGN format at the University of Pittburgh Chess Club's FTP server under the PGN directory. In the subdirectory Events you can find tournaments, sorted by year and event, and in the subdirectory Players you can find games of famous players, sorted by name. You can get a complete index of all available data (PGN, CA, CBF, ...) by downloading the file allindex.zip.


Rebel 10 FAQ Index
1. General 2. Problems in Running Rebel 3. Using Rebel
4. Rebel Opening Books 5. Rebel Database 6. Encyclopedia of Chess


Last updated: Monday, 19. April 1999
marochess@geocities.com

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