New to SAGE 9.0 over version 8.0..

External engines - better support, compatible with the free "Cake San Souri" and other engines. Can hence use 6/7/8 piece endgame databases via the Cake engine. Will auto detect CakeSS if already installed.

Auto-classify openings will automatically classify the game played according to opening classification. Will display description text for famous openings..

Database transfer/sort functions can transfer games from one database to another, selecting those games specified by a search string. Can auto-classify each game according to its official 3-move opening code. Can sort a database according to date or opening code.

Select opening of choice - choose from a list of famous openings or one of the official 3-move openings.

Random 3-move opening - let the computer choose an opening for you..

New to SAGE 8.0 over earlier versions..

EXTERNAL ENGINES Can accept CheckerBoard compatible plug-in checker playing "engines" to run under the SAGE interface.

AUTOPLAY TOURNEMENT can automatically play matches of games between different engines, saving the result to a database.

COMPATIBILITY Tested as working under the latest versions of Windows..

DATABASE Much improved database interface - improved search function with easy to use dialog box, updated modern style list box for the games, includes the first few moves of each game together with the other information..

FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS ON PLAY STRENGTH SAGE 8.0 has improved playing strength in many positions, compared to previous versions. New feature searches critical analysis lines much deeper.

AUTOLEARN Simply now, when SAGE has finished searching a position, it stores that position together with the evaluation in an autolearn file. If later it comes across that position (even deep in a search) it can use that evaulation instantly instead of having to search that position again. For example if SAGE makes a mistake in a game, if it plays the same game again it *may* be able to see the bad score earlier & avert disaster. This feature is very useful when analysing a position in 2 player mode - if you are trying out different lines of play, you may find SAGEs evaluation getting "better" each time you return to the root position. This is enabled in the "Thinking Parameters" dialog - setting zero turns it off, otherwise you enter the no of entries (in Thousands) you want to use - by default this is 1000 - ie after storing 1000 positions it starts losing old scores.  

IMPROVED ANALYSIS WINDOW Analysis is now displayed in a modern scrollable list box - you can scroll up and examine previous analysis scores and lines. Actual played moves are highlighted in red.  

EXPORT USER BOOK This function is much improved - it now exports the entire opening book as a real PDN database - together with move-strength marks (?<>!) - which an be viewed/edited as a PDN database & then re-imported into the book if needs be.  

OPENING BOOK TRANSPOSITIONS Now transpositions from the opening book are recognised - and are shown with a # against the move in the book window.  

EXPORT DPD Export DPD can now attatch a value to the position. This is particularly useful when adding positions to HASHOP1.DPD - ie you can "teach" SAGE that a particular position is always worth a particular score..  

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