For those unaware, Leela Zero is an attempt to build an open-source neural-net based chess engine (using the same techniques as Alpha Zero). It performs its training using a distributed network and anyone can contribute processing time to help train it.
The latest networks have an estimated ELO over 2200, and it's getting stronger almost every day. You can also use the older networks to play against a weaker version of Leela.
The most interesting thing is that it plays in a much more human-like way than previous chess engines. Rather than randomly making artificial bad moves, it makes the types of blunders you expect humans of a similar rating to make - missing tactics, mates in 2+, and so on. So I think it makes for a much better sparring partner than the handicapped stockfish versions.
I think it would be great to have Leela Zero added as an option for lichess AI, what do you all think?
It's indeed more entertaining to play the current version of Leela than a crippled version of SF.
Now that they have Ultrafast mode you can play bullet/blitz with it and have fun.
However if you, like me, tend to play the same openings, Leela will play the same thing over and over again (repeating the blunders too).
Yes, would be nice to have LeelaZero on Lichess.
As far as I know, yhe lichess computer opponent is full-strength stockfish running for an incredibly short time, lichess saves limited server computing power by using the strongest engine available to cut this time as much as possible.
Using a (currently) much weaker engine would mean more server CPU time for the same level of play.
Jerry on Chess Network just uploaded a video where he played Leela-Zero. He said in the video that he played it a few times, but in the game that he uploaded, Leela made plenty of computer-like moves when the position became closed in the center. Maybe this was because Leela is still in her "infancy." Either way, I am intrigued.
@Allonautilus I don't think that is completely true. Lichess uses both different thinking times and different skill settings in stockfish, according to this blog post:
lichess.org/blog/U4mtoEQAAEEAgZRL/strongest-chess-player-everHowever that post is 4 years old, so I guess it's possible they've changed things since then.
I would love to play against Leela on
Lichess.org, as this would also help her (it) get stronger.
"I would love to play against Leela on
Lichess.org, as this would also help her (it) get stronger."
I agree. Can someone communicate this to Thibault?
It is surely now powerful enough and I think also games with Leela are more interesting/human than the ones with Stockfish!
She's a fun opponent... she's also more than a bit expensive to run right now.
Playing against LCZ doesn't make her stronger. The playable version is frozen. And even if it wasn't it would slow down learning as explained in the AGZ paper.
Now, on most Go servers there are sanctioned accounts for Engines. Most of them are demo versions of commercial engines, or theoretical research projects. There are currently bots for LeelaZero on most servers.
One one hand it might be nice to play those apps that advertise more human play in crippled mode (like playmagnus) as a demo here on lichess.
On the other hand, those customs were established on Go servers while the average computer was still weaker then the average human. And in chess there is considerable anti-bot paranoia to overcome.
