Cap evaluation based null move extra reduction to three plies

zamar · zamar · commit 7ed15af371be · 2014-09-25T20:42:25.000+01:00
It's a zero elo patch, and a reasonable safeguard against uncontrolled extreme reductions.

STC:
ELO: -0.08 +-2.0 (95%) LOS: 46.9%
Total: 40000 W: 6728 L: 6737 D: 26535

LTC:
ELO: -0.14 +-1.8 (95%) LOS: 44.0%
Total: 40000 W: 5557 L: 5573 D: 28870

Bench: 7201830
diff --git a/src/search.cpp b/src/search.cpp
@@ -567,8 +567,7 @@ namespace {
         // Null move dynamic reduction based on depth and value
         Depth R =  3 * ONE_PLY
                  + depth / 4
-                 + (abs(beta) < VALUE_KNOWN_WIN ? int(eval - beta) / PawnValueMg * ONE_PLY
-                                                : DEPTH_ZERO);
+                 + std::min(int(eval - beta) / PawnValueMg, 3) * ONE_PLY;
 
         pos.do_null_move(st);
         (ss+1)->skipNullMove = true;
