Answers.Body: <p><a href="http://www.chessforums.org/general-chess-discussion/9079-chess-engine-output.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.chessforums.org/general-chess-discussion/9079-chess-engine-output.html</a></p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>It’s the “search depth.” It tells you how deep the search has gone.
    The value is in “ply” or half-moves. The first number gives you the
    “brute force” depth, the second is the depth to which certain critical
    lines have been investigated. For instance a display of “depth =
    12/30” means that the program has looked at every continuation to a
    depth of 12 ply (six moves), while some promising or dangerous
    continuations are being examined up to a depth of 30 ply (15 moves).</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Please note chess engine always report in "ply", half-move.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-10-08T00:29:06.177Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-10-08T00:29:06.177Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: SmallChess
Body: <p>So for the most part I understand what I am looking at, but i have two questions about the first piece of data. Here is an example that I am looking at.</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/cx0gz.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/cx0gz.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
  <p>Firstly, the first column has values 1/4, 1/8, 2/17, 3/17. I'm pretty sure the numerator of those fractions indicates the depth of the search, but I am confused about the second number, my only guess being that it is the search depth of all non-quiet positions? IDK</p>
  
  <p>Secondly, When I see a depth of 3, i expect to see a move order of length 3, but in the 3/17 search I am given a 6 move long line of play. Is this due to non-quiet nodes? The captures in the line make me believe so. </p>
  
  <p>Thanks, any help, insight, and resources are appreciated. </p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-10-07T23:56:23.727Z
Comments.Text: Yes, although this also happens with Fruit
Comments.UserDisplayName: AndrewGrant
Tags: <engines><programming><uci><arena>
Title: Reading UCI Engine output in Arena Chess
ThreadText: # Reading UCI Engine output in Arena Chess
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2015-10-07)
  
  So for the most part I understand what I am looking at, but i have two questions about the first piece of data. Here is an example that I am looking at.
  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/cx0gz.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/cx0gz.png)
  
  Firstly, the first column has values 1/4, 1/8, 2/17, 3/17. I'm pretty sure the numerator of those fractions indicates the depth of the search, but I am confused about the second number, my only guess being that it is the search depth of all non-quiet positions? IDK
  
  Secondly, When I see a depth of 3, i expect to see a move order of length 3, but in the 3/17 search I am given a 6 move long line of play. Is this due to non-quiet nodes? The captures in the line make me believe so.
  
  Thanks, any help, insight, and resources are appreciated.
  
  **Tags:** engines, programming, uci, arena
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Yes, although this also happens with Fruit  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2015-10-08. Score: 4 | Accepted answer
  
  <http://www.chessforums.org/general-chess-discussion/9079-chess-engine-output.html>
  
  > It’s the “search depth.” It tells you how deep the search has gone.
  > The value is in “ply” or half-moves. The first number gives you the
  > “brute force” depth, the second is the depth to which certain critical
  > lines have been investigated. For instance a display of “depth =
  > 12/30” means that the program has looked at every continuation to a
  > depth of 12 ply (six moves), while some promising or dangerous
  > continuations are being examined up to a depth of 30 ply (15 moves).
  
  Please note chess engine always report in "ply", half-move.
  
  
  ---
  
  