https://abrok.eu/stockfish/

Author: Joost VandeVondele
Date: Tue Jul 11 22:56:49 2023 +0200
Timestamp: 1689109009

Remove classical evaluation

since the introduction of NNUE (first released with Stockfish 12), we
have maintained the classical evaluation as part of SF in frozen form.
The idea that this code could lead to further inputs to the NN or
search did not materialize. Now, after five releases, this PR removes
the classical evaluation from SF. Even though this evaluation is
probably the best of its class, it has become unimportant for the
engine's strength, and there is little need to maintain this
code (roughly 25% of SF) going forward, or to expend resources on
trying to improve its integration in the NNUE eval.

Indeed, it had still a very limited use in the current SF, namely
for the evaluation of positions that are nearly decided based on
material difference, where the speed of the classical evaluation
outweights its inaccuracies. This impact on strength is small,
roughly 2Elo, and probably decreasing in importance as the TC grows.

Potentially, removal of this code could lead to the development of
techniques to have faster, but less accurate NN evaluation,
for certain positions.

STC
https://tests.stockfishchess.org/tests/view/64a320173ee09aa549c52157
Elo: -2.35 ± 1.1 (95%) LOS: 0.0%
Total: 100000 W: 24916 L: 25592 D: 49492 Elo -2.35
Ptnml(0-2): 287, 12123, 25841, 11477, 272
nElo: -4.62 ± 2.2 (95%) PairsRatio: 0.95

LTC
https://tests.stockfishchess.org/tests/view/64a320293ee09aa549c5215b
Elo: -1.74 ± 1.0 (95%) LOS: 0.0%
Total: 100000 W: 25010 L: 25512 D: 49478 Elo -1.74
Ptnml(0-2): 44, 11069, 28270, 10579, 38
nElo: -3.72 ± 2.2 (95%) PairsRatio: 0.96

VLTC SMP
https://tests.stockfishchess.org/tests/view/64a3207c3ee09aa549c52168
Elo: -1.70 ± 0.9 (95%) LOS: 0.0%
Total: 100000 W: 25673 L: 26162 D: 48165 Elo -1.70
Ptnml(0-2): 8, 9455, 31569, 8954, 14
nElo: -3.95 ± 2.2 (95%) PairsRatio: 0.95

closes https://github.com/official-stockfish/Stockfish/pull/4674

Bench: 1444646
see source