ci: bump version with Build-155

feat(ncs-110): feed NNUE root-move scores into search move ordering (#83 )
Pre-evaluated NNUE scores from NNUEBot.batchEvaluateRoot are now passed as root hints into AlphaBetaSearch, improving move ordering at ply 0 before the TT is populated. Hints are threaded immutably through SearchParams to satisfy the no-var constraint. Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com> --------- Co-authored-by: Janis Eccarius <eccariusjanis@gmail.com> Reviewed-on: #83
2026-06-24 18:21:11 +00:00 · 2026-06-24 20:09:28 +02:00
8 changed files with 184 additions and 9 deletions
@@ -1039,3 +1039,56 @@
 ### Reverts

 * Revert "refactor: update metrics paths formatting in application.yml for clarity" ([3870566](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/38705663498d5f47c40dafe2f26198589ede8656))
+##  (2026-06-24)
+
+### Features
+
+* add initialization metrics for various services ([d438e97](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/d438e97f32bdde0bfc63c1b4a8cc810cdd093166))
+* add OpenTelemetry trace configuration with parentbased sampler ([3904d5a](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/3904d5ad8ad4930ddee65287a7bfab785a6148f5))
+* **analytics:** add Spark batch analytics module ([#70](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/70)) ([39f1657](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/39f1657e1db6e84889af338c43be8cb5c03c3ec3))
+* **config:** update application.yml for PostgreSQL and remove staging/production configurations ([2404e61](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/2404e6164c3b50ffccbea5238d636060d6abe4d6))
+* **config:** update application.yml for staging and production environments ([6113432](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/6113432a14c476a3a0dfc0d449e17d023697f2ba))
+* configure logging and add OpenTelemetry support ([#49](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/49)) ([d57c488](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/d57c4886612d1d92da0e1b79209fc83e6ef537a1))
+* **docker:** add .dockerignore and .gitignore files for build exclusions ([c987d8e](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/c987d8e258c0e6c4cfbdaa8381c64c410d7a2b83))
+* **docker:** add Dockerfiles for building Quarkus application in native and JVM modes ([3f2d2bb](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/3f2d2bb4c97fa8cddba66e1da4427c54236dfeed))
+* **docker:** add Dockerfiles for Quarkus application in JVM and native modes ([34b9933](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/34b993304670cf2aa62cd2f6460cee7b9864b08e))
+* **events:** migrate game-creation and bot flows to Redis Streams NCS-89 ([#62](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/62)) ([a24924c](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/a24924c23057db3d700a75dbc4333557789cd991))
+* **ncs-110:** feed NNUE root-move scores into search move ordering ([#83](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/83)) ([e4fee85](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/e4fee8513430093d46957970618935e99591519f))
+* NCS-78 Add Traceability to the Applications ([#46](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/46)) ([649566e](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/649566eb3fcf38f91c8896a739f74ea318af312d))
+* NCS-78 Add Traceability to the Applications ([#47](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/47)) ([87dfc6c](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/87dfc6c2bcce7f7d58fc641bd8d468a2e584c108))
+* NCS-82 add Swiss-system tournament module ([#55](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/55)) ([c5661de](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/c5661de4a0ebf4b33211f5a391840dcf744656b7))
+* **official-bots:** activate opening book in expert bot (native-safe) ([260db25](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/260db25803ec55ce99e55782791eabdc190dfed4))
+* **official-bots:** add Google Colab notebook for NNUE training (NCS-111) ([#81](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/81)) ([fa10852](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/fa10852bc98451d4068ec6fb9e7a486b5e53ef5c))
+* **official-bots:** consume GameOver stream for bot cleanup ([#67](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/67)) ([db9d153](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/db9d1533912f4b41c4d1ca80ccffdde5d23d6ff6))
+* **official-bots:** implement king-relative (HalfKP) encoding in NNUE (NCS-109) ([#80](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/80)) ([44f376f](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/44f376f03221f086b898741436e13c93fd314dd1))
+* **official-bots:** make HybridBot veto actionable and use it for expert ([1df29cf](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/1df29cf3a6e21af3f396b2b7a6da67d978f941ae))
+* **official-bots:** park expert bot on tournament server at startup ([#75](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/75)) ([30295a4](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/30295a4bb95855ee8261c92278bb9ebc80ee12ee))
+* **official-bots:** resolve tournament bot token from Redis and account service ([386ddc5](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/386ddc5c19f8f893b16c6422aa5393b54c872e45))
+* **tournament:** auto-join external tournaments and publish created ones ([#77](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/77)) ([9978b7e](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/9978b7ea78eb658a225a461b9cd339386c0c14f3))
+* **tournament:** federate tournaments across clusters with DB replication ([5b000a6](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/5b000a6e5f04ea6770d1c7ab6bfdaded77a99172))
+* **tournament:** seed external server registry from env var on startup ([845dc9c](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/845dc9c2935c8bc1be42541dfaf31c9a861d3272))
+* true-microservices ([#40](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/40)) ([5909242](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/590924254e8a2754de661a57a03e43f89ceb6299))
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* enable official bots to connect to external tournament server ([#71](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/71)) ([688d30e](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/688d30e2b10026923372be5fca3c63eaaee2de2a))
+* modified training pipeline ([9f9140c](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/9f9140cb585345cd244a1dfee1a06e51a5f7f7a8))
+* **official-bots:** configure JWT verification ([#72](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/72)) ([98c64fc](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/98c64fc0d56dc542beb31c75f4b9056d91de03cd))
+* **official-bots:** correct parkOn path from /api/bots to /api/account/bots ([1be9949](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/1be9949c0b5c6a1db535696620d77735050d6c93))
+* **official-bots:** derive tournament game color from game endpoint ([#79](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/79)) ([bfc4672](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/bfc46723e615bb9b65f7f9bba5f53877c4f079a7))
+* **official-bots:** discover tournament games by polling, not just the stream ([10113fd](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/10113fd0579b614d15870798d933bc9c495d2049))
+* **official-bots:** make botToken optional, fall back to env, fix 502 status ([f43d193](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/f43d1930d80670d810c57b54eaa3789854fa082c))
+* **official-bots:** NCS-70-auto-register official bots with account service ([#59](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/issues/59)) ([7117a93](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/7117a93376272094d0b1a6abf2121254ce396684))
+* **official-bots:** park on external tournament servers using correct endpoint and token ([3188241](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/31882417377468b41bbe3ff94506aa4928024450))
+* **official-bots:** play games by polling state instead of NDJSON stream ([bfb15c7](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/bfb15c7299bd471d5e064a577ed10af98e2ea90a))
+* **official-bots:** play only own tournament games with correct color ([4651bb7](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/4651bb796f07a21bd013d9521b2dfe2e1078cebb))
+* **official-bots:** prioritize Redis token over stale env var in joinTournament ([83dd2d4](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/83dd2d4335ca48eb3e5aa234a75367574276ba63))
+* **official-bots:** register with tournament server directly to get correct token ([64b5d55](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/64b5d5567f110c2fe152558c7de275a1e0b30e21))
+* **official-bots:** resolve per-difficulty bot token on tournament join ([fdf4c94](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/fdf4c94811d086996447bb4657fac1d9bd6e5a93))
+* **official-bots:** resume tournaments already joined after restart ([285b73e](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/285b73efbd6dd98cec410ade9eead9881d693a8f))
+* **official-bots:** sync bots before token fetch on first startup after DB wipe ([b0ddb27](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/b0ddb274d23bca8b1b3f691ce0d643f33e0b54cd))
+* **official-bots:** use ThreadLocalRandom in PolyglotBook for native image ([1b30c3b](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/1b30c3be393d25712c8743d3d9057207f8bbb67c))
+
+### Reverts
+
+* Revert "refactor: update metrics paths formatting in application.yml for clarity" ([3870566](https://git.janis-eccarius.de/NowChess/NowChessSystems/commit/38705663498d5f47c40dafe2f26198589ede8656))
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ object NNUEBot:
          else
            val scored   = batchEvaluateRoot(rules, context, moves)
            val bestMove = scored.maxBy(_._2)._1
-            search.bestMoveWithTime(context, allocateTime(scored), blockedMoves).orElse(Some(bestMove))
+            search.bestMoveWithTime(context, allocateTime(scored), blockedMoves, scored.toMap).orElse(Some(bestMove))
        }

  private def batchEvaluateRoot(rules: RuleSet, context: GameContext, moves: List[Move]): List[(Move, Int)] =
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ final class AlphaBetaSearch(
  private val nodeCount   = AtomicInteger(0)
  private val ordering    = MoveOrdering.OrderingContext()

+  def lastNodeCount: Int = nodeCount.get()
+
  private final case class QuiescenceNode(
      context: GameContext,
      ply: Int,
@@ -47,6 +49,17 @@ final class AlphaBetaSearch(
    bestMove(context, maxDepth, Set.empty)

  def bestMove(context: GameContext, maxDepth: Int, excludedRootMoves: Set[Move]): Option[Move] =
+    doDepthSearch(context, maxDepth, excludedRootMoves, Map.empty)
+
+  def bestMove(context: GameContext, maxDepth: Int, excludedRootMoves: Set[Move], hints: Map[Move, Int]): Option[Move] =
+    doDepthSearch(context, maxDepth, excludedRootMoves, hints)
+
+  private def doDepthSearch(
+      context: GameContext,
+      maxDepth: Int,
+      excludedRootMoves: Set[Move],
+      hints: Map[Move, Int],
+  ): Option[Move] =
    tt.clear()
    ordering.clear()
    weights.initAccumulator(context)
@@ -66,6 +79,7 @@ final class AlphaBetaSearch(
          ASPIRATION_DELTA,
          rootHash,
          excludedRootMoves,
+          hints,
        )
        (move.orElse(bestSoFar), score)
      }
@@ -78,6 +92,22 @@ final class AlphaBetaSearch(
    bestMoveWithTime(context, timeBudgetMs, Set.empty)

  def bestMoveWithTime(context: GameContext, timeBudgetMs: Long, excludedRootMoves: Set[Move]): Option[Move] =
+    doTimedSearch(context, timeBudgetMs, excludedRootMoves, Map.empty)
+
+  def bestMoveWithTime(
+      context: GameContext,
+      timeBudgetMs: Long,
+      excludedRootMoves: Set[Move],
+      hints: Map[Move, Int],
+  ): Option[Move] =
+    doTimedSearch(context, timeBudgetMs, excludedRootMoves, hints)
+
+  private def doTimedSearch(
+      context: GameContext,
+      timeBudgetMs: Long,
+      excludedRootMoves: Set[Move],
+      hints: Map[Move, Int],
+  ): Option[Move] =
    tt.clear()
    ordering.clear()
    weights.initAccumulator(context)
@@ -100,6 +130,7 @@ final class AlphaBetaSearch(
          ASPIRATION_DELTA,
          rootHash,
          excludedRootMoves,
+          hints,
        )
        loop(move.orElse(bestSoFar), score, depth + 1, depth)

@@ -124,14 +155,17 @@ final class AlphaBetaSearch(
      initialWindow: Int,
      rootHash: Long,
      excludedRootMoves: Set[Move],
+      hints: Map[Move, Int],
  ): (Int, Option[Move]) =
    val state = SearchState(rootHash, Map(rootHash -> 1))

    @scala.annotation.tailrec
    def loop(currentAlpha: Int, currentBeta: Int, delta: Int, attempt: Int): (Int, Option[Move]) =
-      if attempt >= 3 || attempt >= depth then search(context, depth, 0, Window(-INF, INF), state, excludedRootMoves)
+      if attempt >= 3 || attempt >= depth then
+        search(context, depth, 0, Window(-INF, INF), state, excludedRootMoves, hints)
      else
-        val (score, move) = search(context, depth, 0, Window(currentAlpha, currentBeta), state, excludedRootMoves)
+        val (score, move) =
+          search(context, depth, 0, Window(currentAlpha, currentBeta), state, excludedRootMoves, hints)
        if score > currentAlpha && score < currentBeta then (score, move)
        else if score <= currentAlpha then
          loop(score - delta, currentBeta, math.min(delta * 2, ASPIRATION_DELTA_MAX), attempt + 1)
@@ -156,12 +190,14 @@ final class AlphaBetaSearch(
      beta: Int,
      state: SearchState,
      excludedRootMoves: Set[Move],
+      hints: Map[Move, Int],
  ): Option[Int] =
    val nullCtx        = nullMoveContext(context)
    val nullState      = state.advance(ZobristHash.hash(nullCtx))
    val reductionDepth = math.max(0, depth - 1 - NULL_MOVE_R)
    weights.copyAccumulator(ply, ply + 1)
-    val (score, _) = search(nullCtx, reductionDepth, ply + 1, Window(-beta, -beta + 1), nullState, excludedRootMoves)
+    val (score, _) =
+      search(nullCtx, reductionDepth, ply + 1, Window(-beta, -beta + 1), nullState, excludedRootMoves, hints)
    if -score >= beta then Some(beta) else None

  /** Negamax alpha-beta search returning (score, best move). */
@@ -172,8 +208,9 @@ final class AlphaBetaSearch(
      window: Window,
      state: SearchState,
      excludedRootMoves: Set[Move],
+      hints: Map[Move, Int],
  ): (Int, Option[Move]) =
-    val params = SearchParams(context, depth, ply, window, state, excludedRootMoves)
+    val params = SearchParams(context, depth, ply, window, state, excludedRootMoves, hints)
    searchNode(params)

  private def searchNode(params: SearchParams): (Int, Option[Move]) =
@@ -235,13 +272,14 @@ final class AlphaBetaSearch(
            params.window.beta,
            params.state,
            params.excludedRootMoves,
+            params.rootHints,
          ),
        )
        .flatten

    nullResult.map((_, None)).getOrElse {
      val ttBest  = tt.probe(params.state.hash).flatMap(_.bestMove)
-      val ordered = MoveOrdering.sort(params.context, legalMoves, ttBest, params.ply, ordering)
+      val ordered = MoveOrdering.sort(params.context, legalMoves, ttBest, params.ply, ordering, params.rootHints)
      searchSequential(
        params.context,
        params.depth,
@@ -250,6 +288,7 @@ final class AlphaBetaSearch(
        ordered,
        params.state,
        params.excludedRootMoves,
+        params.rootHints,
      )
    }

@@ -280,6 +319,7 @@ final class AlphaBetaSearch(
        Window(-a - 1, -a),
        childState,
        params.excludedRootMoves,
+        params.rootHints,
      )
      val s = -rs
      if s > a then
@@ -290,6 +330,7 @@ final class AlphaBetaSearch(
          Window(betaNeg, -a),
          childState,
          params.excludedRootMoves,
+          params.rootHints,
        )
        -fs
      else s
@@ -301,6 +342,7 @@ final class AlphaBetaSearch(
        Window(betaNeg, -a),
        childState,
        params.excludedRootMoves,
+        params.rootHints,
      )
      -rs

@@ -364,8 +406,9 @@ final class AlphaBetaSearch(
      ordered: List[Move],
      state: SearchState,
      excludedRootMoves: Set[Move],
+      rootHints: Map[Move, Int] = Map.empty,
  ): (Int, Option[Move]) =
-    val params                        = SearchParams(context, depth, ply, window, state, excludedRootMoves)
+    val params                        = SearchParams(context, depth, ply, window, state, excludedRootMoves, rootHints)
    val (bestMove, bestScore, cutoff) = searchLoop(0, 0, LoopAcc(None, -INF, window.alpha), params, ordered)
    val flag =
      if cutoff then TTFlag.Lower
@@ -38,8 +38,10 @@ object MoveOrdering:
      ttBestMove: Option[Move],
      ply: Int = 0,
      ordering: OrderingContext = new OrderingContext(),
+      rootHints: Map[Move, Int] = Map.empty,
  ): Int =
    if ttBestMove.exists(m => m.from == move.from && m.to == move.to) then Int.MaxValue
+    else if ply == 0 && rootHints.nonEmpty then rootHints.getOrElse(move, Int.MinValue / 2)
    else
      move.moveType match
        case MoveType.Promotion(PromotionPiece.Queen) =>
@@ -56,8 +58,9 @@ object MoveOrdering:
      ttBestMove: Option[Move],
      ply: Int = 0,
      ordering: OrderingContext = new OrderingContext(),
+      rootHints: Map[Move, Int] = Map.empty,
  ): List[Move] =
-    moves.sortBy(m => -score(context, m, ttBestMove, ply, ordering))
+    moves.sortBy(m => -score(context, m, ttBestMove, ply, ordering, rootHints))

  private def scoreQuietMove(move: Move, ply: Int, ordering: OrderingContext): Int =
    val isKiller = ordering.getKillerMoves(ply).exists(k => k.from == move.from && k.to == move.to)
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ final case class SearchParams(
    window: Window,
    state: SearchState,
    excludedRootMoves: Set[Move],
+    rootHints: Map[Move, Int] = Map.empty,
 )

 final case class SearchState(hash: Long, repetitions: Map[Long, Int]):
@@ -312,6 +312,24 @@ class AlphaBetaSearchTest extends AnyFunSuite with Matchers:
    val search = AlphaBetaSearch(qRules, weights = ZeroEval)
    search.bestMove(GameContext.initial, maxDepth = 1) should be(Some(rootMove))

+  test("bestMove with root hints returns a valid move without regression"):
+    val context    = GameContext.initial
+    val legalMoves = DefaultRules.allLegalMoves(context)
+    val hints      = legalMoves.zipWithIndex.map { case (m, i) => m -> (legalMoves.length - i) }.toMap
+    val withHints = AlphaBetaSearch(DefaultRules, weights = EvaluationClassic)
+      .bestMove(context, maxDepth = 2, Set.empty, hints)
+    withHints should not be None
+    legalMoves should contain(withHints.get)
+
+  test("bestMoveWithTime with root hints returns a valid move without regression"):
+    val context    = GameContext.initial
+    val legalMoves = DefaultRules.allLegalMoves(context)
+    val hints      = legalMoves.zipWithIndex.map { case (m, i) => m -> (legalMoves.length - i) }.toMap
+    val withHints = AlphaBetaSearch(DefaultRules, weights = EvaluationClassic)
+      .bestMoveWithTime(context, 500L, Set.empty, hints)
+    withHints should not be None
+    legalMoves should contain(withHints.get)
+
  test("quiescence depth-limit in-check branch is exercised"):
    val rootMove            = Move(Square(File.E, Rank.R2), Square(File.E, Rank.R3), MoveType.Normal())
    val capMove             = Move(Square(File.D, Rank.R2), Square(File.D, Rank.R3), MoveType.Normal(true))
@@ -217,3 +217,60 @@ class MoveOrderingTest extends AnyFunSuite with Matchers:
    val castle  = Move(Square(File.E, Rank.R1), Square(File.G, Rank.R1), MoveType.CastleKingside)

    MoveOrdering.score(context, castle, None) should be(0)
+
+  test("root hints override capture heuristics at ply 0"):
+    val board = Board(
+      Map(
+        Square(File.E, Rank.R4) -> Piece.WhiteQueen,
+        Square(File.E, Rank.R5) -> Piece.BlackPawn,
+        Square(File.D, Rank.R5) -> Piece.BlackRook,
+      ),
+    )
+    val context     = GameContext.initial.withBoard(board).withTurn(Color.White)
+    val quietMove   = Move(Square(File.E, Rank.R4), Square(File.E, Rank.R6))
+    val rookCapture = Move(Square(File.E, Rank.R4), Square(File.D, Rank.R5), MoveType.Normal(true))
+    val hints       = Map(quietMove -> 500, rookCapture -> 100)
+
+    MoveOrdering.score(context, quietMove, None, ply = 0, rootHints = hints) should equal(500)
+    MoveOrdering.score(context, rookCapture, None, ply = 0, rootHints = hints) should equal(100)
+    MoveOrdering.score(context, rookCapture, None, ply = 0, rootHints = hints) should be <
+      MoveOrdering.score(context, quietMove, None, ply = 0, rootHints = hints)
+
+  test("root hints ignored at ply > 0"):
+    val board   = Board(Map(Square(File.E, Rank.R4) -> Piece.WhiteQueen, Square(File.E, Rank.R5) -> Piece.BlackPawn))
+    val context = GameContext.initial.withBoard(board).withTurn(Color.White)
+    val capture = Move(Square(File.E, Rank.R4), Square(File.E, Rank.R5), MoveType.Normal(true))
+    val quiet   = Move(Square(File.E, Rank.R4), Square(File.D, Rank.R4))
+    val hints   = Map(quiet -> 99999, capture -> -99999)
+
+    val captureScore = MoveOrdering.score(context, capture, None, ply = 1, rootHints = hints)
+    val quietScore   = MoveOrdering.score(context, quiet, None, ply = 1, rootHints = hints)
+    captureScore should be > quietScore
+
+  test("move absent from root hints gets Int.MinValue / 2 fallback"):
+    val board   = Board(Map(Square(File.E, Rank.R4) -> Piece.WhiteQueen))
+    val context = GameContext.initial.withBoard(board).withTurn(Color.White)
+    val move1   = Move(Square(File.E, Rank.R4), Square(File.E, Rank.R6))
+    val move2   = Move(Square(File.E, Rank.R4), Square(File.E, Rank.R5))
+    val hints   = Map(move1 -> 0)
+
+    MoveOrdering.score(context, move2, None, ply = 0, rootHints = hints) should equal(Int.MinValue / 2)
+
+  test("sort uses root hints at ply 0 to reorder moves"):
+    val board = Board(
+      Map(
+        Square(File.E, Rank.R4) -> Piece.WhiteQueen,
+        Square(File.E, Rank.R5) -> Piece.BlackPawn,
+        Square(File.D, Rank.R5) -> Piece.BlackRook,
+      ),
+    )
+    val context     = GameContext.initial.withBoard(board).withTurn(Color.White)
+    val rookCapture = Move(Square(File.E, Rank.R4), Square(File.D, Rank.R5), MoveType.Normal(true))
+    val pawnCapture = Move(Square(File.E, Rank.R4), Square(File.E, Rank.R5), MoveType.Normal(true))
+    val quiet       = Move(Square(File.E, Rank.R4), Square(File.E, Rank.R6))
+    val hints       = Map(quiet -> 9999, pawnCapture -> 500, rookCapture -> 100)
+
+    val sorted = MoveOrdering.sort(context, List(rookCapture, pawnCapture, quiet), None, ply = 0, rootHints = hints)
+    sorted.head should equal(quiet)
+    sorted(1) should equal(pawnCapture)
+    sorted(2) should equal(rookCapture)
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 MAJOR=0
-MINOR=37
+MINOR=38
 PATCH=0