diff --git a/src/net.h b/src/net.h
index 8a5bc1f..89cccb2 100644
--- a/src/net.h
+++ b/src/net.h
@@ -93,7 +93,9 @@
 #define ALIGN 64
 #endif
 
+#ifndef NO_EMBED_NET
 INCBIN(Net, EVALFILE);
+#endif
 
 constexpr int KING_BUCKETS = 7;
 constexpr int INPUT_NEURONS = 768 * KING_BUCKETS;
@@ -120,7 +122,46 @@ struct NNUE
     alignas(ALIGN) int16_t output_biases[OUTPUT_NEURONS];
 };
 
+#ifdef NO_EMBED_NET
+// Rama Chess patch: the net is not embedded, it is loaded at run time from the
+// UCI option "EvalFile" (setoption name EvalFile value <path>).
+alignas(ALIGN) static NNUE nnue_storage; // zero-filled until a net is loaded
+const NNUE *nnue = &nnue_storage;
+bool nnue_loaded = false;
+
+#include <cstdio>
+#include <string>
+inline bool load_nnue_file(const std::string &path, std::string &err)
+{
+    FILE *f = std::fopen(path.c_str(), "rb");
+    if (!f)
+    {
+        err = "cannot open file";
+        return false;
+    }
+    std::fseek(f, 0, SEEK_END);
+    long size = std::ftell(f);
+    std::fseek(f, 0, SEEK_SET);
+    if (size != (long)sizeof(NNUE))
+    {
+        std::fclose(f);
+        err = "wrong file size " + std::to_string(size) + ", expected " + std::to_string(sizeof(NNUE));
+        return false;
+    }
+    size_t got = std::fread(&nnue_storage, 1, sizeof(NNUE), f);
+    std::fclose(f);
+    if (got != sizeof(NNUE))
+    {
+        err = "read error";
+        return false;
+    }
+    nnue_loaded = true;
+    return true;
+}
+#else
 alignas(ALIGN) const NNUE *nnue;
+bool nnue_loaded = true;
+#endif
 
 constexpr int get_king_bucket_cache_index(const Square king_sq, const bool side)
 {
@@ -129,7 +170,9 @@ constexpr int get_king_bucket_cache_index(const Square king_sq, const bool side)
 
 void load_nnue_weights()
 {
+#ifndef NO_EMBED_NET
     nnue = reinterpret_cast<const NNUE *>(gNetData);
+#endif
 }
 
 inline reg_type reg_clamp(reg_type reg)
@@ -177,6 +220,11 @@ class Network
     };
 
     Network()
+    {
+        reset_cache();
+    }
+
+    void reset_cache()
     {
         hist_size = 0;
         for (auto c : {BLACK, WHITE})
diff --git a/src/search.h b/src/search.h
index 8569821..5f96302 100644
--- a/src/search.h
+++ b/src/search.h
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ template <bool pvNode> int SearchThread::quiesce(int alpha, int beta, StackEntry
     }
 
     HistoricalState next_state;
-    const bool in_check = board.checkers() != 0;
+    const bool in_check = board.checkers() != 0ull;
     int futility_base;
 
     if (in_check)
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ int SearchThread::search(int alpha, int beta, int depth, StackEntry *stack)
     }
 
     HistoricalState next_state;
-    const bool in_check = (board.checkers() != 0);
+    const bool in_check = (board.checkers() != 0ull);
     const bool enemy_has_no_threats = !board.threats().threatened_pieces;
     int raw_eval;
 
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ int SearchThread::search(int alpha, int beta, int depth, StackEntry *stack)
 
             R -= LMRGrain * history /
                  (is_quiet ? HistReductionDiv : CapHistReductionDiv); // reduce move based on history
-            R -= LMRGivesCheck * (board.checkers() != 0);             // move gives check
+            R -= LMRGivesCheck * (board.checkers() != 0ull);             // move gives check
             R += LMRWasNotPV * !was_pv;
             R += LMRGoodEval *
                  (enemy_has_no_threats && !in_check &&
diff --git a/src/uci.h b/src/uci.h
index 7ecbfe8..74b7171 100644
--- a/src/uci.h
+++ b/src/uci.h
@@ -119,6 +119,28 @@ class UCI
                          iss >> value >> value;
                          info.set_chess960(value == "true");
                      }}},
+#ifdef NO_EMBED_NET
+                   {"EvalFile",
+                    {"EvalFile", "string", "<empty>", "", "",
+                     [&](std::istringstream &iss) {
+                         std::string value, path;
+                         iss >> value;
+                         std::getline(iss >> std::ws, path);
+                         while (!path.empty() && (path.back() == '\r' || path.back() == ' '))
+                             path.pop_back();
+                         std::string err;
+                         thread_pool.wait_for_finish();
+                         if (load_nnue_file(path, err))
+                         {
+                             NN.reset_cache();
+                             thread_pool.create_pool(std::max<std::size_t>(1, thread_pool.get_num_threads()));
+                             ucinewgame();
+                             std::cout << "info string EvalFile loaded: " << path << std::endl;
+                         }
+                         else
+                             std::cout << "info string ERROR: EvalFile " << path << ": " << err << std::endl;
+                     }}},
+#endif
                    {"MinNodes", {"MinNodes", "check", "false", "", "", [&](std::istringstream &iss) {
                                      std::string value;
                                      iss >> value >> value;
@@ -327,6 +349,12 @@ void UCI::ucinewgame()
 
 void UCI::go(std::istringstream &iss, Info &info)
 {
+    if (!nnue_loaded)
+    {
+        std::cout << "info string ERROR: no net loaded, send setoption name EvalFile value <path> first" << std::endl;
+        std::cout << "bestmove 0000" << std::endl;
+        return;
+    }
     int depth = MAX_DEPTH, movetime = -1;
     int time = -1, inc = 0;
     int64_t nodes = -1, min_nodes = -1, max_nodes = -1;
@@ -474,6 +502,11 @@ std::string benchPos[] = {
 
 void UCI::bench(int depth)
 {
+    if (!nnue_loaded)
+    {
+        std::cout << "info string ERROR: no net loaded, send setoption name EvalFile value <path> first" << std::endl;
+        return;
+    }
     TT = std::make_unique<HashTable>();
 
     info = Info();