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Subject: Re: Clarification if Cheating could be excluded from Computerchess

Author: Robert Hyatt

Date: 19:06:39 05/09/00

Go up one level in this thread


On May 08, 2000 at 15:20:23, Hans Gerber wrote:

>On May 08, 2000 at 10:37:54, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>
>>On May 08, 2000 at 08:35:08, Hans Gerber wrote:
>>
>>>On May 06, 2000 at 23:25:47, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>
>>>>But _none_ of this has anything to do with being able to detect or prove the
>>>>absence or presence of cheating.  It simply can not be done.  You give me an
>>>>experimental set-up that you like.  I'll explain how I will still cheat without
>>>>your being able to detect it>>>
>>>
>>>Just to remind the group: we were talking about the DB vs Kasparov match in
>>>1997.
>>>
>>>Isn't it obvious that the scientists should have granted Kasparov a look into
>>>the prints of the logfile if the proof that nothing had happened that could be
>>>called cheating?
>>
>>
>>Absolutely not.  First, it would give Kasparov a chance to see how deep the
>>thing searches, how it extends.  How it evaluates some positional
>>considerations.  It would be a decided advantage for Kasparov had he had this
>>kind of information.  Injecting it into the middle of the match would have
>>definitely tainted the results.
>>
>>Second, the logs could have been 'doctored' as the game was played.  A human
>>overrode a move.  He could edit the log immediately and make it appear that the
>>machine liked the move.
>
>With the exact time for the move? Even experts had no chance to find out?
>

Sure. Post any position you want here, which no computer can solve.  I'll
post "crafty's" solution quickly, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that it
can make the right move.  I can type quickly, and I know VI inside-out.  :)



>Then I repeat my point. It would have been the obligation of the scientists
>decades ago to think about it.

we did.  we decided the problem was not solvable.  For every measure a cheater
tries, you have to have a counter-measure.  And for every counter-measure you
produce, he will produce a counter-counter-measure.

It would be an endless battle.  If I thought someone would cheat, I would
simply elect to not play them.






>
>>
>>
>>>
>>>My "set-up"-hint?
>>>
>>>To find right from the beginning of your research how to control and thus assure
>>>objectivity of your results.
>>>
>>>Is it so difficult to understand?
>>>
>>>IMO the long tradition of computerchess events has shown that the actors, most
>>>of them scientists, had a mutual agreement about the procedere. They were
>>>scientists and behaved like that. It was more or less fun.
>>>
>>>Therefore they neglected the genuine question of control. Although the
>>>possibilities for cheating were there.
>>>
>>>As we know there is a long tradition of so-called experimental matches between
>>>strong computers and humans. The stronger the hardware became, the better the
>>>machine could play. Even GM players had difficulties to get good results. Still
>>>the whole events were more or less fun.
>>>
>>>Then came the close cooperation between the DB team and Kasparov. If we neglect
>>>the question of money, it's still fun. Look at Kasparov's own comments on the
>>>strength of DEEP BLUE after the first match. If DB had all the weaknesses
>>>Kasparov detected it's completely nonsense to talk about the ultimate match to
>>>decide the fight between The Machine and The Human Race ...
>>>
>>>You can't have "fun" and at the same time an event that should _prove_ who
>>>really should be regarded as the strongest chessplayer of the world.
>>>
>>>The participation of scientists however seemed to guarantee that this proof
>>>could be presented.
>>>
>>>Fact is that G. Kasparov had the impression that something wasn't kosher with
>>>the second game. He thought that he could win some insight if he could see the
>>>logfiles. They were promised then denied. So for Kasparov this was a support for
>>>his suspicion. He could no longer concentrate on the match, his thoughts  went
>>>back to this game number two. The outcome of the match did no longer interest
>>>him which can be seen especially in the 6th game.
>>>
>>>The proof that the machine could beat the human was not there.
>>>
>>>I have no idea how we could _control_ the output of the machine, but many might
>>>be here who have ideas for a solution.
>>
>>
>>I have been doing this almost forever.  I have participated in numerous
>>discussions on how to prevent cheating in comp vs comp matches. The bottom line
>>is that it is impossible to do.
>
>
>Could you give further details? Why could there be a cheating if the output
>would be controlled automatically by the machine itself and cams, so no human is
>nearby?
>
>If the main machine is in the tournament room, why should it be impossible to
>control the output?


the output comes from _inside_ the machine.  I simply 'doctor' it before it
comes out...  IE it likes e4.  I tell it to play f4.  It plays f4 and the log
shows analysis for f4, produced by the machine...



>
>
>
>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>>Kasparov should not be regarded as an especially difficult human being. All
>>>chessplayers hate being cheated. So, if we want proof if a machine could play
>>>better chess than the best humans we should at _least_ guarantee that the
>>>machine won the match on its own. Including match psychology and so on.
>>>
>>>Any ideas?
>>
>>
>>Note that several people _did_ look over the output.  Ken Thompson was one
>>such person that was a friend to Kasparov as well.  He said that everything
>>looked perfectly normal.  Kasparov would have no idea of whether the machine's
>>output indicated cheating, or anything else.



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