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Subject: Re: Computer haters?: No, you are realistic!

Author: Alvaro Polo

Date: 08:06:13 07/19/00

Go up one level in this thread


On July 19, 2000 at 08:14:56, Amir Ban wrote:

>On July 19, 2000 at 03:55:44, blass uri wrote:
>
>>On July 18, 2000 at 19:10:46, Amir Ban wrote:
>>
>>>On July 18, 2000 at 14:05:46, Jeroen Noomen wrote:
>>>
>>>>On July 18, 2000 at 09:29:12, Amir Ban wrote:
>>>>
>>>>Amir,
>>>>
>>>>I agree that Junior earned its points honestly. I also agree with most you write
>>>>about these games. Still, you don't point out anything about the losses against
>>>>Kramnik and Piket. And that was exactly what I had in mind writing this thread.
>>>>Those two games showed exactly where chess computer programs still can be
>>>>improved. And HAVE to be improved, otherwise human GM's will have good chances
>>>>to get more points next year. And they will, because they have learnt.
>>>>
>>>>IMO if you solve most of the problems about king's attacks and closed positions,
>>>>then it will be almost impossible for the strongest GM's ta beat a computer.
>>>>Because in that case they have no advantage in any type of position anymore. But
>>>>in 2000 there is still not much to be done when a clever player manages to block
>>>>the position or start a slow attack: The programs do not know about this and
>>>>only human mistakes will save them.
>>>>
>>>>So the crucial question is: When will one of the leading programmer stop
>>>>searching for higher NPS, better searching techniques etc? When somebody will
>>>>REALLY tackle the 2 problems I mentioned? Because otherwise a computer can still
>>>>be beaten in 2010, running on 500 GHz. But as I already mentioned: This is the
>>>>computerchess paradox: NOBODY wants to sac NPS for more knowledge. And as long
>>>>as nobody wants to quit this 'rule', human GM's are still superior in knowledge
>>>>and understanding of the game.
>>>>
>>>>Jeroen
>>>>
>>>
>>>The speed vs. knowledge dilemma is a false one. It may apply to Rebel and other
>>>programs, but it doesn't apply to Junior, where I have a framework to code
>>>evaluation stuff virtually for free.
>>
>>2 questions:
>>1)I guess that the fact that you can add evaluation stuff virtually for free
>>in run time make adding knowledge to the evaluation less simple and you need
>>more time to do the design decisions to change the evaluation function relative
>>to other programs.
>>
>>Am I correct?
>>
>
>No

I'll believe that adding new knowledge to Junior is almost free. I have then two
questions.

1.- Why isn't then Junior's evaluation much better? Please don't misunderstand
me. I am sure it has a great evaluation but, one may think that when things are
almost free you could just add any bit of knowledge that you might consider
useful under any circumstance and have a really astounding, hypergreat, out of
this world evaluation.

2.- Assuming that DJ already outsearches GMs and assuming that its evaluation
will soon be better than GMs also, when do you believe DJ will beat the reigning
WC in a match?

Alvaro Polo

>
>
>>
>>
>>2)I know that Junior6a does not have a trapped knight code at least in part of
>>the positions.
>>Here is one position that demonstrates it  from the game Junior6a-tal(15 minutes
>>per move with no pondering)
>>
>>[D]r4rk1/pp1n1pbp/2p1p1p1/3nP3/2B2P1q/2N4P/PPPBQP2/2KR3R w - - 0 1
>>
>>Junior blundered by 14.Qg4 and only after 14...Qxf2 it understood that it lost a
>>pawn(15.Bxd5 cxd5 16.Nxd5 h5 17.Qg1 Qxg1 18.Ne7+ is bad because the knight is
>>trapped in e7).
>>
>>
>>Can you evaluate this stuff virtually for free?
>>
>
>In principle yes, but I wouldn't do it in this case because it's not clear how
>to formulate it. The knight is not really trapped. It can be defended by
>friendly pieces. There may be a bishop on c8 that could be exchanged for it. In
>the late endgame with few pieces on board the knight would not be trapped at all
>because the back rank is free, etc. etc.
>
>It's a common error to code an evaluation term with a specific position in mind,
>and then find that your program applies it in dozens of positions where you
>don't want it applied.
>
>Amir



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