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Subject: Genetichal growing of chess-engines

Author: Stefano Gemma

Date: 03:00:47 08/18/00


I've seen some thread, in WinBoard forum, talking about some clone of chess
program, this make me think about an interesting idea. The sources of some
program are available to public domain, i think about GnuChess, Crafty and so
on. Any programmer can take that sources, modify them and releases a new
program, that is partially made from the original source. Someone take piece of
code (or algorithm) from various author, making that way some "Frankenstein
program". Someone (a few ones, i think) starts from scratch. So we have three
kind of "new" programs:

1) started from scratch programs
2) variation of some base program
3) frankenstein programs ;-)

This situation make me think about the way genetic algorithm works... or better:
how evolution itself works. The base programs are the father/mother of child
programs. Child programs can be clones of a single parent (type 2) with some
variation (as occurs in DNA copying errors). Other child programs can be the
result of a crossing the "DNA" of various programs (type 3). All the programs
will compete with its parents and brothers, in the virtual world of
chess-software matches. the stronger programs (Crafty, for sample) are more
interesting for new programmers. This will simulate a natural competion and
selection. The Crafty's DNA will be transferred to new programs, with some
modification. I think this is good, beacause it will give us stronger programs
but... it is even dangerous beacause doing so we will explore just a way to
solve chess-software probles. Luckly, we have programs of the first type. Maybe
they are weeker than the stronger ones, but they give us new interesting ideas.

I think that we need all the 3 kind of programs, to raise the complexity of this
strange virtual world.

Ciao!!!



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