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Subject: Re: move in *zero* seconds?

Author: Oliver Roese

Date: 10:47:17 10/10/00

Go up one level in this thread


On October 09, 2000 at 11:48:45, Robert Hyatt wrote:

>On October 09, 2000 at 11:08:28, Oliver Roese wrote:
>
>>On October 09, 2000 at 10:12:16, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>
>>>On October 09, 2000 at 02:08:38, Dave Gomboc wrote:
>>>
>>>>On October 08, 2000 at 23:09:22, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>On October 08, 2000 at 13:55:12, Uri Blass wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>On October 08, 2000 at 13:41:07, Oliver Roese wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>On October 08, 2000 at 13:06:05, Uri Blass wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>On October 08, 2000 at 12:20:43, Oliver Roese wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>On October 08, 2000 at 09:28:44, Mike S. wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Should programs be able, or be allowed, to move in *zero* seconds of thinking
>>>>>>>>>>time?
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>I don't think so (except when the pondering prepared for an opponent's move
>>>>>>>>>>which is actually played), but I'd like to hear what others, especially blitz
>>>>>>>>>>players or users who have programs play blitz/lightning at servers, think about
>>>>>>>>>>this. Is it fair, to make series of moves in zero seconds?
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Probably, long sequences of very low quality moves in engine matches could be
>>>>>>>>>>avoided also, by forcing a minimum of 1 second (i.e. as a common standard in
>>>>>>>>>>computer chess programs).
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Thanks,
>>>>>>>>>>M.Scheidl
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>In opening and (very late) endgame computers act (almost) optimally.
>>>>>>>>>So surely nobody could say a competition in this case is "fair".
>>>>>>>>>Maybe "interesting" oder "challenging" for someone.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>I tried to match some computer-accounts on fics with a 2-12 timecontrol.
>>>>>>>>>But almost all dont allow that (surprise, surprise;)
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Oliver
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I think that they will allow standard 2-15 or 20-20 time control when you have
>>>>>>>>better chances so I do not understand why do you need 2-12 time control unless
>>>>>>>>the target is to increase your blitz rating.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I do not like the fact that the players care about rating and I think they
>>>>>>>>should care only about the game they play and not about rating when it is clear
>>>>>>>>that the rating is clearly distorted(the fact that people can inflate their
>>>>>>>>rating prove that the rating is distorted).
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Uri
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Sorry, but i have to take that as insulting, since you say i am acting not as a
>>>>>>>sportsman. I hope you regret your remark soon, so that we can continue to talk
>>>>>>>about computerchess, thank you.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Oliver
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I apologize if I insulted you.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I only wanted to say that 2 12 games against computers inflate the rating of
>>>>>>humans and avoiding 2 12 games against humans inflate the rating of computers.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I wanted to say also that I do not like the fact that people can increase their
>>>>>>rating by these means.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I think that if you are not interested in rating(I think they are meaningless
>>>>>>because of the distorted system) you can play standard time control games
>>>>>>against computers that are slightly slower than the 2 12 time control.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Uri
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>I disagree here.  2 12 is _not_ blitz chess by any measure of the game I have
>>>>>been playing for 40 years.  5 minute chess is blitz.  I have a pretty tight
>>>>>formula for crafty to make blitz blitz.  and standard standard.  IM's play
>>>>>crafty all the time at 30 30 or whatever.  This guy is more than welcome to
>>>>>do that.
>>>>>
>>>>>The most frequent reason for wanting to play a computer at 2 12 blitz is to
>>>>>cheat by using another program.  5 3 is doable by cheaters, but it is harder.
>>>>>but to play crafty, if someone wants a 12 sec increment, why not 10 12?  Oh,
>>>>>that wouldn't affect their blitz rating...
>>>>
>>>>When I played regularly on the ICS (!), the normal blitz time control was 2 12.
>>>>I'm no longer active on any chess servers, and while I realise that what is
>>>>considered to be the normal time control has sped up over the years, I don't
>>>>think that offering a computer a match at 2 12 is a particular indication of
>>>>wanting to cheat.  It sounds to me like it's an indication of wanting to have
>>>>enough time to (try to :-) have a good game without going really long.  With
>>>>some time to think, you might be able to do something clever like build up a
>>>>long-range attack, instead of just getting hammered in a really quick game.
>>>>
>>>
>>>I am not sure about why 2 12 is wanted.  If you can play 2 12, why not 6 14
>>>and move it to standard, which almost _any_ computer will play on the servers.
>>>How different is 2 12 and 6 14?  That is the point I don't understand.
>>>
>>If you dont understand something about me, feel free to ask me.
>>2 12 was only a suggestion.
>
>Sorry.  That was a quick change of topic.  my comment was about the fact that
>on all servers, 2 12 is (or was) the "default blitz time control".  It doesn't
>feel like blitz to me, and I have personally played a _lot_ of blitz chess over
>the years (blitz = 5 mins per side for most any club you visit, although you
>will find many people playing even faster).
>

Ok, i understand.

>2 12 is a common 'signature' for a computer 'cheater'.  The longer the
>increment, the easier it is to switch from the GUI, to the chess engine, and
>back again, without running out of time.  That was my point.  If you check
>on the servers, and you see someone that is winning maybe 1 of 4 games against
>1800 humans at 5 0, but then suddenly they play a 2800 computer and win half of
>the games, using a time control of 2 12 or some such, you _know_ what is going
>on there.
>
>I was not accusing you of using a computer, and if I implied that, then I am
>certainly sorry for doing so.  It was a general comment about 12 sec increments.
>GMs refuse to play those kinds of time controls because they _know_ their
>opponents will cheat.  That is why 3 0 is so very common, except against
>_known_ computers. There many GMs prefer 5 3, which is why crafty always has
>an outstanding 5 3 seek.
>
>
2 12 is not really blitz in my opinion.
But 5 3 is not "long" enough, to make the big difference, according to my
expirience. Here is why:
If you play against the machine with an inc > 0, using "guerilla-chess" you
either loose very quickly (by getting caught) or you play a very long game. Say
70 moves.
Under 5 3 controls you use then 5*60s+70*3s=510s=8m30s.
Under 2 12 controls you use then 2*60s+70*12s=960s=16m.
A big difference.


>>
>>
>>>I don't consider 2 12 blitz.  Nor does most of the 'strong' players I watch.
>>>Most GM players play more 3 0 and 5 0 than any other time control.  Although
>>>most are also wise enough to play 5 3 vs the computer to avoid time scrambles
>>>that they always lose.
>>>
>>I understand your difficulty.
>>There is an anomaly in fics, considering 2 12 as blitz, which it is effectively
>>not is.
>>I dont enforce you, to play under conditions you dont like. Just tell me, what
>>you want.
>
>
>I don't really care.  Crafty will _always_ play any standard time control game,
>up to at least 30 30 and sometimes 60 60.
>
>I think 6 12 is standard.  I have played some blitz matches with GM Walter
>Browne at 5 14 (I == Crafty here) and that came up as 'blitz' (no, he didn't
>do very well even at 5 14, the last match was 4 games and he won one and lost
>three).
>
>I play most any time control on request.  I simply try to avoid long inc games
>in blitz, because most of the time humans end up using a computer to help.  At
>5 3 it is much harder to cheat and win.
>
>
Even without getting the "blitz-bonus", i still see my chance with an inc > 0.
I once won against a multi-processor-version of fritz on chess.net under this
conditions. That got me roughly 75 ratingpoints.

Oliver
>
>
>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>To me, "standard" was always a serious rating -- you know, 60+ minutes per
>>>>player per game.  Playing a computer 10 12 as standard sure doesn't fit my idea
>>>>of serious, and I doubt you'd want crafty to be tied up for a couple of hours at
>>>>a time.
>>>>
>>>>Dave
>>>
>>>
>>>Crafty will play 30 30 which is certainly going to be at least one hour per side
>>>per game.  It has even played 60 60 in the past, but I cut that by 1/2 to avoid
>>>games that would take 5-6 hours.
>>
>>
>>Oliver



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