Author: Marty Hirsch
Date: 01:32:17 12/29/97
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MCP7 is doing the "maximum" to produce strong, active and exciting chess. The Opening Library is designed to advance that goal by avoiding blocked positions and boring exchanges. In addition, the MCP7 Opening Library is designed for soundness, as well as variety. There are a large number of interesting variations included. These are "theoretical" lines in one sense or another. In fact, published "Chess Theory" is often not correct. M-Chess tries to improve on this with the lines it plays. M-Chess, like any chess-player needs to be able to continue what it starts. M-Chess has participated in public matches and tournaments, and has been available commercially for years. In competition it is commendable to be ready for anything your opponents, commercial or otherwise, might attempt. The strong showing of MCP7 at the Paris 1997 tournament seemed to validate that intent. The version 7 Opening Library is masterful and has excellent variety. Sandro has especially designed the MCP7 Opening Library to interest and challenge HUMAN chess students and opponents. I believe that it does so, well indeed. Starting with the 1995 World Champion M-Chess Pro 5.0, it has been my policy to include the tournament opening book with the latest program version, every year. There are book lines to move fifty, and some winning lines are included. Certainly, some of the lines are played by commercial opponents. But for every one that is, there are many interesting lines that are not played by any commercial opponents. Apart from computer/computer competition, is there any evidence that the M-Chess engine/book combination is effective? There is a record against human opposition. M-Chess was Best Computer at the Sixth AEGON Man/Machine Tournament, played at almost two hours per side. At the AEGON in 1995, M-Chess beat three IGM's: Christiansen, Cifuentes, and Sz. Polgar. In 1996 M-Chess won outright two tournaments pitting the top-rated programs against the Finnish National Chess Team, but lost a two-game match with IGM Nigel Short. In June 1997 M-Chess beat IGM Igor Efimov 3.5 to 2.5 in a match at ninety minutes per side. Recently, at 5 minute (plus 5 seconds per move), MCP7 beat IM Tom O'Donnell 9.5 to 0.5 at the office of the Canadian Chess Federation. Other consistently strong results have occurred also. At present, there is no definitive measure of the strength of chess programs. However M-Chess, like some other programs, has substantial value, for people who appreciate them and use them. -Marty Hirsch, author, M-Chess Professional
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