Author: Ed Schröder
Date: 02:57:35 03/16/98
>Posted by Dirk Frickenschmidt on March 15, 1998 at 06:37:35: >In Reply to: Re: Fritz 5 and SSDF and auto232 drivers posted by Keith Ian >Price on March 15, 1998 at 02:53:17: >On March 15, 1998 at 02:53:17, Keith Ian Price wrote: >Hi Keith, >as a user I understand and completely share your view about autoplaying! >And just like you I find it a real improvement if an autoplayer changes >colours after each game, like the Fritz5 autoplayer, which should be a >standard feature for all of them. >But I also understand the problems for the programmers in the age of >outbooking by a combination of heavy book learning features combined >with auto-testing. >This combination allows you to play a long series of games against an >opponent already rated in the SSDF *before* you release the program. >Then you take out all losing (and perhaps drawing) games and melt the >winning games into the book up to move x. Now the effect will be that if >the two programs play against each other the book learning will lead the >new program very fast to exactly those pre-played winning lines. The new >program will simply repeat its long before generated auto-played wins >(or draws). >In effect the percentage of wins (and draws) will become much higher >than the program's real playing strength ever could be. >It's no cheat insofar as it repeats real wins gained by autoplaying >before, but it's a *heavy* cheat considering the fact that it omits most >or many of the real losses that would have happened without this kind of >tuning. >Under these circumstances it is hard for a programmer not to see his >program being outboked by later programs, *if* he allows autoplaying by >providing an autoplayer or allowing one to be used with his Dos-program. >I am convinced that this problem has to be solved before the autoplayers >can get their normal function back: to provide real results for users, >testers and programmers without any twisting around with them in this - >from my view - completely unacceptable way. >Until now I see no way how this misuse could be prevented. But I hope >either a a programmer agreement (unlikely) or some new technical ideas >by someone like Bob Hyatt or other programmers could show us a solution. >Missing autoplay features really mean a mess and something like having >to stay in the computer chess stoneage for users. >Not acceptable for long. >So please programmers gather and find a solution! Unrealistic view Dirk :)) Remember the programmers are to blame and not the SSDF! The programmers have taken advantage of AUTO232 adding special software to their released programs. Rebel8 (just in time) came with a memory resident learner only active when running AUTO232. This to prevent Rebel8 being outplayed on SSDF. It works good as long as you don't interrupt a match. If a match is interrupted the learner results are lost. Hiarcs3 has a similar system. There was no time (due to release pressure) to change the software and save the learn results permanently on disk. Rebel9 came with a book learner. Results are now saved on disk. Avoid lost games, repeat won games. In principal programmed for the public but as a CLEAR second goal not to be slaughtered on SSDF. Let's face it, book learning is way of out control in comp-comp games. Just look at the SSDF Fritz5 - Rebel8 (P90) 31.5 - 8.5 and count the doubles. This weekend I checked these 40 games and found out that the Rebel8 memory resident learner is bypassed by either temporarily interrupting the F5-R8 match or not starting R8 with the "A" parameter. I understand the SSDF tester, he wants to use his PC's for other purposes too. However my point is that if the F5(200) - R8(P90) 40 game match is replayed without any interruption the 31.5 - 8.5 score (by far) will not be reproduced because of the R8 memory resident learner. I have checked these 40 games and found out that in almost all cases the R8 learner was not active. It's my opinion that the solution is very simple and is fully in the hands of the SSDF themselves. #1. Remove all the doubles. #2. Accept only general accepted AUTO232 software also available for the public to check. SSDF is in full control. They set the rules. They have my trust. In the meantime you may give me your advice what to do. #1. Spent 3-4-5 months of my time to write the perfect comp-comp learner? Goal: ELO 2900 on SSDF but in reality 400 points less? #2. Forget about SSDF and fully concentrate on the engine and useful new features? #3. Resign from SSDF, Rebel not on SSDF anymore, this in combination with point #2? #4. Leave things as they are? At the moment I am in favor of #3. If I was not commercial I would certainly pick option #3 based on idealistic grounds. But I am not and here the problems starts... Any advice is welcome. - Ed - >Kind regards from Dirk
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