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Subject: Re: Can a Programming Language Cause Engines to be Slow?

Author: Sune Fischer

Date: 04:52:41 11/15/02

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On November 13, 2002 at 20:13:43, Bob Durrett wrote:

>>There are many distinct ways to make a chess engine stronger.  One way is to
>>improve the evaluation function.  Doing this does not change the algorithms
>
>I guess I don't know exactly what the definition of the word "algorithm" is in
>this context.  I thought that position evaluation was done by a software
>implementation of a "position evaluation algorithm."

Although you are right, that the evaluation is really more an algoritm than a
function (the function _is_ an algorithm!), the word is rarely used here.

I guess the reason is that the evaluation "function" is called at the leafs of
the search tree, thus making it "point-like" in our minds.
For some reason the function to search the tree has a more algorithmic feel than
the evaluation function. Where to go, what to think about etc. that feels more
like an algorithm.

But an algorithm can really be anything:

void day() {
1) stop your alarm clock
2) get out of bed
3) go to the bathroom
4) take a shower {
  1) turn on the water
  2) get wet
  3) use the soap
  4) wash soap off
  5) dry yourself
  }
5) eat breakfast...
...
}
So it doesn't say a lot.

-S.



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