Author: Jon Dart
Date: 10:46:39 01/06/99
I have been running a test suite from ECE (Encylopedia of Chess Endings) for a while. The very first problem is this one: R7/8/8/8/3K4/8/3kp3/8 w - - bm Ra1; id "position 0001"; Crafty and Arasan both prefer Ra2+. Arasan's PV is Ra2+ Kd1 Kd3 e1=N+ Kc3 Nf3 etc. In words, White forces Black to under-promote and goes into a KR vs KN endgame, which is almost certainly drawn. Ra1 draws immediately, after e1=Q Rxe1 Kxe1. It is pretty hard to say that Ra2+ is really worse, but a human player would probably see that both approaches draw and opt for the draw right away. Computers don't do this because they see a material advantage in having the Rook versus the Knight and this looks better than the even score a draw gives (Arasan gives a reduced material score in this case but it still favors having the Knight). It looks to me like some of the other ECE problems have a similar theme. Do any programs like Ra1 better than Ra2+? --Jon
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