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Subject: Re: Knee jerk reaction!

Author: Robert Hyatt

Date: 07:21:08 09/11/04

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On September 11, 2004 at 09:56:58, Vasik Rajlich wrote:

>On September 10, 2004 at 23:55:25, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>
>>On September 10, 2004 at 22:55:30, enrico carrisco wrote:
>>
>>>On September 10, 2004 at 17:14:44, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>
>>>>On September 10, 2004 at 15:56:45, Sandro Necchi wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>On September 09, 2004 at 10:50:49, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>On September 08, 2004 at 19:12:56, Matthew White wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>On September 03, 2004 at 15:07:17, Graham Banks wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>On September 03, 2004 at 13:17:51, robert flesher wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>If you are going to waste your precious time and everyone else here then  please
>>>>>>>>>indicate that you have given unfair advantages to certain engines.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I think people should read the setup details and maybe look through the whole
>>>>>>>>range of games before going off half cocked!
>>>>>>>>All engines are using the Fritz powerbook tournament settings. There is the odd
>>>>>>>>strange opening due to the maximum variety setting used, but I think you'll find
>>>>>>>>that this has equally affected all engines and that no particular engine has
>>>>>>>>been disadvantaged.
>>>>>>>>For the final of the tournament I intend to optimise the powerbook settings, so
>>>>>>>>this should eliminate any unusual openings.
>>>>>>>>Graham.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Would it be a more equitable test to have each pair of opponents play both sides
>>>>>>>of each oddball opening?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>No...
>>>>>
>>>>>OK, I try to find an example to show you what you are stating. Again Bob is 100%
>>>>>correct.
>>>>>
>>>>>Now as you know the F1 cars do not use the same tyres; mainly there are 2
>>>>>company making them; let's call them X and Y.
>>>>>Since everybody is asked to improve as much as possible the latest improvements
>>>>>involve the tyres too.
>>>>>
>>>>>So if you state that ALL cars needs to use the same X tyres to eliminate
>>>>>advantages, you are not doing that as you are favoring those who have been
>>>>>working in cooperation with company X and penalizing those who have been
>>>>>cooperating with company Y, so improving the cars with those tyres.
>>>>>
>>>>>In your case it is even more unfair as the car company could make changes to
>>>>>reduce/eliminate the handicap, but you are chosing a chess program which is as
>>>>>it is and will suffer from that.
>>>>>
>>>>>If you think that you know more than me in this field I give you some figures:
>>>>>
>>>>>1) I am testing/checking computer games since 1976
>>>>>2) I think I have seen/checked something like 140.000 games (about 50% played by
>>>>>computers)
>>>>>3) I have tested/own something like 250 chess programs/chess boards (including
>>>>>experimenthal versions too).
>>>>>
>>>>>So, I can state that Bob is correct without any doubts.
>>>>>
>>>>>Sandro
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>I don't even understand how the topic keeps coming up over and over.  Games with
>>>>ponder=off.  Games with odd books.  Games with random books.  Games with both
>>>>sides forced into the same opening positions.  Games with no learning.  Games
>>>>with learning reset between games.  And I don't see how any of that produces
>>>>anything but excessive noise...
>>>>
>>>>But those of us that have done this a while understand the problem...
>>>>
>>>>Thanks...
>>>
>>>Well, let's not forget about John Nunn's positions.  Certainly, testing two
>>>engines and forcing them into these positions as either color is a useful
>>>benchmark.
>>
>>No it isn't.  Again, have you _ever_ seen a serious human tournament were
>>players were forced to play a specific opening, regardless of whether GM
>>consensus says the positions are equal or not?
>>
>>Of course not...
>>
>>And you can't expect the programs to be put in the same predicament either.  A
>>program _might_ play all positions well.  It _might_ play some better.  I'd say
>>the author has a feel for that and assists via reasonable book line preparation
>>to avoid the positions where the program plays poorly, and vice-versa.  Najdorf
>>lines come to mind as very dangerous and many avoid them completely for that
>>reason...
>>
>>
>>>
>>>If not, then Hiarcs 9 was produced on about 50% excessive noise.  Maybe we can
>>>turn it into an MP3 player... :P
>>
>>Hiarcs might do well in _any_ position.  But then I know human players that play
>>any opening as well.  But not _all_ humans do that.  neither do all programs...
>>
>>
>>>
>>>
>>>-elc.
>
>You could say that each engine has a "tournament strength" and a "general
>strength". The latter can be a good measurement of how useful the engine is as
>an analysis tool, for example.
>
>Vas


Wouldn't argue there at all...



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