Computer Chess Club Archives


Search

Terms

Messages

Subject: Re: Knee jerk reaction!

Author: Sandro Necchi

Date: 12:49:16 09/13/04

Go up one level in this thread


On September 13, 2004 at 06:21:04, Uri Blass wrote:

>On September 13, 2004 at 01:25:25, Sandro Necchi wrote:
>
>>On September 12, 2004 at 16:52:48, Sune Fischer wrote:
>>
>>>On September 12, 2004 at 16:43:02, Sandro Necchi wrote:
>>>
>>>>OK, this is true, but think about this:
>>>>
>>>>1. Program A with his own book play at 2650 Elo
>>>>2. program A without any book (may) play at 2600 Elo
>>>>3. Program A with another book can play from 2500 to 2650 depending how suiting
>>>>his style the book is...This is due to the fact that an opening book can make a
>>>>program play worse than without if bringing the program in positions it does not
>>>>like.
>>>>
>>>>so, how can you know how strong is a program if you let it play with a different
>>>>book?
>>>
>>>I can't, that's why I never use books in testing but instead I used fixed
>>>positions.
>>
>>It is the same as we are talking about positions not suiting the program style.
>>
>>I.e.: If a program is not suiting to play the French defence, than it will play
>>that one bad.
>>If you force the position it is the same than to get it from a different book.
>
>I think that a program should know to play all positions well.

This would be ideal, but so far no one did.
>
>I prefer not to test the program with book because I believe that if I improve
>the program in set of positions then it is probably possible to improve it also
>in games by the right book.
>
>I believe that stefan use similiar idea because I rememeber that you said about
>one new version of shredder that it is stronger but the book does fit the style
>of previous version so with the opening book that people buy it is nearly the
>same level.

No, it is not as you say.

When a programmer change the program a lot the book may need to be modified as
some positions may not be suiting the program anymore and others may be better.

The problem is that to change the program may be relatively quick, but to check
the new potentiality of the program as well new weaknesses takes a lot of time
and even more to change the book partially or a lot.

The only way one can find out about the new possibility is to analyse the
program games and see it when it play what is pondering, expected replies, time
to find the correct move, time to find the correct reply, ability to find
difficult moves, ability to find the correct defence, ability to use the pieces
and so on...when the picture is complete, then it is possible to investigate
specifically.

>
>I also think that testing program in many positions that are not in the original
>book can help to build a better book.

No, see above.

If you play soccer and you are not tall and I see that you are not good with the
head, it is time lost to test new schemes which involve you trying to make goal
with the head with high coming balls...

I call this optimizing work/time usage...
>
>Uri

Sandro



This page took 0 seconds to execute

Last modified: Thu, 15 Apr 21 08:11:13 -0700

Current Computer Chess Club Forums at Talkchess. This site by Sean Mintz.