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Subject: Re: probable Kasparov ting.

Author: Robert Hyatt

Date: 20:13:58 01/09/00

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On January 09, 2000 at 21:10:29, Mark Young wrote:

>On January 09, 2000 at 18:33:26, Enrique Irazoqui wrote:
>
>>On January 09, 2000 at 17:43:32, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>
>>>Let's not go off the deep end here.  I personally don't give a care about
>>>his comments.  Feel free to tell him to drop by ICC at any point in time he
>>>chooses and demonstrate how badly Crafty plays in a few blitz games.  He
>>>reminds me of the "catfish" in the deep south waterways.  Eat anything.  Dumb
>>>as a rock.  We say "he is like a catfish, all mouth and no brains" when some-
>>>one makes silly and easily refutable remarks...
>>>
>>>Kasparov is in ChessBase's pocket.  However, from this point forward, since
>>>we are going to continue to see this, I believe that I will simply choose to
>>>say that "no more crafty versions will be available for ChessBase products".
>>>
>>>If it is so bad, they really don't need it anyway.  If I see any future versions
>>>on their web site, I will let my attorney do the talking.
>>
>>The article is poisonous and I understand your anger, but I think you are not
>>aiming well. First of all, I can't imagine Kasparov being in anybody's pocket.
>>Second, the heated argument about Deep Blue can easily explain the animosity
>>towards Crafty without resorting to third parties.
>>
>>What I can tell you is that I keep receiving regular updates of Crafty for CB,
>>together with positive comments about it. I don't believe in the long and
>>sinister arm of CB, and even less in this case.
>>
>>Enrique
>
>I don't see why Bob is so upset. The comments made are pretty much accurate.

Actually they are way off, and here is why:


>
>"Crafty is extremely strong in tactics." ....True

Dead false. Try _any_ commercial program on a tactical test position, and then
try Crafty.  I have not tried to fiddle a lot with deep search extensions, and
am usually far slower than everybody else to find a deep tactical shot.  The
King may be the best, but others like Rebel are very good.  I do _not_ consider
crafty very tactical.



>
>"it makes positional errors and misplays some endgames" ....True

It misplays fewer endgames than most commercial programs.  It certainly has
some knowledge that none of them at present are using.




>
>"It doesn?t understand piece mobility." ....True, but could use more
>explaination.

Dead false.  I use mobility where it is important, because my bitmap stuff
makes it totally free to do so.  IE it pretty well understands good vs bad
bishops, due to this.  etc.



>
>"Crafty is a weak program compared with the best commercial chess
>programs."....True
>
>I have seen no crafty results even by you that dispute those observations. Bob
>may not like it but at this time his program is still weaker then the top
>programs. It must be noted that bob has closed the gap in the last year, but
>crafty is still not on par with the top commercail programs.


I play the top commercial programs on ICC all the time, at long standard
time controls.  So far, nobody is 'killing me'.  I can't think of a program
that I am not at least breaking even with, and really can not think of one
of those.  Yes I have faster hardware.  But I spent the time to make the program
use it...

But the real fly in the ointment was to say it is not playing well, then give
a tournament where it finished in second place above the programs the guy was
praising...  and in that tournament it was on _equal_ hardware.

You might notice one thing in my writing here and elsewhere.  I don't run down
other programs.  Because I _know_ that every chess program represents a heck of
a lot of work.  De Gorter obviously doesn't know much about it at all...  and it
shows...



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