Author: Colin Frayn
Date: 05:26:08 04/25/00
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On April 25, 2000 at 08:16:11, Jerry Adams wrote: > I'm assuming that since there are only a dozen programs currently rated over >2400+ that it must be extremely difficult to program a IM/GM level program. >Does this effort require Above Average ability in programming? If so Why is it >so difficult? Is it just as difficult to becomne a 2400+ programmer as it is to >become a Grandmaster? These Questions are asked out of curiosity. I think one >tends to appreciate these super programms more when you understand the work >which is behind it. Sure you have to be pretty damn good. Not that I'd know of course as my program is nowhere near that standard. To get a 2400+ program you have to implement pretty much all of the leading theoretical techniques, some of which are a little tricky to code to say the least. In addition, just fine tuning the program can take (literally) years. I've been fiddling around with the material weightings and the various point values in ColChess for a long time now and the progress is very slow. I think it just takes a great deal of patience. I spent a lot of time just slightly increasing the speed of a few routines so that some of the more commonly called ones run extremely quickly. I also spent ages improving the move generation code. But at the end of the day you need to understand and know how to implement _acurately_ many methods that I've simply not used. Implementing them is one thing. Debugging them takes a great deal longer of course. Oh, and it helps if you're an IM level chess player as well, which I'm definitely nowhere near. There's just a few things that you never really think about until someone points them out, and they actually improve the play of your program substantially. One extremely potent example of this is endgame code, especially all of the irritating small rules for correct play in KP endgames. Anyway, I'm sure those people who've actually _written_ 2400+ programs will be able to say a bit more.... ;) Cheers, Col
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