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Subject: Question for programmers about nonsense PV's

Author: Robin Smith

Date: 17:55:15 06/11/00


I have heard it said before in this newsgroup, that the reason PV's that are
displayed sometimes have nonesense moves, moves that give up material for no
reason for example (I have even seen ILLEGAL moves displayed in PV's!), is that
hash tables allow a program to know WHAT the evaluation of a position is but not
HOW (true PV) it came about.  Is there ANY way to have programs only show those
moves that can be KNOWN to be part of the PV that leads to the eval being
displayed?

The reason I ask is that I think the present way of displaying PV's is
misleading to non-programs such as myself.  One often hears comments like "the
computer plays the right move, but for the wrong reason".  Probably many times
it is for the RIGHT reason, but the PV that was displayed does not display the
reason.  Anyway, I think NO information is usually better than WRONG
information.  I would much rather see a short but accurate PV than a long and
misleading one.  I mean to say, ILLEGAL PV's??  Come on.  It must be possible to
do SOMETHING better than this!

Programmers out there, what are your thoughts?  Also, any estimates as to what
percentage of displayed PV's DO and what percentage DON'T display the correct
moves (the line that leads to the eval being displayed)?

Robin Smith



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