Author: Robert Hyatt
Date: 16:52:25 07/17/00
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On July 17, 2000 at 16:38:42, Jeroen Noomen wrote: >Hi all, > >The Dutch championship and Dortmund have made one thing very clear: Computers >still have no idea what to do in blocked positions and how to prevent or defend >against a king's attack. > >IMO the situation is as follows, what I will call 'the big chess program >paradox': > >1. I am programmer and wondering what to do about these > horrible king side attacks and blocked positions. > >2. I try a lot of extra knowledge and EUREKA, it works! > >3. Unfortunately there is a side effect: The NPS drops from > 400 KNodes to 200 KNodes. > >This 'little' side effect makes me start thinking: > >4. If I make this program commercially available, it will > do bad against other programs. Why? Simple: I had 400 KNodes, > now I have only 200, so I am outsearched. > >5. If it scores bad against other programs, I get a very low > rating in Sweden and I score (probably) bad in tactical > positions. > >6. After this, all people reading magazines, visiting CCC and > playing computer programs will say: 'This is a bad program. > It scores bad, is slow and thus it is weak'. > >Conclusion: I, the programmer, will NOT do this. It's commercially >not a good thing to do! > >And then I ask myself: Do I need more NPS versus humans? Is 400 >Knodes enough? Or do I fancy 4.000? What is the point against strong >GM's to make it stronger in an aspect of the game (tactics) where it >is already superior? > >Dear programmers, Christophe, Amir, Bob, Ed, Stefan and all others: >I am very interested in your opinion about this matter! > >Jeroen You have had my opinion for a couple of years. I don't give much thought to playing other computers. I am _much_ more interested in the "GM problem" that I have been seeing for so long. This is why Crafty _is_ far slower today than it was 2-3 years ago. This is also why it is much harder to lock the position up against it today than 2-3 years ago. I have a long way to go, but I have come a long way in detecting blocked positions. My only real "hole" at present is that I have told Crafty blocked positions are "bad". I eventually have to tell it "they are drawish" so that it will know to block things when it senses trouble, rather than sensing trouble _and_ trying to open things up at the same time... It is a hard problem, but I believe it is solvable. > > >PS You want to know why I started loving Rebel and I still love it? >Because it is far slower than the top programs, but KNOWS more about >positional chess!
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