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Subject: Re: Computer haters?: No, you are realistic!

Author: Amir Ban

Date: 16:10:46 07/18/00

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On July 18, 2000 at 14:05:46, Jeroen Noomen wrote:

>On July 18, 2000 at 09:29:12, Amir Ban wrote:
>
>Amir,
>
>I agree that Junior earned its points honestly. I also agree with most you write
>about these games. Still, you don't point out anything about the losses against
>Kramnik and Piket. And that was exactly what I had in mind writing this thread.
>Those two games showed exactly where chess computer programs still can be
>improved. And HAVE to be improved, otherwise human GM's will have good chances
>to get more points next year. And they will, because they have learnt.
>
>IMO if you solve most of the problems about king's attacks and closed positions,
>then it will be almost impossible for the strongest GM's ta beat a computer.
>Because in that case they have no advantage in any type of position anymore. But
>in 2000 there is still not much to be done when a clever player manages to block
>the position or start a slow attack: The programs do not know about this and
>only human mistakes will save them.
>
>So the crucial question is: When will one of the leading programmer stop
>searching for higher NPS, better searching techniques etc? When somebody will
>REALLY tackle the 2 problems I mentioned? Because otherwise a computer can still
>be beaten in 2010, running on 500 GHz. But as I already mentioned: This is the
>computerchess paradox: NOBODY wants to sac NPS for more knowledge. And as long
>as nobody wants to quit this 'rule', human GM's are still superior in knowledge
>and understanding of the game.
>
>Jeroen
>

The speed vs. knowledge dilemma is a false one. It may apply to Rebel and other
programs, but it doesn't apply to Junior, where I have a framework to code
evaluation stuff virtually for free.

Speed is not the issue here, anyway, I agree. Fritz is often quicker in spotting
the disaster, but that usually doesn't help it to avoid it. By most accounts,
it's easier to drag Fritz than Junior into disaster-prone games.

There are relatively simple ways to avoid blocked positions that are usually
effective. One of them is assymetric evaluation (another is opening
preparation). However I don't like artificial constructions in my program and I
prefer to work on improving the evaluation to correct its weak points rather
than evade them.

Amir




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