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Subject: Re: But Not Yet As Good As Deep Blue '97

Author: Robert Hyatt

Date: 05:25:13 07/20/00

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On July 20, 2000 at 01:52:05, Ed Schröder wrote:

>On July 19, 2000 at 20:07:55, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>
>>On July 19, 2000 at 16:38:18, Ed Schröder wrote:
>>
>>>On July 19, 2000 at 14:12:14, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>
>>>>On July 19, 2000 at 12:53:59, Ed Schröder wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>On July 19, 2000 at 12:04:25, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>On July 19, 2000 at 00:51:49, Ed Schröder wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>On July 18, 2000 at 21:58:45, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>On July 18, 2000 at 16:49:19, Peter Kappler wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>On July 18, 2000 at 16:03:28, Ed Schröder wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>On July 18, 2000 at 14:08:54, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>On July 18, 2000 at 11:38:01, Ed Schröder wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>On July 18, 2000 at 10:58:51, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>On July 18, 2000 at 02:00:31, Ed Schröder wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>On July 17, 2000 at 20:08:06, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>On July 17, 2000 at 17:02:22, Peter Kappler wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>On July 17, 2000 at 16:09:09, Amir Ban wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>On July 17, 2000 at 07:22:41, Graham Laight wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I'm afraid I still feel that Junior could have come out ahead (instead of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>level)in this tournament by beating Bareev and Khalifman - and possibly by not
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>losing with such apparent ease to Kramnik. Continuing the game against Anand
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>might possibly have gained an extra half point as well.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I think that Amir has an aspiration to make his program demonstably better than
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Deep Blue (this certainly comes across in his interviews published on the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Chessbase Website coverage of Dortmund (www.chessbase.com) before the Kramnik
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>game). If so, as a (hopefully!) impartial member of the viewing public, I'm
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>afraid to say that I've yet to be convinced.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>As evidence, I point firstly to the games against Bareev and Khalifman. On both
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>occasions when Deep Blue '97 gained an advantage over Gary Kasparov (who's a
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>better player than anyone at Dortmund was), it parlayed that advantage into
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>victory - whilst Deep Junior twice failed conspicuously to "slam in the lamb".
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I would also point to the game against Khalifman. Here we see Deep Junior lose
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>to a combination of blocked centre and king attack - classic anti computer
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>methods which have both been well known for a long time. They work because, in
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>this case, nothing short of truly massive search depth is going to help you to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>make the correct moves.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>However, for both king attack and blocked centre, Deep Blue '97 demonstrated
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>that it's evaluation knowledge was able to adequately handle the challenge.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Indeed, in game 2 in '97, Deep Blue not only handled the blocked centre, it
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>turned it into a win!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>It took Deep Blue 2 attempts to beat Gary Kasparov, the world's best player -
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>maybe another year of work will push Deep Junior to a position where it can try
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>to win these tournaments, instead of settling for a middling position.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>But let's not be completely churlish - Dortmund 2000 was indeed a fantastic
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>performance by Deep Junior - and a landmark in computer chess history, since
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>here is both a computer and a program which one can buy in the shops!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I disagree with most of this, but it's your opinion, and if experience teaches
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>us anything, it's useless to argue.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>For the record, I'm not trying to prove that I'm better than Deep Blue. I think
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I've already shown this some time ago, and I'm not the only one who can say so
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>either.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Looking at the (very few) games of DB, I don't see that it had either better
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>evaluation or deeper search than today's top programs.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Amir
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I must say I'm skeptical, though I would have a good laugh if it were true.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Are you aware of any positions from the 2nd Kasparov-DB match where Junior (or
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>any other micro) plays a clearly better move than DB?  Not that this would
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>conclusively prove a thing - it would just be interesting.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>--Peter
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Or we can take a few of the positions from the DB log files and try them on
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>"top programs".  I'm not aware of any "top program" that can do 16-18 plies
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>in the middlegame...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Please post these positions that would be fun and you might be surprised
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>about the outcome. But the key-moves must be clear as there should be no
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>discussion what is the best move. I for example don't believe the Rc6 vs
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Rc7 is a good position as this is a case of 0.10 (or so) in evaluation.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Ed
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>I am not talking about "key move" at all.  I am talking about doing a full-width
>>>>>>>>>>>>>exhaustive search to depth 16-18 in the middlegame, in the same positions where
>>>>>>>>>>>>>DB did 16-18 ply full-width searches.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>I don't believe _anybody_ can match their depth/speed.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>All fine but where are the promised positions from the log-files...
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>Ed
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>I didn't "promise" any positions:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Yes you are right after I read again. I thought you had some challenging
>>>>>>>>>>positions for us poor micro users to compare. What a pity.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Ed
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>I would suggest that we take a close look at some of the positions from game 1
>>>>>>>>>of the '97 match.  It's the only game that DB lost.  Could the micros have
>>>>>>>>>avoided some of those mistakes at tournament time controls?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>BTW, I don't think it's interesting to compare search depths with the IBM
>>>>>>>>>logfiles, as Bob has suggested.  I think Amir's original point was that Junior
>>>>>>>>>searches as deeply as DB in the lines where it matters.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>--Peter
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I would claim that point is nonsense.  You only have to read their papers on
>>>>>>>>DT and DB to see what their search was doing, extension-wise.  It was quite
>>>>>>>>sophisticated, as it proved over and over against micro programs in ACM events.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I would claim that point is nonsense. Chess is about playing the right
>>>>>>>moves. We have seen machines with >200 processors losing all the time
>>>>>>>from the micros. If memory serves me well no multi-processor system was
>>>>>>>able to win the world champion title since 1992, Deep Thought included.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>And?  Let's try the following dates:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>1983, 1986 (both cray machines)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>1989, special purpose machine
>>>>>>
>>>>>>1992, no "big iron" present (cray blitz, deep thought).
>>>>>>
>>>>>>1995 DT lost one game.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>So your statement, while true, is not exactly revealing of what went on.  My
>>>>>>program is not doing badly today.  It is (except for wild null move R) very
>>>>>>similar to Cray Blitz of 1995 in terms of search extensions and knowledge
>>>>>>(except I am not yet using singular extensions as I did in 1995 CB).  I don't
>>>>>>think the micros were as far ahead of the 'big iron' as you want to believe.
>>>>>>You think it was all hardware.  It wasn't.  And I agree that it still isn't
>>>>>>today.  But a better program, on faster hardware, will beat a good program on
>>>>>>slow hardware most (but not all) of the time.
>>>>>
>>>>>We have been going through this issue how many times? :)
>>>>>
>>>>>Fact is this is the year 2000 five years after Hong Kong where everybody
>>>>>included me expected DT to become the new world champion due to its huge
>>>>>hardware advantage. It did not happen.
>>>>>
>>>>>I don't see any reason why this could not happen again.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>I don't either. But take the following scenario:  Someone walks up to you and
>>>>says that all the programs in the world are going to gather, including the 97
>>>>version of deep blue, and they are going to play a round-robin chess tournament.
>>>>You have to pick one program to win the event.  If you are wrong, you lose your
>>>>head.  You _must_ bet on one program to win, you have no other choice.
>>>>
>>>>Who do _you_ bet on?  To me it is a no-brainer...
>>>>
>>>>I wouldn't be happy having to bet on DB, but I can't think of anyone that would
>>>>have a better chance to win, even though we _know_ that "crap happens" and any
>>>>program can lose a game under the right circumstances.
>>>>
>>>>But what about probability?  I think it would be open and shut to pick the
>>>>program with the best chance, with no thought at all required.
>>>>
>>>>And yes, there would be a significant chance that you will lose your head.  But
>>>>if you pick anybody _but_ DB, the probability goes up dramatically that you will
>>>>one day star in "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow".  :)
>>>
>>>I have a more realistic scenario. Micro's have made tremendous progress
>>>the last years. Imagine that all the programs which participarted last
>>>year in Paderborn would meet again including DB. Micro's will enter with
>>>more multi-processor systems than last year. In that extremely strong
>>>field it's not unlikely DB will lose one or two games + a couple of draws.
>>>Okay, worst scenario but quite well possible. If this happens your end up
>>>on place 5-7 or so. Like last year in Paderborn not always the strongest
>>>hardware wins. A simple Pentium 550 ended number 1 despite of the many
>>>multi-processors around. Faster hardware makes you a big favorite but that
>>>doesn't mean you will win as Hong Kong has proven so convincingly.
>>>
>>>Ed
>>>
>>>
>>
>>I agree.  But you didn't answer my question.  With your head hanging in
>>the balance, _who_ would you pick to win such a tournament?
>>
>>:)
>
>I did answer the question. I said that DB would be the big favorite. But
>I assume we are in disagreement with the percentage which I estimate at
>25% (based on the above) which is not much.
>
>To be continued...... I am sure :)
>
>Ed


I am not even sure about the 25%.  If DB has a 90% chance of beating every
program there, and I think that is reasonable, then in a 5 round event, the
probability of winning every round is .9 ^ 5 which is 60% for 5 rounds.  At
a WMCCC-type event, we go for maybe 10 rounds... that comes out to a 34% chance
of winning all games.

However, as I have mentioned before, I saw DT  forfeit in round one at the last
ACM event, and _still_ it won the tournament, regardless of the hardware others
were using.



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