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Subject: Re: Consensual positional problem set.

Author: Don Dailey

Date: 20:57:14 12/13/97

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O>Particularly if the test is not published. Test positions tend to end
up
>cooked and then the set is not valid anymore. :(

That's part of the reason bigger sets are better.

>As for the 1,000 positions, I think that a test that includes many
>positions may be more accurate, but also too time consuming.

Yes, I agree, the more problems the better but long sets will tend
to not get run.  The testing procedure will probably be to run
each position for 60 seconds.

But building the set will be difficult.  The only way this method will
work is if several progams are run against the intitial data for
long time controls.   It's unclear whether there is enough interest
and motivation for doing this yet, but I can give it a shot.

>A criteria I followed when building my test was to find positions as
>unambiguous as possible, with one good answer and only one. Still,
>programs hesitate, at times going back and forth.

Yes, this is an important quality that a good set must have.  I hope
the "conset" idea which is designed to produce this kind of problem
works out.

During the first pass, Cilkchess will agree with the master about
half the time I am guessing (rough guess)  Then I'll throw out the
ones that are completely obvious, or are solved in less than 1 or
2 seconds.

Of the remaining problems, many will have more than 1 "best" move
available, and Cilkchess will have picked the Master move by accident
or coincidence.  We will find these positions when other good programs
disagree on the move and we will throw these out too.   The positions
that remain will be only the ones all programs agree upon after long
searches.   I think almost all of these will be truly best moves that
fit your criteria for goodness and uniqueness.   But we will see.
We can always look at the final results and say that it didn't work
out too well, or that it was a success.

There are other ways I can separate these positions too but this
way gets everone involved and shares the work load.   I think this
is good.  If no one helps out then no harm is done.

I'm viewing this as an experiment anyway.  The point is to give
it a try and see what happens!  Maybe something useful will result.

-- Don









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