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Subject: Re: move in *zero* seconds?

Author: Robert Hyatt

Date: 12:07:15 10/10/00

Go up one level in this thread


On October 10, 2000 at 13:47:17, Oliver Roese wrote:

>On October 09, 2000 at 11:48:45, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>
>>On October 09, 2000 at 11:08:28, Oliver Roese wrote:
>>
>>>On October 09, 2000 at 10:12:16, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>
>>>>On October 09, 2000 at 02:08:38, Dave Gomboc wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>On October 08, 2000 at 23:09:22, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>On October 08, 2000 at 13:55:12, Uri Blass wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>On October 08, 2000 at 13:41:07, Oliver Roese wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>On October 08, 2000 at 13:06:05, Uri Blass wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>On October 08, 2000 at 12:20:43, Oliver Roese wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>On October 08, 2000 at 09:28:44, Mike S. wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>Should programs be able, or be allowed, to move in *zero* seconds of thinking
>>>>>>>>>>>time?
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>I don't think so (except when the pondering prepared for an opponent's move
>>>>>>>>>>>which is actually played), but I'd like to hear what others, especially blitz
>>>>>>>>>>>players or users who have programs play blitz/lightning at servers, think about
>>>>>>>>>>>this. Is it fair, to make series of moves in zero seconds?
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>Probably, long sequences of very low quality moves in engine matches could be
>>>>>>>>>>>avoided also, by forcing a minimum of 1 second (i.e. as a common standard in
>>>>>>>>>>>computer chess programs).
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>Thanks,
>>>>>>>>>>>M.Scheidl
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>In opening and (very late) endgame computers act (almost) optimally.
>>>>>>>>>>So surely nobody could say a competition in this case is "fair".
>>>>>>>>>>Maybe "interesting" oder "challenging" for someone.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>I tried to match some computer-accounts on fics with a 2-12 timecontrol.
>>>>>>>>>>But almost all dont allow that (surprise, surprise;)
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Oliver
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>I think that they will allow standard 2-15 or 20-20 time control when you have
>>>>>>>>>better chances so I do not understand why do you need 2-12 time control unless
>>>>>>>>>the target is to increase your blitz rating.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>I do not like the fact that the players care about rating and I think they
>>>>>>>>>should care only about the game they play and not about rating when it is clear
>>>>>>>>>that the rating is clearly distorted(the fact that people can inflate their
>>>>>>>>>rating prove that the rating is distorted).
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Uri
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Sorry, but i have to take that as insulting, since you say i am acting not as a
>>>>>>>>sportsman. I hope you regret your remark soon, so that we can continue to talk
>>>>>>>>about computerchess, thank you.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Oliver
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I apologize if I insulted you.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I only wanted to say that 2 12 games against computers inflate the rating of
>>>>>>>humans and avoiding 2 12 games against humans inflate the rating of computers.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I wanted to say also that I do not like the fact that people can increase their
>>>>>>>rating by these means.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I think that if you are not interested in rating(I think they are meaningless
>>>>>>>because of the distorted system) you can play standard time control games
>>>>>>>against computers that are slightly slower than the 2 12 time control.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Uri
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I disagree here.  2 12 is _not_ blitz chess by any measure of the game I have
>>>>>>been playing for 40 years.  5 minute chess is blitz.  I have a pretty tight
>>>>>>formula for crafty to make blitz blitz.  and standard standard.  IM's play
>>>>>>crafty all the time at 30 30 or whatever.  This guy is more than welcome to
>>>>>>do that.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>The most frequent reason for wanting to play a computer at 2 12 blitz is to
>>>>>>cheat by using another program.  5 3 is doable by cheaters, but it is harder.
>>>>>>but to play crafty, if someone wants a 12 sec increment, why not 10 12?  Oh,
>>>>>>that wouldn't affect their blitz rating...
>>>>>
>>>>>When I played regularly on the ICS (!), the normal blitz time control was 2 12.
>>>>>I'm no longer active on any chess servers, and while I realise that what is
>>>>>considered to be the normal time control has sped up over the years, I don't
>>>>>think that offering a computer a match at 2 12 is a particular indication of
>>>>>wanting to cheat.  It sounds to me like it's an indication of wanting to have
>>>>>enough time to (try to :-) have a good game without going really long.  With
>>>>>some time to think, you might be able to do something clever like build up a
>>>>>long-range attack, instead of just getting hammered in a really quick game.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>I am not sure about why 2 12 is wanted.  If you can play 2 12, why not 6 14
>>>>and move it to standard, which almost _any_ computer will play on the servers.
>>>>How different is 2 12 and 6 14?  That is the point I don't understand.
>>>>
>>>If you dont understand something about me, feel free to ask me.
>>>2 12 was only a suggestion.
>>
>>Sorry.  That was a quick change of topic.  my comment was about the fact that
>>on all servers, 2 12 is (or was) the "default blitz time control".  It doesn't
>>feel like blitz to me, and I have personally played a _lot_ of blitz chess over
>>the years (blitz = 5 mins per side for most any club you visit, although you
>>will find many people playing even faster).
>>
>
>Ok, i understand.
>
>>2 12 is a common 'signature' for a computer 'cheater'.  The longer the
>>increment, the easier it is to switch from the GUI, to the chess engine, and
>>back again, without running out of time.  That was my point.  If you check
>>on the servers, and you see someone that is winning maybe 1 of 4 games against
>>1800 humans at 5 0, but then suddenly they play a 2800 computer and win half of
>>the games, using a time control of 2 12 or some such, you _know_ what is going
>>on there.
>>
>>I was not accusing you of using a computer, and if I implied that, then I am
>>certainly sorry for doing so.  It was a general comment about 12 sec increments.
>>GMs refuse to play those kinds of time controls because they _know_ their
>>opponents will cheat.  That is why 3 0 is so very common, except against
>>_known_ computers. There many GMs prefer 5 3, which is why crafty always has
>>an outstanding 5 3 seek.
>>
>>
>2 12 is not really blitz in my opinion.
>But 5 3 is not "long" enough, to make the big difference, according to my
>expirience. Here is why:
>If you play against the machine with an inc > 0, using "guerilla-chess" you
>either loose very quickly (by getting caught) or you play a very long game. Say
>70 moves.
>Under 5 3 controls you use then 5*60s+70*3s=510s=8m30s.
>Under 2 12 controls you use then 2*60s+70*12s=960s=16m.
>A big difference.
>
>
>>>
>>>
>>>>I don't consider 2 12 blitz.  Nor does most of the 'strong' players I watch.
>>>>Most GM players play more 3 0 and 5 0 than any other time control.  Although
>>>>most are also wise enough to play 5 3 vs the computer to avoid time scrambles
>>>>that they always lose.
>>>>
>>>I understand your difficulty.
>>>There is an anomaly in fics, considering 2 12 as blitz, which it is effectively
>>>not is.
>>>I dont enforce you, to play under conditions you dont like. Just tell me, what
>>>you want.
>>
>>
>>I don't really care.  Crafty will _always_ play any standard time control game,
>>up to at least 30 30 and sometimes 60 60.
>>
>>I think 6 12 is standard.  I have played some blitz matches with GM Walter
>>Browne at 5 14 (I == Crafty here) and that came up as 'blitz' (no, he didn't
>>do very well even at 5 14, the last match was 4 games and he won one and lost
>>three).
>>
>>I play most any time control on request.  I simply try to avoid long inc games
>>in blitz, because most of the time humans end up using a computer to help.  At
>>5 3 it is much harder to cheat and win.
>>
>>
>Even without getting the "blitz-bonus", i still see my chance with an inc > 0.
>I once won against a multi-processor-version of fritz on chess.net under this
>conditions. That got me roughly 75 ratingpoints.
>
>Oliver

To get 75 rating points on FICS you almost have to never play a game.  Using
their rating system, an active player will do good to win 16 points against
a player rated _much_ higher.  On ICC, the K factor is 32, which is the max
points you can win or lose in one game.  On FICS it varies with activity.



>>
>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>To me, "standard" was always a serious rating -- you know, 60+ minutes per
>>>>>player per game.  Playing a computer 10 12 as standard sure doesn't fit my idea
>>>>>of serious, and I doubt you'd want crafty to be tied up for a couple of hours at
>>>>>a time.
>>>>>
>>>>>Dave
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Crafty will play 30 30 which is certainly going to be at least one hour per side
>>>>per game.  It has even played 60 60 in the past, but I cut that by 1/2 to avoid
>>>>games that would take 5-6 hours.
>>>
>>>
>>>Oliver



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