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Subject: Re: typical: a sensation happens and nobody here registers it !

Author: Robert Hyatt

Date: 12:38:56 10/16/00

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On October 16, 2000 at 14:05:52, Chessfun wrote:

>On October 16, 2000 at 00:53:06, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>
>>My take:  let's wait until the thing is released and see how it does.  Without
>>beta testers that exert a bit of influence over the program's time allocation
>>and book choices.
>
>
>Can you prove this statement please;
>
>There are no beta testers who exert any influence over book choice or
>time allocation. The program runs automatically on the server, the book
>is set.
>
>Sarah.


I base it on the following.  I have played multiple gambit tiger clones.  They
are reasonably predictable in their time usage.  With a "couple" of beta
testers, the thing will go into a "deep think" that is _far_ longer than the
time one would expect for a move.  IE it moves consistently at 30-50 seconds per
move, then takes 10 minutes.  In a position where it did _not_ fail low.  I
believe that the operator simply wants to give it a chance to find something
that may (or may not) be there.

It is my opinion, with no proof of course.  But it is _very_ common with _all_
engines.  ChessPartner makes it trivial for the operator to influence things.
I can do it with xboard if I thought that I somehow might know more about when
to spent more time than Crafty does...

As far as proof, simply play a few fully automatic games at (say) 30 30 or
whatever time control you like, and then check the times.  See if you see any
case where it takes more than 10x the normal time per move, when the score did
_not_ drop _or_ rise during that search.  If you find such cases, I will
certainly retract my statement.  But in watching so many games of late, it
is obvious that something goes on "from time to time".  IE I see most programs
taking 2x-3x on fail lows.  And sometimes for other reasons.  But not 10x or
longer.

IE I would certainly like to do the same if that is the way games are to be
played. When I say Crafty is "automatic" I mean _automatic".  It does
_everything_ by itself, completely.



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