Author: Don Dailey
Date: 23:38:20 01/14/98
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On January 14, 1998 at 18:17:12, Jay Scott wrote: >It's the last round and your program needs to win. >Either a draw or a loss will put you at the same standing. >Or, it's the last round and you can't afford to lose. >With a win or a draw, you take clear first. > >Your opponent is stronger than you, and you'll be >satisfied with a draw. Or, your opponent is much weaker >and you want to try for a win even in a worse position. > >Humans are pretty good at adjusting their play to the >situation. But programs tend to think that an equal This may generate some controversy but no one knows how many games are lost because someone tries this. A master friend of mine once told me to play my game and not worry about who my opponent is. He also told me the best way to play for a draw is to play for a win! Players of greater skill can do just as you say and adapt to the situation but I think it can be a risk. But humans do know when to take a quick draw offer! >sharp position is about the same as an equal drawish >position--if they have a preference, then it's always >the same preference regardless of circumstances. Some >programs have a "contempt factor" that adjusts the value >of a forced draw, but I've never heard of a program that >tries to take into account the likelihood and importance >of an eventual draw that can't yet be seen in the search. > >The problem can be solved in principle by including a >separate drawish<->sharp measurement in the evaluator. >If the pawn structure is symmetrical, the position is >more drawish; if there's one open file that all the >heavy pieces will be exchanged on, it's more drawish; >opposite color bishops are drawish in the endgame and >sharp in the middlegame; a big concentration of enemy >pieces around the king suggests sharpness; that kind >of thing. Of course it's hard to measure this accurately, >but then, it's also hard to tell whether you have >enough compensation for a pawn. Measuring drawishness >doesn't seem any more difficult than that. > >Once you have a drawishness measure, you can use it to >adjust the evaluation depending on how valuable a draw >is for this game. If you need to win, then a drawish >position is similar to a losing position. If you only >need a draw, a drawish position is similar to a winning >position. > >Does anybody know of a program that does something like >this? Tell us about it! > >I think this would be good for getting more half points >from grandmasters and more full points from weaker opponents. >I'm puzzled why I haven't heard of a program doing it. > > Jay I think many programs do most of the things you mention but don't relate it to their desire to draw or win. - Don
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