Author: Wayne Lowrance
Date: 14:56:20 12/08/00
Go up one level in this thread
On December 08, 2000 at 12:20:50, Randy Schmidt wrote: Nice Post regards Wayne >I just read a lot of threads below about what is going to be the best computer >to run chess software. We have to consider the Athlon 1.2, Pent 3, and Pent 4, >as well as what is coming down the pike. > >If I understand this correctly, current chess software relies heavily on integer >arithmetic. When one looks at benchmarks, the best direct comparison is with >how Office products work. I believe the benchmark is called Bapco or similar. >You can look at Tom's Hardware for extremely recent benchmarks on all the >current processors. > >**Buying today for Xmas? > >Go with the Athlon 1.2 and get at least 256 SDRAM-133. I think that Micron and >Gateway are good choices, although there is a company called Sys Performance >that has gotten very good reviews. This screamer will be faster for chess than >any Pentium 4 and also any Pentium 3. I am NOT considering dual processors in >this posting. > >**I can wait a few months... > >Then wait for the new DDR ram to find its way to the general public. Micron was >the first on board with this, but all shipments have been halted, as there is a >problem with the motherboard. Expect shipments to begin in early Feb. At that >time, 1.5-1.6 Athlons will be available as will P4 1.8-2.0s. At that time, I >believe that the fastest chess solution will be the Athlon 1.55 with DDR ram. >It will be faster for chess than the Pent 4 1.9. > >**I want to be the World Champion at Postal Chess.... > >If you are playing now and you want to be on par with the others’ I have some >BAD news for you. There is a person who has 8 computers working on each of >his/her games at all times. So if you have one computer, and want to run each >move overnight you will be overstepping the time control. This is especially >true for email sections. Yes, you can probably buy the title, but it will be >expensive! If you have any doubt that people are NOT using computers, wake up. >:-) I have seen lots of revealing information lately on various boards around >the web. I have seen 1800 players with IM titles, 1000 rated players with >master ratings, 2000 players that are among the top players in the US, etc. >Please understand that in ICCF play, computers are not illegal. Yes, you can >meet players who started playing chess a couple of months ago, who will >brutalize you with their chess programs. Even if you use your own program and >have FAST hardware, the result is still in a way, predetermined, as the >computers are going to determine the results. Depending on the position, any >program can beat any other program. You all follow the "matches" posted here, >and know this is the case. > >In 3-5 years, when you are playing in the semi-finals of the World Championship, >computer programs WILL be better than the best postal players. If you doubt >this, I ask you to recall the match, Kasparov vs. the World. How many times did >you read that Kasparov’s "team" spent some anxious moments running multiple >computers trying to get winning chances against the masses? Don't kid yourself, >you know what was happening. I know that many players think that a STRONG >player will be at an advantage when they use a computer AND their own mind. >That is true, but when you get into that mindset, what are you really doing? Is >that why you took up the game of chess in the first place? I obviously think >that chess is dead in the realm of postal/email chess. If not right now, it will >be in 3 years. Why waste your time and money? >Satisfaction in parroting a computer program on "my hardware is faster than your >hardware" is not going to be something that I intend to waste my life doing! > >**I want to be the best player (cheater) on Yahoo, Gaming Zone, et al.... > >Well my advice for you is to take a long look in the mirror...do you like what >you see? Do you really take pride in being a 'top dog' and all the naive others >thinking you are some great player, thrilled that you will even talk with them? >I had an experience about 5 months ago that totally opened my eyes. I had >"shouted" a request for a strong player to play against my Belgrade Gambit that >I had been studying for some weeks. I really wanted to test my knowledge and >see if this opening really had a place in my repertoire. To my amazement, a very >strong player agreed to take my UNRATED challenge. I think he was rated around >2500! Well, damn if this guy didn't have a line well prepared for this Gambit. >I thought, man...these IM's are ready for anything. The game went right down >the pike of a line I had just studied last night. >Amazing... >Well at about move 15, I was on my own and I dug in hard trying to come up with >a plan when I did not have a good feel for the position. About move 20, I was >faced with a problem. I could see no way to avoid a mate, and resigned. I >thanked my opponent for taking the time to teach me something about this opening >and he told me that this is why the "Belgrade Gambit" is frowned upon. Well, >that was interesting. Right then and there, I decided that I was not going to >play this kind of chess anymore. So what do you think happened? I fired up my >Fritz 6 program and went through the game. I discovered to my horror, that in >that 'forced mate' position, I had a simple draw that he HAD to take, otherwise >he was lost. My fear of his rating, coupled with my unfamiliarity with the >opening, caused a severe brain freeze. I simply missed a move I would see 100 % >of the time in normal circumstances. Well, maybe you saw this coming, but when >I went through that game, I discovered that I played most moves that Fritz would >have played except the last one! But do you know what? So did my opponent!! >He was using Fritz to play his game. I asked a human to play me a game and >teach me something. Instead, I got a person using a computer who cheated. I >could have made MUCH better use of my time just playing my own program. This >says nothing of my altered opening repertoire due to my incorrect perception of >how well IM level players have their openings prepared. Maybe this lesson I >learned will strike a chord with you. >My recommendation then for you is nothing. I could not care less about those >who intend to cheat. > >**I want to improve my game and understand chess better... > >To this person, I have a simple suggestion. Is your current computer doing >everything you need it to? If yes, then stand pat. The only reason to upgrade >your computer should be when it stops running the software you need it to. At >that time, buy the most cutting edge thing you can afford and then you will >lengthen the time before you need to spend your money again. > >**But I am rated 2000+ and I want something that will run my chess software >faster... > >Then see the above categories. > >**To all... > >Enjoy this game, play it to get better, use the computer as a tool, not a master >of you. Buy all the software you want and enjoy the variety of programs and >training software that exist. Upgrade when you need to, not when something is >faster. Nobody cares if you have the fastest machine in your neighborhood. >Actually, it might even work against you. Remember how jealous people can be >when you "one-up" them?
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