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Subject: Concept---why diminishing returns may not occur prior to endgame phase

Author: Stephen A. Boak

Date: 23:08:00 04/27/01

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On April 28, 2001 at 01:52:01, Stephen A. Boak wrote:

<snip>

>This may indicate, for example, that there are relatively as many win, loss &
>draw nodes, generally speaking, at each fixed ply depth, no matter how many
>plies are calculated--even if those results are not precisely calculatable by
>the program!  Therefore the program that calculates x plies more than its
>opponent will have approx the same increased chances to steer toward the >winning lines.  [I hope you can understand the concept I am trying to >communicate.]

I mean that the general percentage of calculated win nodes, arrived at by
calculating to a fixed N+X depth, which are *not* seen by calculating only to N
depth, may be approximately the same no matter what N is.  At least during the
opening & middle games.

By this concept, the penalty (percent of time a losing move is selected) for a
fixed ply depth 'horizon' would generally be the same, compared to an N+X ply
search with a more remote horizon.

In simple words, the ability to see farther ahead, may tend to discover the same
number of winning & losing moves, at each extra ply depth, so the return is
linear and not diminishing--at least prior to the endgame phase.

--Steve




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