Author: Mats Winther
Date: 00:28:20 04/12/98
Go up one level in this thread
No,mine is a Cyrix-686/200+. But there is nothing
wrong with my computer. Because Fritz5 is a very
tactical engine its playdeteriorates rapidly when
the hardware is weaker. A 686/200+ isweaker than
a P200MMX.
It is obvious that some people at this forum has
an inferior knowledge of chess. The positional
qualities are not a "religious" concept. In fact
it is an amazing quality of chess that makes
it possible for slow processors like my own brain
to produce very fine chess sometimes. Prior to the
positional era this wasn't possible. Then there were
a couple of human "Fritzes" around that crushed all
opposition. I once outplayed Miroslav Markovic who
won the Yugoslav Championship the other day. He
is extremely strong and he was white but he played
like Fritz and I simply refuted his play adhering to
the positional principles (stupidly I proposed a draw
just a couple of moves prior to the win and he grabbed
my hand immediately). Anyway, this is amazing. I am
about as good at tennis as at chess. But it would not
be possible for me to win against any tennis pro.
So positional chess is an amazing phenomenon that
gives quality to chess. It is an extremely powerful
concept. This is what we mean with the "style" of
the chess engine. So style is extremely important.
An engine without a style is simply a stupid move
counter. They are not interesting to play against
for humans with some knowledge of chess. Fritz5 comes
closest to this of the top programs. Seeing Fritz5
play Rh8-g8-h8 in the game referred by me in my
previous message ("RE: Fritz5...") would make most
chess players lose their interest. It is like when
a musician hears false violin play.
I have shown three games with clearly inferior chess
by Fritz5. And Moritz showed a game where Fritz5
managed to strike back with tactical counterplay. Even
in the endgame he treathened mate, otherwise white
would win with a pawn roll. In fact, this all is
rather beautiful. But a human master would not allow
this (except Kasparov who would not let himself be
frightened). A human seeing that threat of tactical
counterplay would adhere to the positional principle
of "prevent counterplay" and simply play 28.g3
maintaining the positional advantage and this may
lead to a win (I gave one variation). But this is
very typical. Moritz has a slightly stronger computer
than me. Fritz5 immediately benefits whilst the other
programs are not affected just as much.
If Hiarcs6 had the positional principle of "prevent
counterplay" built in then he would probably have won
the game. There is very much left to do to improve the
positional play of the chess engines.
Mats Winther
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