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Subject: Re: Ferret - by Ray Keene of BGN

Author: Chessfun

Date: 19:28:33 05/12/01

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On May 12, 2001 at 21:58:06, Robert Hyatt wrote:

>On May 12, 2001 at 10:55:18, Larry Proffer wrote:
>
>>On May 12, 2001 at 10:13:02, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>
>>>On May 12, 2001 at 07:25:50, Larry Proffer wrote:
>>>
>>>>On May 12, 2001 at 02:17:18, Thorsten Czub wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>On May 11, 2001 at 21:56:55, Christophe Theron wrote:
>>>>>>Ahem... Given the current stream of events what were the odds that the Ferret
>>>>>>game would come to Keene's mind just by chance?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>In particular a LOST game from 5 years ago?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>What is the subliminal message behind his paper?
>>>>>
>>>>>:-)))
>>>>>
>>>>>>Look... Now I'm talking exactly like Larry Proffer! :)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>    Christophe
>>>>>
>>>>>right. and the reason is that you feel that the message is:
>>>>>
>>>>>keene has been influenced by misleading data, he got manipulated.
>>>>>
>>>>>there have been people trying to influence the event with showing wrong
>>>>>and misleading information. WHY?
>>>>>
>>>>>because they wanted all the money and the fame and the control over the event,
>>>>>FOR THEMSELVES.
>>>>
>>>>But Chessbase have very generously pledged the money (if they win) of four
>>>>hundred thousand US dollars to a young players fund - or so it says on their
>>>>website.
>>>>
>>>>So that's $400,000 for the program if it wins, and $600,000 for Kramnik who
>>>>would correspondlingly lose.
>>>
>>>You are missing the point.  ChessBase isn't playing for the "prize" money.
>>>They are playing for the advertising/free publicity.  _That_ is worth far more
>>>than $400,000.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>However, if Kramnik wins, he gets $800,000; and since I read somewhere the total
>>>>prize money is $1,000,000, would it be reasonable to assume therefore, that if
>>>>the program loses, it gets $200,000 ?
>>>>
>>>>Does anyone know if this is true? $400,000 for a win, $200,000 for a draw or
>>>>loss?
>>>
>>>Whomever came up with that way of doing prizes was 100% brain-dead.  Why not
>>>just say "human gets it all, whether he wins or loses" and be done with it?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>Also, if true, is Chessbase generously pledging the $200,000 to the "young
>>>>players fund" (if they lose)?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>It seems to me that Chessbase are an honourable and reasonable company; so your
>>>>statement that "they wanted all the money" can't be true if "they" is Chessbase.
>>>>Otherwise why give it all away so generously if they win?
>>>
>>>
>>>It isn't about the prize money, whether ChessBase is honorable or not.  It is
>>>about the publicity, which the computer will get whether it wins or loses.  It
>>>appears to be the "best computer chess program in the world" to the general
>>>layperson.
>>
>>It is hard to disagree with you.
>>
>>But, still the question is begged ....
>>
>>Why did Ossi throw all this free publicity for Shredder and minimum $200,000
>>away?
>
>
>I don't know, but I could at least speculate a bit:
>
>1.  Shredder is the current WCCC and WMCCC titleholder.
>
>2.  Beating Deep Fritz in a match would not be easy.  Say it is a toss-up.
>that means a coin-flip could negate the two titles Shredder holds.
>
>3.  Perhaps it is better to hold on to those titles, refuse to play, and look
>like you got the shaft, rather than play and possibly end up looking worse if
>the match is lost.
>
>IE a lot to lose, but a lot to gain.  If you believe the gain is less than the
>loss, then you don't play.
>
>Whether this has anything to do with reality is only speculation, of course.
>take it with a big block of salt...



An analogy which IMO was used in practice.

Sarah.




>
>>
>>Why did he throw it away so his biggest competitor picked it up?
>>
>>Because Kramnik wanted the program 3 months early? Come on.
>>
>>Smart businessman doesn't give away assets of $200,000 guaranteed plus Hyatt's
>>estimate of $400,000 worth of publicity for nothing. Does he? In a fit of pique?
>>Because the program can be played with beforehand?
>>
>>Smart businessman never does anything unless he sees profit. Old Chinese saying.
>>
>>Smart programmer doesn't allow it either. New Chinese saying.



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