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Subject: Re: New Research On How Humans Play Chess!

Author: Uri Blass

Date: 04:30:57 08/09/01

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On August 09, 2001 at 07:13:21, Jeroen van Dorp wrote:

>On August 09, 2001 at 06:19:01, Uri Blass wrote:
>
>>I do not have the impression that weak players use the chess computer method.
>>They have enough time at tournament time control to do 1 ply search and 1 ply
>>search after the move that they plan to play but they do not do it and a common
>>mistake of amatuers is not to play a move simply because they did not analyze it
>>or to lose material or to do a positional mistake because they did not consider
>>the opponent reply even for one second.
>>
>
>
>You should really read the article, if you didn't already. The way Graham tells
>it is a one line synopsis of an article, which is a synopsis of a research
>project. That's logical.
>
>The comparison lies not so much in raw calculating, but in the necessity of
>*assessing* each chess position from ground zero.
>
>The extensive use of their memory sets strong chess players up to constantly
>recall both the current situation as well as the development of the position,
>leading to pattern recognition, and better results. With this they can -based on
>the position characteristics- develop a plan and the candidate moves much more
>easily.
>
>As the weak chess player lacks this level of pattern recoginition, he has to
>assess the position a bit like a basic chess program does: start crunching all
>move sequences.
>For a computer program this still can result in very strong play - because of
>node speed - but as the human brain hasn't got the ability to not only tune up
>to that speed, but store and retrieve the analysis tree in a useful manner, the
>*weak* player will oversee even the most simple countermoves of the opponent.
>
>Basically the research seems to indicate that *memory* is very important, and
>the lack of it leads to more basic and flawed methods of calculation, *not* that
>the strong player thinks like a human and the weak like a computer.
>
>Nothing new under the sun, as these results confirm earlier research.
>And we all *know* that, as we play the same.
>Well know fact is that drilling with (simple) tactical combinations makes you
>aware of the possibilities of recognizing them in real play.
>
>I am *not* a strong chess player, but with my training and after-game analysis
>I'm always looking almost *automatically* for these positional characteristics.
>
>Just a few days ago I have been looking at numerous games with the sicilian in
>the ECO B50's range, as I have good results with those opening as black, but
>very often am stuck with a weak pawn on d6.
>I kick my opening books aside and specifically tried to identify the
>*characteristics* of games in which black won the game, although the d6 pawn (as
>a plus pawn for white) was nicked off the board.
>
>Not looking for a 'move sequence' how to solve it, but characteristics of piece
>placement and strong and weak points. A basic chess program won't do that, as
>well as a weak chess player.

I agree that recognizing patterns is importnat but calculating is also important
and I believe that training in 1 ply searches can help most of the players
including the GM's to play better.

1 ply searches are not going to help in most of the cases to get a new idea but
one case when it helps to get a new idea can help to get get a better result.

Uri



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