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Subject: Re: Issue regarding GM strength

Author: Sune Larsson

Date: 23:26:40 10/26/01

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On October 26, 2001 at 22:43:50, Robert Hyatt wrote:

>On October 26, 2001 at 16:12:29, Sune Larsson wrote:
>
>>On October 26, 2001 at 15:34:08, Christopher R. Dorr wrote:
>>
>>>As I was reading the seemingly neverending discussion about computers being GMs
>>>or not, one thing strikes me. The vast majority of people discuss only the
>>>results of programs vs. GMs or other strong programs. Very few seem to focus on
>>>their performance versus reasonable, but significantly weaker-than-GM opponents.
>>>As a couple of examples, it seems that the majority of posters on here consider
>>>Fritz 5 and Tiger 13 as GM strength computers on fast machines. Clearly, they
>>>can hang with very good GMs on, say, a Celeron 800. If we look only at their
>>>performance against a theoretical field of FIDE 2500 type GMS, these programs
>>>would likely grab a performance rating in the neighborhood of 2500-2600, which
>>>is reasonable to say 'GM strength'.
>>>
>>>What to make, however, of the notion that I, a random USCF 2100 can usually
>>>score 1/8-1/4 against Tiger 13 on a Celeron 800. That equates to a rating
>>>(against me) for Tiger of approximately USCF 2300-2400, which is clearly *not*
>>>GM strength. While I rarely beat Tiger, I frequently draw it, at time controls
>>>ranging from G/5 to G/30, at which one would suppose that a comp would be even
>>>stronger than at 40/2. I have a very close friend who is also a USCF 2100, who
>>>has a similar record against Fritz 5.
>>>
>>>When I had a copy of Chess genius a few years ago, this ability to draw it
>>>almost at will was even more pronounced.
>>>
>>>So which is it? Is Tiger the GM program that can perform at a 2550 FIDE level
>>>against GMs, or is it the USCF 2300 that it plays like against me?
>>>
>>>I have played several GMs in tournament play and at fast speeds on the internet.
>>>I strongly doubt that I could get 1/8 or 1/4 against most decent GMs in a match,
>>>yet I can fairly easily do that against many programs. If you do not believe me,
>>>I'd be happy to show you multiple games against computers where their evaluation
>>>said they were clearly winning, but in reality had drifted into a drawn R+P
>>>ending or Bisop of opposite colour ending. Happens all the time.
>>>
>>>The main reason I posted this is to assert my position that we really *cannot*
>>>say whether or not computers ar GMs. The way in which computers play does not
>>>make that realistic yet. A computer will (in all liklihood) take a draw by
>>>repition against me when down .15 just as it will against a GM. I know that you
>>>can tune that by artificial means such as contempt bonuses and penalties, but
>>>even with that, computers that I have seen *simply do not play like humans
>>>play*, not only in terms of style, but also in terms of performance.
>>>
>>>If I played an 8 game match against GM Randomovich, and I scored 1.5, would we
>>>call that a GM performance? Likely not. But if GM Randomovich plays in a
>>>tournament and scores 4-4 against 2550 GMs, we would. A Computer certainly can
>>>do the latter: but it *also* does the former with regularity. So, in reality, is
>>>it *really* GM strength?
>>>
>>>Chris
>>
>>
>> Very interesting reading. When I played actively, my national rating was
>> about 2270-2300 - and that was several years ago. A while ago I tried
>> a serie of 21 serious games vs 12 different GM personalities in CM8. They
>> were played on a PIII 800 with 64 Mb hash for the program - 40 moves in
>> 40 minutes. My preparation was absolutely none - no openings nothing.
>> Simply played right from start. Also I had no interest in creating
>> anti computer play. The result was exactly 1/3 meaning 7/21. When I look
>> at these games I'm certain that my play was not above 2300 - but probably
>> in the range of 2200-2300 somewhere. Some wins mixed with hard fought
>> draws and stupid mistakes. With 14/21 for the program, is it then correct
>> to assume that the program performed around 230 points better than me?
>> If this is correct, and my rating is put to 2250 - CM performed around
>> 2480. In 40/40.
>
>
>14/23 is almost 2 of 3.  3 of 4 is roughly 200.  2/3 should be less than that...
>
>Bob
>
>(14/23 is 60% wins, for those wanting more accurate results.  That sounds like
>maybe 100 rating points rather than 230 if I understood you correctly).


 It was 14/*21* for CM giving 66.7% - 33.3%. 11 wins 6 draws 4 losses.
 Is it then more accurat to calculate the difference in performance like
 16.7 x 7 = 116.9 points?

 Sune
>
>
>
>> On the other hand - if human player Jacques Tigér went to South America
>> and performed what his cousin - the program - did, he would have got
>> a GM-norm with 2 points margin! Results tell.
>>
>> Sune



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