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Subject: Re: KRBKPP

Author: Robert Hyatt

Date: 12:58:57 10/30/01

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On October 30, 2001 at 15:53:24, Dieter Buerssner wrote:

>On October 30, 2001 at 15:40:54, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>
>>if it does that it will almost certainly end in a draw.  The KRB vs KRP is
>>_not_ going to be lost.  And in the meantime, it is going to save me a _lot_
>>of 0 scores, because my opponents think that KRB vs KRP is winning for the
>>KRB.  When it isn't.
>
>I don't understand, why you think, that it saves a lot draws. I would think, any
>human opponent, who can reach such a position will very well know, what he is
>doing, and not accidently trade his last pawn away. Computer opponents, that
>have been a bit matured, will do the same (it is only a few minutes of work, to
>do it this or another way).
>
>Regards,
>Dieter


It saves draws because I have seen _several_ chess engines win a piece, and
then allow trades that take it to a piece up ending that is a dead draw.  I
don't want to draw something I might can win later on.  Of course, I don't
handle KRBP vs KRPP in my eval right now since both sides have pawns and I
consider it winnable by either side.  But if white gives up that pawn, then
I want to know that now I can't win even though I have a material advantage.

As far as how programs do it, I have seen way too many that simply "don't know"
this.  And it has saved me a few losses and turned them into draws.  IE in a
KRR vs KRBP ending crafty will promptly trade the rook for the opponent's
last pawn if it gets too far advanced, knowing that is a draw.  Rather than
waiting until it is too late and the opponent builds a protective bridge and
slips the pawn in for a new queen.

If you handle it another way, that's fine.  But it _must_ be handled or you
end up drawing won endings, or losing drawn endings by letting your opponent
hold onto a pawn too long.



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