Author: Ed Schröder
Date: 23:48:32 06/04/98
Go up one level in this thread
>Posted by Bruce Moreland on June 04, 1998 at 18:29:13: >I wish folks would use the titles they win, without embellishing them, >and I wish they would state they year that they win them, unless they >won them this year. >The most recent example is the inside last page of the USCF magazine, >"Chess Life". >This is a Virtual Chess 64 ad that claims that the program was "1996 & >1997 world microcomputer chess champion". >Let's say that you participate in a sport, and that you are good enough >to win a world championship title. Then you do the same thing the next >year. What does this imply about you and about your competition? It >implies that there is a gap between you and the competition. >So the ad leaves the reader with the idea that Virtual Chess is better >than the competition. >But the problem here is that Virtual Chess was not the "world >microcomputer chess champion" in either of those years. >The 1996 world microcomputer chess champion was Shredder, and the 1997 >world microcomputer chess champion was Junior. >The reason that they can say "champion" is that there was a title given >in both of those years to the highest finishing *professional* chess >program, this was the "world professional microcomputer chess champion". > This is an extremely important distinction. >In 1997 the highest finishing professional program was Virtual Chess, >who finished second overall, and in 1996 it was also Virtual Chess, who >finished in a tie for 5th through 7th. Fritz was 7th on tie break >points, there was a playoff, and Virtual Chess won. >But the ad does not say "world professional microcomputer chess >champion" in one very prominent place, it says "world microcomputer >chess champion". This is misleading, and I have to believe damaging to >those who really won these titles in those years, and damaging to others >who have programs that are in the same league with Virtual Chess, and in >fact may have finished higher than Virtual Chess in at least one of >these tournaments. >I ask that people who win titles please make use of the titles >responsibly and accurately. Those who have won less restrictive titles >do not need to have their reputation eroded by others who conveniently >forget to insert the appropriate restrictive adjective. >bruce Agreed, two side notes... #1. The MAIN problem is that the ICCA provides several WC titles. If there was only ONE WC title to gain the problem would not exist. #2. A company must make money, a general of the army (when there is a war) has to beat the enemy. Now it would make less sense if the general in the middle of a fight says, "Please boys if you are in the mood give a little fire". It doesn't work that way. Instead of that the general says: F I R E !!! Hope you get the point :) - Ed -
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