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Subject: Crafty/Fritz5 use of hash tables

Author: Bobby Ang

Date: 21:42:26 06/24/98


I am merely a chess software user, so perhaps many of you here in the
computer-chess club should excuse this ignorant question.

The other day I was talking with the other admins in the ICC, and we were
discussing the difference in the chess software being used there.  One rather
undiplomatic query I put to Tim McGrew (the computer-buster) was how he can
differentiate between Fritz5 and Crafty.  His answer was very intriguing:
"Crafty is more prone to make meaningless pawn moves in the opening, but its
search extensions seem to be better".  When I pursued the matter further
("search extensions?  what's that!?) he replied : "I have seen Crafty announce a
mate-in-28 in a blitz game".

Wow! Impressive -- but this now leads me to another point:  Don't search
extensions require large hash tables?  Which brings us to another question: but
Fritz5 is a lot more hash-table size hungry than Crafty?  shouldn't this be the
other way around?  And finally, if I am wrong, what are hash tables really used
for?

BOBBY ANG



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