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Subject: Re: Rebel's anti-GM option

Author: Dave Gomboc

Date: 22:10:02 06/25/98

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On June 24, 1998 at 06:49:49, Dave Gomboc wrote:

>You can call it luck, but I'm not sure it is luck.
>
>I remember during the prototype Rebel-Crafty NPS game (not match, as it turned
>out :) that there was some discussion over whether solving something
>positionally was really "solving it", because if some weights were tinkered with
>the software might no longer solve the position correctly.
>
>There are a lot of positions that I "solve" at the board, not because I see all
>the tactics in the position, but because I have a reasonable idea of what is
>likely to be the better alternative, based upon some chess criteria that isn't
>specific to the position being analyzed.  For instance, it could be that a move
>does a better job than others at preventing defenders from returning to the area
>of attack.
>
>It is clear that a tactical analysis of the entire situation is going to
>guarantee the best assessment possible, but if software has the right rules of
>thumb (and that includes when the rule is applicable!) I think that the software
>will do much better than the equivalent software without such small bonuses and
>penalties.  Both versions will be able to calculate the knockout blow, but I
>suspect that the latter version will be finding that blow for the opponent
>player more often than for itself, if you get my meaning.
>
>The situation with the actual problem being discussed above is a little
>different, but my thinking is along the same lines.  Something in your
>search/eval causes your program to like Bh6 more than Re6, and it has to do with
>what positions you reach when searching the subtrees, and how you assess them.
>Other programs don't share Ferret's preference.  Your program is making the
>correct decision here, and it could be just luck, but it probably isn't.
>
>Dave Gomboc

Of course, the fact that Qd3 shows up later means that there is always further
progress to be made! :-)  But computer chess wouldn't be any fun if that wasn't
the case.

Dave Gomboc



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