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Subject: Re: Thoughts before Maastricht, Enrique where are you?

Author: Ed Schröder

Date: 05:13:19 02/18/02

Go up one level in this thread


On February 18, 2002 at 07:36:26, Enrique Irazoqui wrote:

>On February 18, 2002 at 03:23:40, Ed Schröder wrote:
>
>>When reorganizing my mailboxes I came across and old posting of 2000, here is:
>>
>>==========================================================================
>>Posted by Enrique Irazoqui on July 17, 2000 at 07:33:41:
>>
>>In Reply to: Re: About head or tail (was Upon scientific truth - the nature of
>>informati posted by Ed Schröder on July 17, 2000 at 07:15:45:
>>
>>On July 17, 2000 at 07:15:45, Ed Schröder wrote:
>>
>>>>I know. Prove me wrong. :-)
>>>
>>>How about a 10 game match....?
>>
>>What for? What a waste... Comp-comp won't prove a thing no matter how many games
>>you play. Let's take a quick look:
>>
>>1 - Programs are helpless against anti-computer strategy, like Fritz in
>>Frankfurt and Junior in Dortmund. Their performance is inversely proportional to
>>human awareness of this shortcoming, and search alone won't solve the problem,
>>or at least it won't solve it before we all become very bald. Oh yes: in
>>comp-comp search is everything.
>>
>>2 - Programs are essentially polite social beings: they behave like GMs amongst
>>GMs, like 2300s amongst 2300s. For instance, look at Junior's performance in
>>Dortmund and in the Israeli league.
>>
>>3 - If program A has extra code to avoid closed positions and program B does
>>not, comp-comp won't show the difference as an advantage for A. If B is a faster
>>searcher, the extra code will harm A when playing B.
>>
>>4 - Comp-comp games show a partial and rather uninteresting picture, their
>>results don't necessarily correlate to human-comp and watching them can even
>>become a threat to one's mental health.
>>
>>Now go figure the statistic certainty of 10, 100 or 1000 comp-comp games.
>>
>>Enrique
>>
>>==========================================================================
>>
>>I think this was one of the best postings ever made in CCC. Point (2) states
>>more or less (and I deliberately put it strongly) that in Man vs Machine the elo
>>of the GM is irrelevant.
>>
>>If true it makes "little difference" to play a 2500, 2600, 2700 or even a 2800
>>elo rated player if he (she) doesn't know how to play a computer.
>>
>>If the above is true and if GM van Wely doesn't know how to play a computer
>>Rebel should win, same as Fritz should beat Kramnik.


Hi Enrique,

>I don't know about van Wely's preparationagainst computers, but if Kramnik wants
>he would beat Fritz 8-0. Yes, this is my usual understating self. :)

Kramnik has a very unfair advantage against Fritz because in the meantime he
should know all about the particular weaknesses of Fritz. If only Fritz was
allowed to change parameters cq personalities I am not so sure about the
outcome.

I don't know about van Wely, he has Century 4 for a couple weeks, I guess that's
not enough debugging Rebel. And if needed I have a few surprises for him, I am
armed to the teeth, hungry as a lion, my blood pressure is rising to
unacceptable heights, now if only 2700+ elo rated van Wely would cooperate a
little :)



>>I found my answer to Enrique in the CCC archive, a snip....
>>
>>===========================================================================
>>
>>Based on the data available I (for now) have the following opinion:
>>
>>#1. Humans have their own specific weaknesses: time control, making
>>tactical blunders, not winning a won position, overlooking small things,
>>nerves, pressure to win (or lose), being afraid for the tactical power of
>>the beast (Kasparov was full of it), going for an easy draw out of fear,
>>not being on their best each day in a long tournament. Humans are also
>>vulnerable for all kind of things that are happening in normal life that
>>could damage their concentration during a tournament (not feeling so well
>>up to dramatic happenings in their personal circumstances), the list is
>>endless.
>>
>>#2. Computers have only a FEW weaknesses and CCC is full of it.
>>
>>#3. The disadvantages as mentioned in (#1) are advantages for the computer
>>and IMO are often underestimated. Kasparov being totally confused after he
>>resigned in game-2 in a drawn position against DB combined with the fact he
>>in his mind started to question the integrity of the match. I am no
>>psychologist but it is quite well possible the match was over after game-2.
>>Imagine the opposite: in a comp-comp event you suspect your remote opponent
>>being a grandmaster. We have a example from the past and we know what it
>>did to the programmer in question when he was accused. Can you fully
>>concentrate on your next game in such cases? IMO Kasparov could not as the
>>poison in his mind was killing his creativity.
>>
>>#4. IMO it is very important who you are playing. I for instance prefer to
>>play Karpov (even in his better days) over Piket, Seirawan or v/d Wiel as
>>Karpov with all respect is not such a good players against comps. For
>>instance Rebel got 2 easy draws against Karpov 3 years ago on a slow PC
>>and Karpov was very happy to accept a draw proposal with a few minutes left
>>on the clock Rebel being a pawn up. If you look at these games Karpov just
>>plays as Karpov which favors the computer, Rebel never was in trouble. I
>>even dare to mention Kasparov not able to give the computer the treatment
>>it deserves, the anti-computer strategy. IMO he is not able at least until
>>now. He tries (see the unorthodox openings after game-2) but he did not
>>manage. Note that Kasparov also lost a mini match against Genius some 4-5
>>years ago. Apparently playing comps is an art in itself or you need to be
>>gifted. I frankly believe who you are playing matters a lot.
>>
>>============================================================================
>>
>>Enrique where are you these days, we need your wisdom.
>
>Wisdom? Ha ha... Anyway, I'm peeping CC pages now and then, mostly CTF. In there
>I find the match US - rest-of-the-world fascinating.

Yep, the game of chess on a bigger playing board.

You definitely should join the rest of the world :)

Ed

PS, welcome back.



>Good luck tomorrow.
>
>Enrique
>
>>Ed



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