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Subject: The big compromise

Author: Roy Eassa

Date: 13:02:47 04/09/02

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Let's see what statements BOTH sides can agree on:

1) In most highly open, tactical positions, the strongest computers are usually
stronger than even the strongest GMs.

2) In many more-closed positions the strongest GMs are stronger than any
computers.

3) A GM can maximize his chances and thus minimize the computer's chances by
avoiding the types of positions in #1 and creating those in #2.  THIS IS A SKILL
UNTO ITSELF.

4) The skill described in #3 is a somewhat DIFFERENT one from that which each GM
has focused on over his lifetime.  Not completely different, but certainly not
identical either.

5) Nowhere near as much time has been spent by humans over the centuries at the
skill described in #3.  Besides the fact that it is obviously a very NEW skill,
historically speaking, there also has not been a financial incentive for
spending YEARS OF HARD WORK (like GMs do with traditional chess skills)
developing this new skill.

6) There are some non-GMs that apparently have the new skill in greater degrees
than the top GMs appear to.  This is probably true because there is a far larger
sample size of non-GMs than GMs in the world and because few GMs can afford
(money-wise) to divert their attention to this new skill.


One could reasonably conclude that today's GMs are are simply quite WEAK at this
new skill THUS FAR.

In order to consistently beat top computers, a human will require BOTH great
chess skill and ALSO high "avoid heavy tactics" skill.  One without the other
will probably not lead to a human consistently beating the top computers.

It will be interesting, IMHO, to watch the race: GMs improving this new skill as
the years go on (the best ones probably can't improve their traditional chess
skill very quickly any more), versus computers getting faster and "smarter."



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