Author: Timothy J. Frohlick
Date: 13:46:36 05/18/02
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Dear Fernando, Thank you for the interview. It seems as though most computer chess and checkers and other strategy game programmers approach the task with great intensity for a specified period and then taper off in their fanaticism. So it is with all human endeavors, Tim On May 18, 2002 at 15:35:15, Fernando Villegas wrote: >Probably there are some pals here that not even know what I am talking about >with the smashing, mighty word "Colossus". Perhaps they will believe I wanted >to go to an archeological site and I pushed the wrong address in my favorite >list. But for, let us say, more "experienced" fans -meaning above 35 years old- >Colossus is a respectable although obsolete name, a venerable piece in the >growing colection of the chess programs museum. It was, in the 80's, one of the >most succesful of the several that were aimed to the mass market, to begin with. >At least it was succesful enough to let Martin Bryan, his father, to buy a >expensive new brand car, so he say. That was not a minor accomplishment. After >all the 80's were the initial, heroic but pennyless era of chess programming and >besides that many many candidates to glory were in the shells asking for >attention from a public than, in those times, was even lesser in number than it >is by now. Well, at least they were prepared to pay sums that for today >standards seems almost ridiculous. Anyway, most of those products were scarcely >worthy of his glorious names; we had too much pieces of junk christened as >"Master", "Great Master", "Champions" and "Experts" with codes of about 50 to >100 pitiful Kb that scarcely played at 1300 elo, tiny books counted in hundreds >of moves in the best cases, without the most elemental ending knowledge and >prone to be cheated with 3 plys combinations. >It was not so with Colossus. It played a respectable chess and what's more, it >delivered the very first program -version X for PC- with an algorythm capable of >some learning in the opening. It did so with a basic device: each time after a >move his search showed a dramatic fall of the score, it marked that move as a >criminal to be kept for ever out of circulation . Besides that it had options >for selective of full width search and a book better provided of lines. With >this and that, my Colossus IV, one that runned in a Atari console, I remember >well, was generally capable of beating 60 or 70% of the time my old beloved >dedicated unit, Chess Champion Challenger. This last one had a 1770 USA elo, >then I guess Colossus was worthy of about something more than 1800 or so. Not >bad at all for a engine that examined no more than 100 or 150 moves per second. >A meditative sould could wonder to himswelf how much could Martin have got if he >had his program running in the currents processors and with the added experience >of some 20 years of extra work. But then Martin Bryan left chess programming for >good. He got bore wit it. Besides he falled in love with checkers and, >commercially speaking, discovered in it a new gold mine almost empty of >explorers, so he begun to do some programming on that and in due time he >produced one of the strongest, if not the strongest commercial checker software, >called, of course, Colossus. It was second only to legendary Chinook. > >But what happened with chess? Did Martin left completely the field? What he >thnks looking at the new stars and his creations? I made myself those questions >and I decided to contact the man. He was kind enough to answer and you willm >concur with me that some of his statements are somewhat contradictory as if in >Martin are two opposed forces fighting inside him: one, dicided to forget all >about chess and even to pose as absolute out of it, the other one toying with >the idea of a eventual comeback. > >Some friends here suggested more questions than those you will see here, but a >problem with my email service made impossible to send in time a second bath of >inquiries, so I ask benevolence for all that is not in the following note. > >Qustions and answers: > > >a) Have you, in these last years, given a look at the chess programming scene? >Do you know the current trend of it? What do you think of it? > >Actually not much really. I do keep a mental note when new program versions come >out, but I couldn't even tell you who the latest computer world champion was! > > > >b) Have you given a thought to the idea of a comeback? As you said to me in an >emai about your current task, at least to give another shot could be a matter of >fun and good experience > >I think a 'comeback' would be the wrong word :-) Any chess program I release >would be a spare time effort, either for fun or experience. I doubt that I would >ever get back into full time computer chess programming. > > > >c) Nevertheless I remember that in our previous intercourse you said you felt >capable of tweaking anything in your hands to make of it something better. Have >you tried with your own Colossus? > >Unfortunately I've not really found any time to try new/improved algorithms. I >still do believe however that there is nothing stopping anybody keen enough to >enhance things if the desire is there. > > > >d) What is going on with Colossus checkers? It is by now a finished adventure? > >I haven't touched the commercial version in about 7 years. However I do have a >new experimental version. This would eventually be included as one of the game >engines in the new generic interface I'm working on. I also have a Reversi >(Othello) engine done. > > > >e) If ever you venture again in chess programming, in what conditions you would >do it? Independently, as in the past? As part of a existing company? Which >techniques you would use? What kind of product you would try to deliver to make >a difference with the current crop? > >I would almost certainly do it independantly and wholly for fun. I work as a >contractor for a large chemical company to earn my living so I'm not trying to >make a goldmine out of the games stuff. I kinda feel it's more relaxed that way >too and I can just enjoy the games stuff for what it is. I don't know that there >would be anything new in Colossus that would distinguish it from the rest, but >over the years I have received so many emails from chess enthusiasts who are >happy just to experience the different playing styles of the programs and asking >me to come back with a new version that I guess I will. > > > >f)Anything else about this field I have not asked but you would think fit to >say, please do. > >As I say I don't really follow the computer chess scene much (or even the human >scene!). In fact I don't even know if Kasparov is still World Champion?! I >vaguely recall there was some sort of split a few years ago? That's how out of >touch I am :-) The computer Draughts scene has been interesting over the last >few years as several new GM strength programs have appeared and Jonathon >Schaeffer (Chinook program) has now released the 8-piece endgame databases to >the public which will only improve things further. They're even having a >computer tourney in Las Vegas soon to decide a challenger to Chinook for its >world crown. Say hi to all the old fans of Colossus and White Knight for me! > > > >Cheers, >Martin > >And cheers, Fernando....
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