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Subject: Re: Strength of the engine in chess programs

Author: Torstein Hall

Date: 06:15:08 05/21/02

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On May 20, 2002 at 16:54:06, Robert Hyatt wrote:

>On May 20, 2002 at 16:48:49, Albert Silver wrote:
>
>>>>Let me clarify the argument against that statement:  "there is no currently
>>>>existing in FIDE or USCF rules that prevent memorization of long seqauences
>>>>of opening moves."  Never has been, never will be.
>>>
>>>I think it is easy to make an argument that permanent memory is written
>>>material. If you store a openingbook on your harddrive it is written material in
>>>my view. Its there to read for anyone with a PC to connetc to the HD. :-) And as
>>>such against the rules!
>>
>>I think it is equally easy to argue that hashtables are nothing more than
>>written notes that the program writes and then consults. Afterall, the fact that
>>it is stored/written into memory should make no difference, otherwise I could
>>simply load the opening book into the RAM. I know that I am not allowed to write
>>down my own analysis during a game to consult while I am playing. I think it is
>>therefore also time to ban hashtables. Adios Fritz!
>>
>>                                           Albert
>>
>
>
>That is where the argument takes us.  My evaluation "patterns" are clearly
>written on the disk and read in at execution time.  And then they are clearly
>written into memory.  The _entire_ program is really illegal if anyone wants
>to take that particularly obtuse argument...

Whatever way we look at this it is reasonable arguments both ways. Of course
programs in the form we have them today will have less and less to do in human
competition.

But I think it would be interesting if someone could make a program that would
work on the openingface of the game, not just copy human moves. Perhaps the
programs could add something to our opening knowledge, not just copy human
analysis. I imagine a program that experiment with different opening lines it
calculated itself, learn, try new lines and do some real learning.  Slowly
building its own openingbook. But this just dreaming I guess.

Torstein




>>>
>>>So what it boils down to is what kind of material you consider the openingbook
>>>on your PC to be.
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>So the argument is totally moot.  As shown by the USCF allowing computers to
>>>>play in rated events for 40 years.  FIDE even allowed them for a period of
>>>>time...
>>>
>>>In the "old days" the programs where so weak that we allowed them to "cheat"
>>>with a openingbook. Without it the programs would play to stupid chess. Now I
>>>think it is time for the programs to do without.
>>>
>>>Torstein



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