Author: Robert Hyatt
Date: 08:04:40 07/16/02
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On July 16, 2002 at 05:37:46, Russell Reagan wrote: >One question came to mind when hearing all of the opening book talk. Gian-Carlo >said that he made his own opening book for Sjeng, and it backfired a few times >at WCCC. > >For myself, I have some chess knowledge, but I'm no better than average. For >someone like me, would I be better off attempting to make my own book from >studying MCO and other opening manuals, or to just add in some special opening >code to help it play better in the opening? In general, you are going to have to do this code development _anyway_ so that you can combat people that play 1. h3 and 2. a3 for example. Because if you play silly opening moves, white can afford to give up a couple of tempi in order to get you to play garbage moves. So you _have_ to fix that. But when you do, you will _still_ fall into traps that are too deep for your search to see, and that will be the next problem you have to face. Opening books provide two key things: 1. quick moves to save time and provide randomness so that the program plays a variety of different opening systems. Without a book, it will play the same stuff over and over and eventually lose the same games over and over and over. 2. avoids known deep traps. This is not nearly as common as the point 1 above, but it can be critical if people are trying to "prep for you" by planning on playing obscure lines that you won't know, to get you into a position where you are lost without knowing it. > >I have a feeling that I would probably hinder my engine more than help it, but >maybe I don't realize how badly engines play the opening without their books >when facing top competition. Please advise. > >Thanks, >Russell
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