Author: Robert Hyatt
Date: 04:01:35 08/16/98
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On August 15, 1998 at 18:56:04, Tom Kerrigan wrote: >This is sort of counterintuitive... > >You agree with me that it isn't a big problem, and then you post about why it's >a big problem? > >I know of maybe two programmers who have "tuned" their opening books to play >well against specific opponents at computer tournaments. That's why I don't >think it's a big problem. > >-Tom I can name more than two: Belle (ken thompson) chess 4.x (slate, etc.) Nuchess (slate) Cray Blitz (hyatt/gower) chaos (Schwarts, etc) fidelity programs (spracklens) old novag programs (kittinger) mephisto (lang/etc) In fact, I'd bet you would find some specific opening modifications in nearly every program that competes in a tournament. Some of these are prophylactic, but others would be direct attempts to exploit known opening holes in specific opponents. This list doesn't include the obvious mchess book-learning/cooking that was done for the ssdf, and so forth... But it is quite common, based only on comments from people directly involved. > >On August 15, 1998 at 10:35:30, Komputer Korner wrote: >>On August 15, 1998 at 09:20:55, Tom Kerrigan wrote: >> >>>I know of some cases where killer books have been used, but after talking with >>>dozens of other chess programmers, I'm convinced it isn't a serious problem. >>>Most people aren't out to get other people at these tournaments. They just want >>>to do well and have fun. >>>-Tom >>It isn't a serious problem but not for the reason that Tom gave. All programs >>have learning features whether it is a book learning feature or a middle game >>learning feature. The 2 are combined in M-Chess 7.1 so that they feed off each >>other. One of my wishes for Crafty is to be able to actually learn the openings >>by extending Crafty's book the way that M-Chess does it. However in a short >>computer chess tournament learning is of little importance. Therefore opening >>book preparation for comp-comp tournaments takes on the importance that it does >>for GM play. Hiarcs 6 lost a game in KK Kup 2 directly attributed to a bad >>opening.
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