Author: José de Jesús García Ruvalcaba
Date: 18:27:27 08/29/98
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You do not need ten engines to play ten different types of positions. The same engine can classify the type of position of the game, and then use the evaluation function and search algorith that is appropiate for that position. Crafty already does this, at least it classifies the position as opening, middlegame or endgame (I do not know if it does any further classification). I am sure other programs do the same. If the classification is done at the root of the tree, then there is no technical problem; but then you are wasting part of work you have done to optimize the evaluation function(s) to fit some particular kind of position. Think of a complex ending which can end in different types of simpler endings. On the other hand, if the classification is made at the leafs of the tree, then arises a new problem: to make a smooth transition among the different evaluation functions. I.e. a single function can be very good to compare two position for which it has been designed; but it is difficult to make sure that its evaluation of one of *its* positions is comparable to the evaluation done by another evaluation function to another position in the same tree. Anyway it is a very good idea, and it deserves to be pursued (and it has been pursued, but I do not know to which extent).
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