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Subject: Re: Why set Ponder=off in a comp to comp match?

Author: Kurt Utzinger

Date: 03:32:43 10/08/02

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On October 08, 2002 at 05:52:11, Bernhard Bauer wrote:

>On October 08, 2002 at 03:01:00, Kurt Utzinger wrote:
>
>>On October 07, 2002 at 23:11:32, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>
>>>On October 07, 2002 at 18:33:43, Jeremiah Penery wrote:
>>>
>>>>On October 07, 2002 at 18:29:35, Uri Blass wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>On October 07, 2002 at 18:19:29, Jorge wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>This may be a dumb question, but could someone tell me the reason for setting
>>>>>>Ponder=off in comp to comp matches? If two computers with the same hardware with
>>>>>>different, each with a program playing each other, why set ponder off?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>thnx,
>>>>>>jorge
>>>>>
>>>>>Usually the people who play games with ponder off use only one computer and not
>>>>>2 computers.
>>>>
>>>>Why set ponder off with one computer?
>>>
>>>
>>>The basic idea is that one computer matches are not very informative.  You have
>>>two
>>>choices:
>>>
>>>1.  Ponder=on.  Engines can "steal" time from each other since both will be
>>>computing most
>>>of the time.  Unless one is unlucky enough to not have anything to ponder.  For
>>>that move, the
>>>opponent runs twice as fast.
>>>
>>>2.  Ponder=off.  This might cause poor time utilization as it is an unnatural
>>>way to run and
>>>is not always very well tested.
>>>
>>>Either way causes problems.  Moral?  Use two computers or else don't pay a
>>>significant amount
>>>of attention to the results.
>>
>>
>>Previous and still running tests with quite a lot of games in Germany prove that
>>there is no significant difference in results between matches played with either
>>ponder on/off. And most surprisingly - contrary to your assumption - this also
>>refers to Crafty.
>>Kurt
>>
>>
>>The running test
>
>As many computer chess fans are only interested in results and not in game
>quality it doesn't matter wether you play with ponder on or off.
>And it doesn't matter wether you play a game using 2 hours for 40 moves or only
>1 hour. The results are the same.
>And it doesn't matter wether you play a game using 1 hours for 40 moves or only
>30 minutes. The results are the same. I think that has been proven in Germany.
>And Crafty plays better without ponder than with ponder has been posted in
>Germany too.
>So what? Let them play without ponder at all.
>regards
>Bernhard

Hi Bernhard
Your conclusion is wrong. If you use two PC's and let one program play with
ponder=on and the other one with ponder=off, the program without ponder will
have no chance.
Kurt



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