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Subject: Re: What Makes a Chess Engine Better Vs Humans?

Author: Amir Ban

Date: 14:04:02 09/02/98

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On September 02, 1998 at 13:57:23, Ed Schröder wrote:

>>>>If specific answers can be obtained, then what do these answers suggest for
>>>>future design guidelines for chess engines?
>
>>>For playing against (todays!) computers: add much more tactical stuff.
>
>>>For playing against (strong) humans: different playing style.
>
>>>- Ed -
>
>>(1) Ed Schröder's idea above sounds like it may be the key:  Select the best
>>"anti-human" playing style.
>
>>(2) Now, what remains to be said is what, specifically, we mean by a "playing
>>style," and to identify, define, and itemize the specific elements of the best
>>"anti-human playing styles."  To be complete, it also should be said:  how and
>>why those specific elements contribute to the strength of the engine against
>>humans.
>
>Impossible to give a definition. What's in Rebel is mainly balanced and well
>tuned stuff through the years. Rebel doesn't take huge risks except for some
>specific king attack patterns (when the king is forced to enter the 3th row or
>above). If you enter the well known 1.e4 Nf6 2.Bc4 Nxe4 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+
>Rebel will immediately pick 4..Kg8 as best move. I think this kind of knowledge
>is crucial playing strong human players.
>
>I also believe that the playing style of a chess program is strongly related to
>the goals of the programmer. Possibilities:
>a) Make the best program against computers;
>b) Make the best program against humans;
>c) Make the program the best finder in tactics;
>d) More?
>
>In case of (a) auto232 results are decisive. In case of (b) the "good
>feeling" of a chess programmer about a version is decisive. Case
>(c) is self-understood.
>
>Of course all programmers have their own priorities.
>For Rebel this since day one has been:
>(a) 20%
>(b) 60%
>(c) 20%
>
>- Ed -


But this is all just restating what you believe in. You do nothing to convince
someone who is undecided on this point. How do you propose to prove this ?

There are several programs who are about equal to Rebel in comp-comp
competition. Is Rebel significantly stronger than them against humans ? It
should be possible to demonstrate this.

Amir



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