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Subject: Re: Is "Planning" Really Necessary?

Author: Bob Durrett

Date: 16:58:49 12/02/02

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On December 02, 2002 at 19:09:36, Matthew White wrote:

>It seems to me that one of the reasons that most chess engines have difficulty
>in blocked center/closed center positions is their lack of planning ability. If
>they had a specific plan in mind and stuck to it, rather than trying to stumble
>onto the winning line, then they would probably play much more effectively in
>these positions.
>
>Matt

But what about the process which produces good "plans"?  How would that process
be implemented in a chess engine?

First one must "stumble upon" a viable plan.  Only then can one "stick to it."

The hardcopy book, "Judgment and Planning in Chess" by Dr. Max Euwe, first
copyright 1953, ISBN 0679143254, describes a process whereby good plans might be
produced.  The suggested process involves "judgment" as a part of that process.
One might argue that chess engines already do some of that "judgment," although
that's not clear to me.

That book addresses only human chess. I'm not sure Euwe's suggested process
would be optimal for use in chess engines, however.  By their very nature,
modern PCs are inherently sequential, unlike the human brain.  Maybe there are
other plan generation methods better suited for chess engines.

Bob D.



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