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Subject: Re: Question to Guido or Guy

Author: Guido

Date: 07:31:00 05/02/03

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On May 01, 2003 at 18:11:02, Alvaro Jose Povoa Cardoso wrote:

>Could you please explain what is the 'forward-pass' and the 'forward generation'
>you mentioned on a previous thread?
>
>
>Regards,
>Alvaro Cardoso

I try to explain the basical logic of EGTBs computation supposing to calculate
the wtm (white to move) file. As said by Guy, EGTBs can be calculated in two
ways:

- Forward or forward-pass generation: scanning the wtm file at cycle N, for a
position not yet calculated, find all the legal white moves. These are said
'forward' (= normal, usual) moves.
If the execution of any_of_such_moves gives a position where black is checkmated
in N-1 moves (you have to read in the btm file computed before at the N-1 cycle)
then this position is a victory in N moves. Instead if execution of
all_the_moves gives a position where black wins in N (or less) moves,
then this position is a loss in N moves (generally you will be at cycle N+1).

- Retro generation: scanning the btm_file in a position where black is
checkmated in N moves, find all the legal retro (or backward) moves of the
white. Legality of a retro move is obviously completely different from legality
of a forward move, because you can go in a position where there is a check and
pawns move backward (e.g. a6-a5). Moreover, but this doesn't interest here,
promoted pieces return pawns and men can 'resurrect'. Any_position so calculated
for the white is clearly a victory in N_or_less moves of the white itself to
save in the wtm file.

For retro generation I explain only the basic principle because the actual
implementation is more complicated and needs of more than one trick.

If Guy reads, answering to him in another thread, I said:
"I use a bit vector only for 'lost in N' and not for 'mate in N'. Probably I use
a different approach from WU-Beal....
"
Now a doubt cames to me about the meaning of 'mate in N'. In my answer I
intended it as 'won in N', but I'm not of english mother tongue...

Ciao
Guido



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