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Subject: Re: Unnecessary Underpromotions

Author: Ulrich Tuerke

Date: 08:42:45 05/22/03

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On May 22, 2003 at 11:16:18, David H. McClain wrote:

>On May 22, 2003 at 08:41:56, Ulrich Tuerke wrote:
>
>>On May 22, 2003 at 06:08:47, José Carlos wrote:
>>
>>>On May 22, 2003 at 01:01:38, Robin Smith wrote:
>>>
>>>>Often programs will underpromote a pawn in situations where they think capturing
>>>>the (under)promoted piece is still the best reply. Can anyone give an example
>>>>from an actual game where this underspromotion cost the computer a 1/2 point?
>>>>
>>>>Robin
>>>
>>>  I can't recall any game with this problem, but it's really easy to fix. I
>>>simply order the promotions so that promoting to queen gets searched first.
>>
>>Isn't everybody doing this anyway ?
>>Uli
>>
>>> The
>>>all the other underpromotions will return alpha and thus ignored.
>>>
>>>  José C.
>
>Jose,
>
>No, everyone is not doing this.  At least I am not.   Admittedly I have played
>only one game where an underpromotion was an absolute necessity to regain tempo
>and obtain a "check" to prevent a checkmate to the other side. This was to a
>knight promotion rather than a Queen.  And the game was eventually won with the
>knight promotion.  I'm sure others have witnessed this on occasion also.
>
>Don't ask me to find and post this game.  I don't know where or if I have it but
>I simply regarded it as "the program knows best" and let it go at that.  The
>program was correct..........

I don't think that we are talking about omitting under-promotions but about
move-ordering solely.

When generating moves in full search, I sort promotions like

1. queen
2. knight
3. rook
4. bishop

That's because rook or bishop promotions will only very rarely generate a cut in
a case where the queen doesn't. Usually, the queen will do anyway.

However, the knight may be a serious alternative to a queen promotion.
Therefore, I prefer it to rook and bishop.

This way, you can't miss a win by knight promotion.

In quies search, I omit (3) and (4).

Uli



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