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Subject: Re: Unnecessary Underpromotions

Author: Robin Smith

Date: 12:56:05 05/22/03

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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

A quick look at some SSDF games will convince you that everybody ISN'T doing
this. Or at least if they are, it doesn't solve the problem. Many SSDF games,
including games of some top commercial programs, contain unnecessary
underpromotions.

The reason I asked is I got a draw against Tiger on an iPaq because it
underpromoted to a bishop of the same color as the bishop Tiger already had!
Instead of capturing this mostly redundant bishop, a different move allowed me
to draw the game. If Tiger had promoted to a queen the capture would have been
forced and I would have lost.

Robin



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