Author: Dirk Frickenschmidt
Date: 13:48:24 10/17/98
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On October 17, 1998 at 15:00:57, Eran wrote: Hi Eran, to say it in plain English(as far as a German can do) :-) 1) I can not make your decision, only give you personal impressions (no definite result about playing strength based on 500 games or so). 2) I have begun testing Rebel 10 as well since short and will soon perform a little 10 games welcome tournament here too. But that's not enough for final judgements. 3) What I like about Junior5's playing style: - it plays positional chess with a lot of pressure in many games and in all phases of the game. Even it's losing games are most times enterprising games. It often came up with really surprising moves and plans both in attack and defense. I have a faible for about this kind of inventive chess since I learned to play, no matter if humans or computers play it. 4) What I like about Rebel10's playing style: - Rebel10 from my view plays less blundering moves than maybe *any* other program I know. It often plays a calm and steady, but very effective style, often underestimated especially by humans. Looking at the games against humans I always have the phantasy that they so to say wondered how they got into trouble at some point in the game. Ed's programs have been especially successful in human games above blitz and fast levels for quite a while. Just look at the Aegon performances during the last years and have a look at the playing style of these games: Rebel10 is a further improvement in that direction as fast as I can see (not just for it's impressive performance against Anand). 5) Concerning Computer-computer playing strength: I am convinced that Junior5 and Rebel10 will both play for the No.1 in the SSDF list. And I guess they soon will both see a third dangerous opponent with Hiarcs7. So I cannot make any decision for you. I recommend you get as many games as already available from both Rebel10 and Junior5 and decide according to your personal taste. I am sure that pure playing *strength* will not be the main argument with two programs so close and so strong. Look what you like most and have fun with it. Regards from Dirk >On October 17, 1998 at 13:59:08, Dirk Frickenschmidt wrote: > >>On October 17, 1998 at 04:57:00, Alessio Iacovoni wrote: >> >>Hi Alessio, >> >>as Christophe Theron rightly claimed, it is not too decisive *how* a program >>reaches its playing strength, although fast searchers with strong tactics like >>Fritz5 or Junior5 are always convenient for a first tactical check when >>analyzing games. >> >>The thing I wonder about is your impression that Junior5 plays weak positionally >>while being fast: you know the old picture of the "stupid bean counters", which >>is still used by some. >> >>Now I did a lot of testing with Junior5 on a 200MMX, and I got just the opposite >>impression of what you got: >>while admittedly blundering just like any program I know from time to time (this >>definitely includes the so-called knowledge programs as well, and not only for >>tactical reasons but also for occasional weak positional play), I was *very* >>impressed by the versatile overall positional competence of Junior in all kinds >>of positions from opening to endgame. >> >>Perhaps you can post some of the weak moves you saw to make your point more >>concrete. Amir and Shay especially and anybody else using Junior will probably >>be interested. >> >>I am too: its always nice to know more about an interesting program. >> >>Regards >>from Dirk >> >> >>>Gambisoft posts: >>> >>>"Customers report unisono that JUNIOR 5 runs at top speed. We can >>>confirm this. With 350 MHz the search depth starts double digit most >>>of the time!" >>> >>>Results of the engine seem to support the claim that it is a very strong engine. >>>However, when running it against Fritz 5 and especially Hiarcs on Junior >>>platform I've got the impression that, fast as it may be, it is not intelligent >>>enough... sometimes it seems to make moves that not even a patzer would make. >>> >>>It may go 2 or 3 plies ahead of Crafty or Fritz.. but at the detriment of >>>position and basic chess rules. > >Dirk, > >Some recent posts here in the CCC about Junior5's strength did confuse me a >little bit. since I am neither a chess programmer nor an expert in chess >programming, I don't know what the phrase "stupid bean counters" means. Please >explain it to me. > >I have been hesitating for more than a week about whether to buy Junior5 or >Rebel10 due to my limited budget. Therefore, since I read the recent posts >about Junior5 and I favor slow games, I cannot know for sure which chess >program, Junior5 or Rebel10, is truly stronger and better for my playing style. > >I will appreciate that if you please explain clearly to me in plain English >about whether Junior5 is stronger and better than Rebel10 for any player who >likes to play slow games such as 40/120 ones. > >I look forward to reading from your repost in the CCC here. > >Thank you, >Eran
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