Author: Russell Reagan
Date: 22:30:20 09/18/03
Are time controls too long for serious computer vs. computer chess games? I think that long time controls such as 40 moves in 2 hours aren't necessary on today's hardware in serious computer vs. computer chess games. In 1999 the WCCC was decided using a time control of 40 moves in 2 hours, 30 moves in 1 hour, and the rest of the moves in 30 minutes. Given that hardware doubles every 18 months, this is equivalent to a time control of 40 moves in 15 minutes, 30 moves in 7.5 minutes, rest of the game in 3.75 minutes. These are considered blitz time controls today, but these exact same time controls were used to decide the world champion of computer chess, and this was only in 1999. Imagine the equivalent time control to the time controls that decided some of the very first WCCC/WMCCC events! I think time controls such as game in 60 minutes with a 30 second increment are more than sufficient for serious computer vs. computer chess games, and this gives the bonus of being able to play more games, which is prefered IMO when trying to decide the superior engine. Game in 1 hour is equivalent to game in 8 hours (!) in 1999, and I think everyone would agree that for a serious computer vs. computer event, game in 8 hours is a little ridiculous. Correspondance chess is another matter entirely, since that involves human opponents.
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