Computer Chess Club Archives


Search

Terms

Messages

Subject: Re: Quiescent Pruning.

Author: Tord Romstad

Date: 11:31:13 10/08/03

Go up one level in this thread


On October 08, 2003 at 08:42:53, Uri Blass wrote:

>On October 08, 2003 at 07:58:46, Tord Romstad wrote:
>
>>
>>"Stupid" is perhaps not the best word, but I am not a programmer, and I lack
>>the required skills to make bitboards work well (or so I think -- I have
>>not given it a try so far).
>
>I do not think that it is very relevant if you have a job as a programmer.

Of course not, and that was not really what I meant.  I was thinking
about skills, knowledge and mindset rather than profession.

>I do not think that most other people do not try to teach their program the same
>information that you try to teach your program so comparison with other
>who use bitboards is meaningless.

Perhaps.  Who knows.

>Other people usually do not try to write big evaluation like you.
>
>I also see that you are very fast in implementing ideas and only few hours after
>somebody post idea about the botvinik extension you already implement it with
>good results.

Implementing new ideas quickly is easier when you keep things simple,
you know.  :-)

>>I think chess programming is simple enough that it is possible to get quite
>>far by using only very simple and straightforward techniques, and that is
>>the route I am following.
>
>I doubt if that is the route you follow

It is, at least with regard to low-level stuff like data structures,
move generation and things like that.  I don't mind doing complicated
things as long as I do not have to make my hands dirty with low-level
details.

>and I do not think that MTD is a very simple and straightforward technique.

It is no harder to implement than most other alpha-beta variants, I think.
The only problem is that you need a working transposition table before you
write the search, unlike PVS, where you can write the search first and
add the transposition table later.

Assuming a well-working transposition table, MTD is remarkably simple and
elegant.

>  I do not claim that this is superior to any other
>>approaches, but for laymen like me it is the easiest way to achieve a
>>working and reasonably strong engine without spending too much time and
>>effort.
>
>The easiest way to achieve a working and reasonably strong engine without
>spending too much time and effort does not seem to write a big evaluation
>function.

It depends of your definition of "reasonably strong", I guess.  To me,
a master-level program is good enough, and my results at ICC indicate
that I'm already there.

>It also does not seem to be your target otherwise you could easily do your
>engine better by doing it more materialistic.

If maximum strength were my goal, you would probably be right, yes.

Tord



This page took 0 seconds to execute

Last modified: Thu, 15 Apr 21 08:11:13 -0700

Current Computer Chess Club Forums at Talkchess. This site by Sean Mintz.