Author: José Carlos
Date: 14:56:10 10/28/03
Go up one level in this thread
On October 28, 2003 at 17:32:55, Sune Fischer wrote: >On October 28, 2003 at 13:13:56, José Carlos wrote: > >> A general case (nothing to do with real programs or persons): Program A and >>program B play in the last round of a world champ. If A wins the game, it's the >>champion (prize for winner: $1,000,000). B is in the middle of the table. >> >> Case 1: They both use Nalimov tablebases >> Case 2: They both have the same author >> Case 3: They both have the same book author >> >> Of course, in the three cases the authors may do changes to the book / engine >>parameters. >> Now what is fair and what is not? Why? > >I don't really understand the example, no single guy can run two engines as far >as I know. > >To get back on track, no I don't see a problem with some engines using the same >book, unless you somehow suspect the book has been rigged to make some win and >others lose. >However I don't buy into that conspiracy theory, for one thing the engines all >have different authors who wants to win (so unless you think the authors are in >on it as well...). > >Whether just one person gets to use the book or x people uses it, makes no >difference to all those that don't get to use it, it will all be "unfair" to >them. > >So I guess that basicly leaves you at a crossroad: >either we all use the book or nobody uses it! > >Is that fair? > >-S. >> José C. No conspiracy theory from me either, of course. Not about the people who are in the arena now, and that we all know and respect. I only showed an hypotetical situation, where suspicion might be totally logical. I can present the example in other way: imagine, in the example above, that we are in case 3, being the book author unknown to you and being you in the second place of that tournament, with your program at half a point from the million. Now suppose program B plays a bad opening move and loses. (I forgot to say that the book author gets half the prize). We are all humans and probably the book author, the poor guy made a mistake. Yes, you believe so but... well, if I was you I'd probably complain. This is an extreme example, too far away from out boring lifes, but eventually possible. If it happens to be case 1 there would be no reason to suspect or complain. I'm only trying to explain why I believe that tablebases and book are totally different issues, and that everyone using tablebases is not a problem regarding fairness, while a common book author could eventually be a big problem. José C.
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.