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Subject: Moderation

Author: Mike Byrne

Date: 14:40:09 11/30/03

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On November 30, 2003 at 11:13:45, Terry McCracken wrote:

>On November 30, 2003 at 01:50:19, Jim Bodkins wrote:
>
>>On November 29, 2003 at 22:48:42, Roger D Davis wrote:
>>
>>>I have to wonder how the latest screw up should be interpreted in the total
>>>history of the tournament. One perspective is that the Law of Karma is finally
>>>kicking in. In this scenario, the tournament committee handled the List affair
>>>awkwardly by being too rigid and authoritarian in their interpretation of the
>>>rules. Ironically, they essentially quote the charter on the Chessbase site to
>>>excuse themselves for having to disqualify List. Even when there were dissenting
>>>opinions on this board, with some of the programmers themselves saying that they
>>>wouldn't reveal their own source, that circumstantial evidence wasn't enough for
>>>the committee to act upon, etc., there was no subsequent clarification of the
>>>circumstances of the disqualification. The rules are the rules, as they say (and
>>>said).
>>>
>>>But...the List decision being BS, and there being balance and fairness in the
>>>Universe, the Law of Karma kicked in as a means of showing us exactly how
>>>hypocritical the tournament is: The rules are the rules when it's convenient to
>>>excuse the behavior of the committee, but are open to interpretation in another
>>>circumstance where they should apply. The effect of the Law of Karma is seen in
>>>the consequences of this behavior, which is to undermine, if not invalidate, the
>>>meaning of the IGCA world championship title.
>>>
>>>The Law of Karma interpretation has a lot to recommend it, because it proposes
>>>that even if tournament committees act hypocritically and unfairly, at some
>>>level there is justice in the universe, and that if fairness is flaunted, then
>>>while the Universe may not be able to correct the result, it will at least
>>>render the result completely absurd and meaningless. By this reasoning, the
>>>latest snafu is actually required in order for Karmic balance to be achieved.
>>>
>>>Unfortunately, the Law of Karma interpretation also supposes the operation of
>>>unseen forces, and cannot be called the most parsimonious interpretation. Maybe
>>>fairness, unlike matter and energy, is not conserved. Maybe there are only
>>>events that happen, and while it's possible to chronicle them and note strange
>>>coincidences, these coincidences are just nothing more than statistical
>>>aberrations, with meaning imposed upon them.
>>>
>>>By this explanation, the latest snafu with Shredder is simply history repeating
>>>itself. The causality at work is not the causality of Karma, but the causality
>>>of stupidity, the fact that if you screw up once in a critical situation (e.g.,
>>>with List), you're likely to screw up again, no matter how much egg you already
>>>have on your face.
>>>
>>>For the tournament committee, the problem is that the Shredder snafu puts the
>>>List issue in a completely different light, because it shows us how incompetent
>>>the committee really is. At it's maximum, it means that the List issue becomes
>>>more significant, because the issues involved must be reevaluated in the context
>>>of the committee's latest faux pas.
>>>
>>>Take your pick.
>>>
>>>Roger
>>
>>I would use the word comeuppance. I expect ICGA to be shadowed by this for some
>>time. (Which is a shame for the sake of the developers. It will follow them as
>>well). And I couldnt agree more regarding the committees imcompetance. It
>>appears to me that either the committee needs an overhaul or there needs to be a
>>new committee. This is the committee that sanctions Twixt as well I believe.
>>Heady company. Sorry for the sarcasm, but why precisely doesnt computer chess
>>have a chess governing body in this area. For that matter, why isnt computer
>>chess governed by FIDE.
>>
>>I'm sure they did their best and meant well. I believe that a better job could
>>have been done, whether by ICGA or some other organization. I believe that needs
>>to happen.
>>
>>I dont know why FIDE doesnt sanction these computer tournaments, even though
>>they do sanction 'events'.
>>
>>http://www.fide.com/calendar/fidecalendar.phtml?view=8
>
>FIDE What a Joke!
>
>Still slamming the ICGA I see, well Jim, the draw was never claimed and if it
>were to be claimed, it has to be claimed _before_ the side to move, actually
>moves their its piece.
>
>Kh7 was played, so too late so sad too bad. Check the Rules!!
>Do you actually play chess? Just wondering.
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