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Subject: Re: Shredder wins in Graz after controversy

Author: Robert Hyatt

Date: 12:26:12 12/10/03

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On December 10, 2003 at 10:40:09, Bob Durrett wrote:

>On December 10, 2003 at 10:03:56, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>
><snip>
>
>>The ICGA has ignored the problem.  Including the problem of a shared book or
>>book author.  We have to live within the rules as stated, however, so I don't
>>see a problem with _everybody_ using the best Kure book, with the Fritz GUI,
>>until the rules are fixed to address the issue correctly.
>
>It seems that engines are handicapped by using a standard book.  A recent thread
>discussed the possibility of starting with a standard book and then optimizing
>the book for the specific engine by playing oodles of chess games with "opening
>learning" enabled.  The idea was that the "educated" book would be better for
>that specific engine.

This is not uncommon.  It is a risk you take with using a globally-available
book.  But it might be that the globally-available book is so much better, the
risk is worth it.

>
>Assuming that the above is correct, then it would seem that programmers would
>prefer to NOT use a standard book but instead to use one optimized for their own
>engine as above.

What is happening is that a couple of book authors are doing books for
different commercial engines.  And the real problem is that these book
authors are _really_ good.  Is it fair for a program to have to play against
a _really_ strong book 3 times in a tournament (book from the same author)
because he chooses to share it among three programs that are sold together?

If so then why can't I enter 3 copies of Crafty to improve my chances?  The
book often provides 20 moves of a game.  Some games don't even last 40 moves
before they are over.  The book is over 1/2 of the total game.  That is a
significant contribution.

>
>In view of this, as a tournament organizer or tournament director I would allow
>a programmer to use a standard or publicly available opening book but would be
>very surprised if the programmer mistakenly chose to do so.

We are not talking about publicly available books, for the reason you mention.
We are talking about custom-written tournament books.  Each written by a single
very good book author, but used by multiple computer chess programs in the same
event.

>
>Bob D.



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