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Subject: Re: Multi-Hydra Computer Feasible in Future?

Author: Vincent Diepeveen

Date: 09:18:13 02/16/04

Go up one level in this thread


On February 16, 2004 at 12:07:37, Robert Hyatt wrote:

>On February 16, 2004 at 11:37:54, Vincent Diepeveen wrote:
>
>>On February 15, 2004 at 15:14:16, Slater Wold wrote:
>>
>>>On February 15, 2004 at 15:09:57, Bob Durrett wrote:
>>>
>>>>On February 15, 2004 at 15:06:26, Slater Wold wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>On February 15, 2004 at 14:34:08, Bob Durrett wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I envision a standard equipment rack with 32 or 64 Hydra cards, a power supply,
>>>>>>possibly a conventional computer for orchestration, and fans.
>>>>>
>>>>>Do you think Hydra was running on a single computer, with a single card?
>>>>
>>>>Actually, that is what I thought.  What was actually done?
>>>
>>>4 Dual Xeon 2.4Ghz PCs & 8 FPGA cards (2 per PC)
>>>
>>>The PCs are probably $5k a piece.
>>
>>I agree here.
>>
>>> The cards, about $500 a piece.
>>
>>$3000 a card at least.
>>
>>Hydra gets sponsored by a FPGA company called Xilinx.
>>
>>I hope you realize that it takes at least 10 seconds for Hydra to get the 8
>>cards to run well.
>>
>>So you can never use it in blitz in fact. Something like 30 0 is where it would
>>excel at though when having a quick operator.
>>
>>>$25k worth of hardware, just to draw Shredder 8 ($50 program) on a PC.
>>>Still think Hydra is the 'engine of the future'?  :)
>>
>>Chrilly is good at peeking at 1 or 2 tournaments before people figure out how to
>>beat his creation. 1998 nimzo was very aggressive and could win by doing that
>>some games and was tactical strong because of the agressive tuning.
>>
>>2003 he has something even more aggressive. by default a passer at the 7th row
>>is worth more than a piece which usually is like 4.2+ pawns.
>>
>>Note we had a major discussion there at IPCC 2004.
>>
>>To quote it therefore in the Chrilly language, a passer at 2nd row is worth in
>>Hydra about 10 pawns.
>
>That is impossible.  Because it would _never_ promote the pawn since a queen
>would then be worth less than the pawn on the 7th...

pawn = 64 in hydra.

You will understand why in diep - hydra, this hydra wanted Nxd2 for white each
move giving away a knight each move. The pawn was worth more than a knight which
is like 4.2+ in Nimzo.

>
>>
>>You will realize then very well that it will give away a piece always for such a
>>passer and therefore hydra always pushes all pawns it has, good or bad.
>>
>>Such ultra agressive play is what Hydra shows. It's a dimension more agressive
>>than nimzo98.
>>
>>Gives very interesting play, no doubt.
>>
>>But no correspondence player will be able to use it very well as it has very
>>poor hashtable management (no hashtables last 6 plies at all). So the few guys
>>who do have money to buy such creatures will not be interested.
>>
>>Therefore the only interesting thing from Hydra is when the Sheikh of the United
>>Arab Emirates sponsors it to play some matches against a strong grandmaster.
>>
>>>>>
>>>>>If so, you're wrong.
>>>>>
>>>>>>Feasible?
>>>>>
>>>>>Sure.  Been done before.  Google for 'Deep Blue'.
>>>>>
>>>>>>If so, what performance could be expected?
>>>>>
>>>>>'Diminishing returns' comes to mind...
>>>>>
>>>>>>Note that it might not be necessary to combine the Hydras in the most efficient
>>>>>>way possible.  Maybe not SMA.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Bob D.



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