Computer Chess Club Archives


Search

Terms

Messages

Subject: Re: Different test suite method?

Author: David Dahlem

Date: 14:45:49 06/15/04

Go up one level in this thread


On June 15, 2004 at 17:36:02, Dann Corbit wrote:

>On June 15, 2004 at 17:29:39, David Dahlem wrote:
>
>>On June 15, 2004 at 17:16:14, Dann Corbit wrote:
>>
>>>On June 15, 2004 at 17:05:57, David Dahlem wrote:
>>>
>>>>On June 15, 2004 at 16:44:58, Dann Corbit wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>On June 15, 2004 at 16:00:08, David Dahlem wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>On June 15, 2004 at 15:54:23, Gian-Carlo Pascutto wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>On June 15, 2004 at 15:33:41, David Dahlem wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>One of the problems with the current method of testing engines with test suites
>>>>>>>>(e.g. WM-Test) is the problem of proving that the proposed solution move is
>>>>>>>>actually the best move, especially with positions of a positional nature.
>>>>>>>>Perhaps a new method would avoid this problem, namely a suite of mate positions,
>>>>>>>>with known, more easily proven solutions? Time to solution could be the criteria
>>>>>>>>by which engines are evaluated.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Just an idea. Any thoughts? Would this work?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>As long as the idea is to test matefinder speeds this is fine.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Don't expect to get an indication to playing strength though.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>--
>>>>>>>GCP
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Well, this was just an idea, an unproven theory, but i would think some kind of
>>>>>>formula could be developed, and i would also think stronger engines would score
>>>>>>higher than weaker engines. :-)
>>>>>
>>>>>Probably they would.  But what is the relationship?
>>>>>
>>>>>For instance, if I ride ten miles on my bike at 20 MPH, and I jog 5 miles down a
>>>>>trail at 10 MPH, what is the conversion for benefit between the two forms of
>>>>>exercise?
>>>>
>>>>Well, that's apples and oranges. More valid would be to time you on your bike to
>>>>the finish line against someone elses time to the finish line. :-)
>>>
>>>That's my point.  Both comparisons are apples to oranges.
>>
>>Comparison of elapsed time to the finish line over a certain distance between
>>two competitors is like comparing apples and oranges? Then all horse races,
>>vehicle races, etc. are meaningless?
>
>I take a horse and run him without a rider.  Now, I am going to use this to
>predict how he will run with a rider.  Maybe there is a direct correlation, and
>maybe there isn't.  And if there is a direct correlation, what is it?
>
>A test suite does not predict how well an engine will play.  If it did, then
>Beowulf would beat Shredder 6, because Beowulf scored 288/300 on WAC at 5
>seconds, and Shredder 6 scored 285 (on a certain machine).  Of course, Shredder
>would pound the ever-loving stuffings out of Beowulf in actual game play.

I agree totally, that's what got me thinking about test suites, and the reason i
started this thread, hoping to start a dialog on better testing methods. Using
mate problems may not be accurate enough either, but it seems to me that's a
better method than using positions where the "best move" proposed is not always
proven to be best.

Regards
Dave

Regards
Dave



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.