Author: Dan Honeycutt
Date: 12:52:51 09/01/04
Go up one level in this thread
On September 01, 2004 at 00:35:58, Álvaro Begué wrote: >On August 31, 2004 at 21:12:50, Dan Honeycutt wrote: > >>On August 31, 2004 at 20:37:00, Rick Bischoff wrote: >> >>>Hello all, >>> >>>This question is about time management. But first, a little side note-- I am a >>>patzer and I scratch my head at the most obvious of tactics.. That being said, I >>>KNOW when captures are obvious recaptures-- >>> >>>My engine right now is using code based on the idea from TSCP to use "Time >>>Left/30" for every move-- mine is actually a little bit different, if it is >>>before move 10 use "Time Left/60", everything after that until move 60 use "Time >>>Left/30" and after move 60 use "Time Left/20"; But, unlike TSCP, I don't just >>>stop after this time is elapsed. If my score is less than the previous depth's >>>score by a certain amount (and I am not already winning by a rook or more), I >>>keep searching until I complete the current depth or I reach a maximum time per >>>move threshold. >>> >>>That is all just superflous though, because the engine WASTES time searching >>>when the recapture is obvious-- how can you describe such a concept in code? >> >>If it looks like an obvious recapture set an easy_move flag. Start your search. >> If anything untoward happens (root fail hi, fail lo, new best move) turn off >>the flag. If, after your time allocation is about half used, the easy_move flag >>is still set return the move. >> >>Dan H. > >I use a refinement on that. I do full-window searches for all moves at depth 1. >I then know what the difference is between the best move and the second best >move at depth 1. > >if difference <= 100 then easy_move_level = 0 >if 100 < difference <= 250 then easy_move_level = 1 >if 250 < difference <= 450 then easy_move_level = 2 >if 450 < difference then easy_move_level = 3 > >As Dan described, if anything funny happens in the search, I set easy_move_level >to 0. Otherwise, I am allowed to use 1/2 of the desired time for easy_move_level >1, 1/4 for easy_move_level 2, and 1/16 for easy_move_level 3. What you do frightens me a little. The higher values from the shallow search may not mean the move is "easier", but rather there is an exchange involving majors instead of minors or pawns. I'd worry about using so little time, especially when the big dogs are hunting. Dan H.
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.