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Subject: Re: singular extension (PV part only)

Author: Robert Hyatt

Date: 14:00:28 09/27/04

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On September 27, 2004 at 14:21:51, Stuart Cracraft wrote:

>So when in PVS I've searched my first move, and it is a PV
>move as well, with search returning value then I do a depth-2
>search on all other moves  and if none -search(depth-2,-beta-MARGIN,-
>alpha-MARGIN) <= -beta-MARGIN, where MARGIN is set to 3/4 of a pawn,
>then the PV move  is singular and I re-search it with depth instead of depth-1
>and use the returned value as my score against which to
>measure all other non-PV moves against in the normal part
>of the search, searching them to depth-1.
>
>Is the above wrong?
>
>Stuart


It is wrong.

Search the first move with the normal window.  Search the _remaining_ moves with
an offset window alpha-w, beta-w.  If all still fail low (which they should do
if the first move is best) then the first move is singular.  re-search it again
with a deeper search.  If one of the remaining moves fails high on the offset
window search, now you have a problem.  Is this move better than the best move?
If not the best move is not singular.  But, this move could itself be singular
so you have to test that hypothesis by re-searching the first move with a window
lowered by the usual offset from the score returned by the second move that
failed high.  Repeat until sick or finished.

You are describing what is done for determining singularity at fail-high nodes
where only one move is normally searched before returning, but you do the
"cheaper" searches to try to prove singilarity anyway and extend even a
fail-high move one ply...



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