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Subject: Re: Crippling a program with Ponder ON/OFF ?

Author: James T. Walker

Date: 17:41:19 01/01/05

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On January 01, 2005 at 16:08:58, Matthias Gemuh wrote:

>On January 01, 2005 at 12:21:28, James T. Walker wrote:
>
>>On January 01, 2005 at 12:10:53, Matthias Gemuh wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> The
>>>>problem is that pondering is part of the program.  If you are trying to test
>>>>which is best at playing chess then cripling all programs is not necessarily
>>>>cripling them equally.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>According to this logic, it is not allowed to test with Ponder=ON because
>>>some programs may be crippled (i.e. those that score better with Ponder=OFF).
>>>Kurt's tests are wonderful and much appreciated !
>>>
>>>Matthias.
>>
>>Please allow me to download one program that scores better with ponder off.
>>Where can I get it?  If it does it has serious problems but I would like to test
>>it anyway.
>>Jim
>
>
>
>Oops. You are the one saying the "PonderOff"-Engines may be scoring relatively
>better because Kurt is not testing with Ponder=ON !!
>My opinion is that no commercial engine performs relatively better or worse
>because of pondering, as long as they all play with Ponder=ON or OFF.
>
>Matthias.

You seem to putting YOUR WORDS into my mouth.  Your paragraph above is the one I
was referring to which says "i.e. those that score better with Ponder=OFF)."
All I said was that turning ponder off may not cripple all engines the same.
That is not saying any particular engine is playing better with ponder off than
with ponder on.  Those are your words I'm quoting.  Yes I'm saying that turning
ponder off on all engines may allow some engines to lose less points by doing
this than others.  For example if your program only predicts the opponents moves
30% of the time but other programs predict the opponents moves 55% of the time
then turning ponder off on both is not treating them equal.  That is unless you
subscribe to Bobs logic that 4 processors are equal to 1 processor.
Jim



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