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Subject: Re: Can a PC programme beat a top GM in a match?

Author: Uri Blass

Date: 11:42:23 01/02/05

Go up one level in this thread


On January 02, 2005 at 13:43:16, Vasik Rajlich wrote:

>On January 02, 2005 at 10:00:43, Anthony Cozzie wrote:
>
>>On January 02, 2005 at 05:16:02, Vasik Rajlich wrote:
>>
>>>On January 02, 2005 at 04:34:27, Vincent Diepeveen wrote:
>>>
>>>>On January 01, 2005 at 08:52:13, Clive Munro wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>Forgive me if this question has already been discussed but I havn't read all the
>>>>>threads on this site.
>>>>>Has the time been reached that a commercial PC programme can beat Kasparov and
>>>>>co over 40moves in 2 hours control? For instance if we had a 10 game match over
>>>>>say two weeks could a commercial programme running on the latest retail hardware
>>>>>(not 200 pcs linked together etc) beat the top GMs?
>>>>>If not how close is it?
>>>>>
>>>>>Best
>>>>>
>>>>>Clive
>>>>
>>>>It depends upon payment. if you pay the GM regardless of result, what is
>>>>happening always as the computer game company is way too much involved in the
>>>>marketing it generates, then the top GM will of course not care and play 4-4 or
>>>>something or lose.
>>>>
>>>>On the other hand if you only pay him when he wins, he will beat the hell out of
>>>>you.
>>>>
>>>>Yet top GM's are too demanding. We know kasparov wants 1 or 2 million 'match
>>>>fee' paid. You have no option if you want to play kasparov. he will demand
>>>>payment in advance with a bank garantuee.
>>>>
>>>>Kasparov is simply the special case here. he draws so much publicity that you
>>>>should play him if you can afford it. Yet playing him each few years would be
>>>>too expensive for the sales in return :)
>>>>
>>>>The problem of other GM's is that you get near to zero publicity except within
>>>>the chess world itself. You can play an (ex-)FIDE world champ for just a couple
>>>>of thousands. No problem.
>>>>
>>>>Yet he'll demand also payment in advance: "to show up".
>>>>
>>>>He can then give a show without using any of his careful prepared openings, as
>>>>those openings are used against humans only. If a GM has a novelty he'll sure
>>>>won't play it against a computer. Shame.
>>>>
>>>>What we DO know is that the programs have increased in playing strength REALLY a
>>>>lot last few years.
>>>>
>>>>Way more than i had expected myself to be honest.
>>>>
>>>>So a few years ago there was just one time someone who offered to GM's matches
>>>>in the next form. If they would lose, they got nothing. If they drew then 250
>>>>dollar, if they won then they got $500.
>>>>
>>>>Many very weak GM's took up the challenge and played Rebel. Rebel sure is a good
>>>>program against humans, no question about it. Those real weak GM's 24xx rated
>>>>and 25xx rated easily drew rebel and some actually won.
>>>>
>>>>If you organize again such a match i would expect you will see more of a
>>>>difference. Certain 'profitting' type GM's who managed to kick Rebel by for
>>>>example a sudden attack, they will more and more lose.
>>>>
>>>>However you still can't help certain players who play always the same opening
>>>>and also use it against the computer.
>>>>
>>>>Offer IM Ziatdinov a match against a computer. Or offer GM Boris Kreiman a match
>>>>against a computer. Especially the latter will just destroy it, no matter how
>>>>many processors you use.
>>>>
>>>>He'll play a good opening and destroy it.
>>>>
>>>>Want to find out?
>>>>
>>>>Just pay him $500 a game, for each game he beats a machine of your choosing in
>>>>40 in 2.
>>>>
>>>>Don't even offer money when he draws i would say.
>>>>
>>>>What will the result of a 8 game match be?
>>>>
>>>>Well that depends heavily upon what type of reward you give.
>>>>
>>>>If you offer $500 only for wins and nothing for draws, expect 3-5 wins from the
>>>>GM. If you offer $4000 for winning a 8 game match, he'll beat you with 5 draws
>>>>and 2 white wins and 1 loss from GM side. Just enough to cash in the money.
>>>>
>>>>I specifically mention Kreiman here, because he has a good opening and has
>>>>experience playing software.
>>>>
>>>>I know so many GM's who will perhaps even lose a match from me if i prepare
>>>>well, as their openings suck ass, and they would not prepare a match against me
>>>>nor against the computer, and they have zero chance against any serious
>>>>preparement. All software programs are pretty well prepared because of the
>>>>openings book, but very little are really in depth prepared.
>>>>
>>>>Just mention the GM name, i'll lookup the openings the dude plays, and i can
>>>>already give you a pre-prediction.
>>>>
>>>>Sutovksy? no, not a chance, he'll lose from Nimzo1998.
>>>>IM Ziatdinov? yes, makes a good chance against the software.
>>>>GM Ikonnikov? yes he'll even destroy software long after world champs have won
>>>>from software. Ikonnikov knows he is tactical weak and plays every day in ultra
>>>>safe anti-tactics mode and does do so by playing closed positions preferably.
>>>>Even against 1.e4 !!!! He'll destroy anything.
>>>>Offer him $100 for a draw, $250 for a win, and promise 20 games.
>>>>This will be disastreous for your software.
>>>>
>>>>Rating of those guys doesn't really matter anymore when playing the computer.
>>>>Personal style and motivation and 'bugfree' play are more important. I feel
>>>>that's the difference now against todays hyperagressive software.
>>>
>>>I half-agree here.
>>>
>>>It's true that all engines still have massive problems. Someone with the
>>>positional judgement & opening repertoire of a top player and enough tactical
>>>accuracy could crush them.
>>>
>>>I'm not sure though that any human could pull it off. Kramnik had a big money
>>>incentive to win, was well-prepared, has a clean sound style - and still
>>>couldn't get it done. Chess just has too much tactics.
>>>
>>>Vas
>>
>>You have to admit Kramnik's match against Fritz was incredibly suspicious.
>>First, Kramnik *embarrases* Fritz in their first 4 games, then he makes A) a 1
>>ply blunder and B) a ridiculous sacrifice to even the score.
>>
>>anthony
>
>Not any more suspicious than the other man-machine matches. It's the normal
>story - when the human wins he completely outplays the machine, when the human
>loses he either overlooks something or tries something crazy.
>
>Vas


Humans at the leval of Kramnik do mistakes when they lose but they usually do
not do 1 ply mistakes.

A lot of people suspect that kramnik simply lost on purpose because of the way
that he lost.

Uri



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