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Subject: Re: Attention !

Author: John Merlino

Date: 11:18:28 01/24/05

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On January 24, 2005 at 12:34:10, Wilhelm Hudetz wrote:

>On January 24, 2005 at 12:20:05, John Merlino wrote:
>
>>On January 24, 2005 at 11:21:14, Wilhelm Hudetz wrote:
>>
>>>On January 24, 2005 at 09:54:04, Wilhelm Hudetz wrote:
>>>
>>>>Hi Jason,
>>>>
>>>>I think your right.
>>>>I read a german translation of the manual from CM4000-Turbo,
>>>>and there stands, if you set minus CM will more look to find a winning
>>>>way in drawing positions.
>>>>I think there is a false translation!
>>>>Ok, I check this, more later.
>>>>Thank you
>>>>
>>>>Wilhelm
>>>>I better should read the english manual....
>>>
>>>I make some tests with different positions
>>>and cfd has big influence of the search.
>>>So I think it can not only be a parameter for accept draw!?
>>>
>>>here a testposition as example:
>>>
>>>8/5BK1/8/2kn4/1p2b3/8/1R3P2/8 w - - 0 62
>>>
>>>try different values for cfd and look how long it take to find Rd2.
>>>
>>>In many games I have controlled I coudn´t see that CM accept a
>>>draw when he is in plus (C3PO has cfd=-10).
>>>So I don´t know whats realy right.
>>>
>>>regards
>>>Wilhelm
>>
>>Indeed, the Contempt for Draw value affects the search VERY MUCH! Johan could
>>probably give a more complete description of how this works, but, in a nutshell:
>>
>>A low (negative) contempt for draw means that the engine will look for and
>>attempt to steer the game towards drawish lines, even at the cost of improving
>>its position. It will consistently attempt to get draws by repetition and will
>>very likely trade material to simplify. This can result in boring play, and is
>>likely to reduce the quality of play.
>>
>>A high (positive) contempt for draw means that the engine will attempt to avoid
>>drawish positions, even at the cost of losing half a point. You can easily see
>>an example of how this can reduce the quality of play by looking at the first
>>game in the CM vs. Christiansen match in which the Alekhine personality was
>>used. This personality has a +3 cfd value, which means that it won't accept a
>>draw unless it is down by at least 3 points!
>>
>>The engine made some very poor moves attempting to attack and avoiding
>>simplification.
>>
>>Johan, as far as I know, ALWAYS uses a cfd value of 0 in tournaments with The
>>King.
>>
>>jm
>
>Hi John,
>
>thank you for explaining!
>In my tests I got some better results with a little negative value.
>To clear this, a value of -10 for use outside of CM-GUI is a vlue of -1 in
>CM-GUI.
>
>Wilhelm

Not enough testing has been done with "large" cfd values (greater than +1 or
less than -1), so it is certainly possible that there might be some combination
of settings that can benefit from them. Hopefully, you will lead the way in this
testing!

jm



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