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Subject: Re: Selective Search vs. Brute Force Re: Chris

Author: Melvin S. Schwartz

Date: 16:20:50 01/29/99

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On January 29, 1999 at 18:10:02, José de Jesús García Ruvalcaba wrote:

>On January 29, 1999 at 17:46:45, Melvin S. Schwartz wrote:
>
>>According to the manual of my Mephisto atlanta, it states:
>>"The program in this chess computer normally uses a Selective Search algorithm.
>>This allows the computer to see combinations that would otherwise take much
>>longer to compute. Turning this option off by choosing -SEL makes the program
>>switch to a powerful Brute Force algorithm. This search method minimizes the
>>risk of an occasional oversight. Note: The Problem Solving Levels always use the
>>Brute Force method."
>>This explanation of the two types of searches would seem to me that Brute Force
>>would see what Selective Search can see and more since it minimizes the risk of
>>an occasional oversight. And it seems that since Selective Search is faster, it
>>wouldn't go as deep as Brute Force. I know it is somewhat confusing comparing
>>all to what you said. Now, can you make some sense of it knowing what the manual
>>says? If the tech guy in Hong Kong is wrong, then he should be selling shoes
>>instead being a technician. Seriously, I would appreciate your evaluation of
>>what the manual says.
>>Thank you,
>>Mel
>
>       I do not have a Mephisto Atlanta; I answer from what I have read about brute
>force and selective search in general.
>       At the same time control, both search algorithms will see very differente
>things. The brute force one will look at all the variations to about the same
>depth; while the selective search will look much deeper to some variations than
>others, its longest variations will be much longer that those of the brute force
>method.
>       The selective search method risks an oversight in its less deep variations. The
>brute force method wastes a lot of time in irrelevant moves.

Thank you for responding. However, my real question is still not answered. Which
method produces a higher chess rating. In other words, when they rate these
machines; for example, the Novag Diamond 11 Swedish ELO 2220 and the Mephisto
atlanta Swedish ELO 2280, which method do they use? Selective Search or Brute
Force. Which method produces a higher level of chess??? Which method is
better??? The manual of my Mephisto does state that Brute Force is used in the
Problem Solving Levels. There must be a reason why they have designed the chess
computer to operate that way. Anyone with information regardng this confusing
issue would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Mel



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