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Subject: Re: A Blast from the past - What is a Gentleman in Chess?

Author: Rolf Tueschen

Date: 09:15:25 05/05/05

Go up one level in this thread


On May 05, 2005 at 05:01:00, Walter Faxon wrote:

>On May 04, 2005 at 20:40:23, Rolf Tueschen wrote:
>
>>On April 30, 2005 at 01:11:59, Walter Faxon wrote:
>>
>>>*** Or human.  What this illustrates is that resignation should be eliminated
>>>from chess and all decisive games played out to checkmate.  After all, even
>>>grandmasters can screw up completely won positions, and they sometimes do.
>>>
>>>No dignity in graceful acknowledgment of your opponent's better play, no; you
>>>must fight to the bitter end!
>>>
>>>Is your team allowed to "resign" when down 0-6 with one minute to play in
>>>soccer?  No!
>>>
>>>Of course, this extra wasted effort would increase the odds in favor of the
>>>tireless machines.
>>>
>>>-- Walter :)
>>
>>What you are saying reveils very good the lack of class in computerchess. It's
>>as if chess would be raped. Chess is a gentleman's sport. You don't understand
>>why chessplayers give up in lost positions. They do so, because they both agree
>>in a gentleman's logic. If- they say - we BOTH continue to play like good
>>chessplayers, and we say that we are both good ones, THEN the result of the game
>>is clear after all what we know of this game - and we agree that we know enough
>>that the position itself doesn't hold any surprises. We do completely neglect
>>that one of us or even both would make silly mistakes which would in fact change
>>the expected result. We are both gentlemen and nobody wants to win games through
>>silliness if the position is clear. That is at least what gentlemen are saying.
>>
>>But computerchess people seem to miss that important point. Their logic always
>>goes like that: if by chance our opponent - who has a won position and the
>>machine can see it - becomes silly we have avoided a shameful loss. These people
>>don't even know that it's more shameful how they are behaving...
>>
>>NB that I'm not talking about ALL computerchess people. Bob for instance is a
>>symbol for that gentleman's attitude when he's well aware of politeness in
>>matches between his machine and human chessplayers. Bob is NOT a maniac who's
>>collecting points that he hasn't earned to win. That is why it's a real mystery
>>why Bob is defending hsu and team...
>>
>>My idea is that Bob stands a friend above a gentleman. But this not my ethical
>>base. A friend who made some mistake is STILL a friend, but then you are allowed
>>to criticise him, just because he's your friend and you are his friend. Perhaps
>>this is too European for Americans.
>
>
>
>Dr. Tueschen,

Please dont call me MP or President! Thanks.


>
>The little smiley following my signature ":)" indicates an attempt at humor; in
>this case, irony.  I was responding to your suggestion (in subsequently snipped
>text) that because Kasparov resigned in a position were he in fact had a
>difficult forced draw, the game should be effectively re-scored as a draw,
>presumably because that would be the "scientific" result.

Yes, you are a very successful comedian.


>
>Here's a bit of science:

And a scientist of great reputation!


>In every decisive game of chess, subsequent analysis
>can often pinpoint the loser's final fatal mistake.  Kasparov's mistake was in
>resigning.  His resigning was a legal move, and it cost him the game!
>
>If he could take back that move, why not allow him to take back any move, take
>back the whole game, or the whole match?
>
>Why not?  Because that is not how chess is played.  And the most important
>aspect of the "science" in this human-computer chess match (as in all such
>matches) was in the actual result of the match.

And your point would be what? I for one did never speak about taking back the
moves... You perhaps missed that.



>
>Yes, including all the silly mistakes.  Which computers make too.
>
>-----
>
>By-the-by, re the "gentleman's" sport of chess:  In a serious game, have you
>ever heard of a human grandmaster refusing an opponent's resignation?  Never?  I
>guess it is because they all "lack class".  Have you ever seen a human
>grandmaster continue in a clearly lost position, trying to "swindle" the
>opponent?  Anyone who does that must want to "rape" chess.  Shameful!

You also show a great class of sarcasm. But you are NOT talking about what I
have written. Don't mind, you have all the right to write what you want, but
please don't pretend that you are talking to me. Thanks.

BTW I agree with you that swindle is part of the game in chess, in special among
amateurs and coffeehouse gamblers.


>
>I'm just glad they don't do those kinds of things in Europe.
>
>-- Walter

We have a lot of coffeehouses in Europe.  Please dont be too surprised that I
can't address your fine irony because of weaknesses in my English. I'm a German
and if you could write something in German one day I will respond with a similar
irony in my mother's language. But it's well possible that I won't do that out
of simple politeness. Because I don't like to swindle. I'm not a gambler so to
speak, excuse me.



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