Author: Robert Hyatt
Date: 14:06:29 02/20/99
Go up one level in this thread
On February 20, 1999 at 12:34:15, Bruce Moreland wrote: > >On February 20, 1999 at 04:25:58, Mark Young wrote: > >>I agree, and is why I always thought it unwise to compare and draw conclusions >>between manual and automated program ratings on ICC, FICS etc. at blitz time >>controls. >> >>Being able to play 5 0 and 3 0 games without loss of time and without losing on >>time is a big advantage for the automated programs when playing strong humans or >>other manual programs. > >FYI mine doesn't play 3 0 r or 4 0 r, and unlike some others, mine doesn't have >a limit on how slow it will go for rated blitz games. It will happily play a 2 >19 as well as a 5 0. > >There are advantages and disadvantages that accrue to either side in this issue. > >The automatic programs can play lots of games and they never mouse slip, they >gain a few seconds on the clock every move, they rarely if ever flag, they can >play shorter games, and they can make instantaneous moves. > >They are also subject to repeated games while the operator is asleep, they are >challenged by people when their rating is up and ignored when their rating is >down, they don't challenge, instead they are challenged by people of all rating >levels, people can pick the time control to play against them that suits them >best (without having to negotiate with the operator), and people can get a lot >of practice against the automatics and understand their style. > >A manual operator can (but doesn't necessarily) receive assistance from the >operator during the opening phase and occasionally in the middlegame, can pick >the time controls that suit it best, can change programs in order to exploit >perceived weaknesses in specific opponents, and can cherry pick high-rated >opponents (you don't often see manual programs playing 10-game matches with >2400-rated people, which hurts your rating often). > >The manual programs lose 2 or 3 seconds per move if they are fast operators, and >more if they aren't. > >I could argue about which is better but I'd probably be wrong. > >bruce I've said many times that ICC/FICS/chess.net are _really_ interesting places to play chess. But when you go 'automatic' you enter into a _hostile_ environment, because your program is totally on its own. It has to allocate time with zero input from a human, it has to choose openings with zero help from humans. It has to handle repeated games by the same opponent with zero help from humans. All in all a very hostile environment. But once it can handle these things, it can pretty much handle _any_ environment with little worry by its author. IE I was doing 'book learning' pretty much before anyone except Marty (that I know of). And the reason was the ICC environment where a human will play the same opening over and over if given a chance. I decided to (a) not complain about it and (b) take action on 'my end' to stop it. A little 'human guidance' can be important. But when automatic it is not possible.
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