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Subject: Blocked positions

Author: Steffen Jakob

Date: 06:07:07 03/29/99


Which programs can handle blocked positions well? E.g. look at this position:

4k3/8/1p1p4/pPpPp1p1/P1P1PpPp/5P1P/2BB4/K7 w

Is there a program which sees that white cannot break through blacks pawn wall
(with knowledge and not with depth)?

Are there any ideas for this problem? This is what I think about this issue:

IMO blocked positions have the following characteristics:

1) the stronger side cannot compute a better score if it searches deeper.
2) the weaker side can keep the score although it doesnt change much its
position

A non blocked position has this characteristic:

1) If one side has an advantage then it will be able to increase the advantage.
The bigger the advantage the faster it will increase. E.g. you will hardly find
a position with the material of the position I gave you above which is _not_
blocked and the stronger side is not able to compute a better score in a deeper
search.

I am about to implement this idea in Hossa... Ill keep you informed if it works
(and stay silent if it doesnt ;-)

Best wishes,
Steffen.



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