Author: Robert Hyatt
Date: 11:40:08 01/16/06
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On January 16, 2006 at 11:23:59, Albert Silver wrote: >On January 16, 2006 at 00:25:03, Robert Hyatt wrote: > >>On January 15, 2006 at 23:21:31, Albert Silver wrote: >> >>>>But in general, deeper search is stronger than shallower search, all else being >>>>equal. >>> >>>Reading this threw me off on a funny tangent, because in my mind I automatically >>>added "until it makes no difference", meaning that if a possible path to victory >>>or draw exists from a certain position, it will be found. So if a 70-ply deep >>>engine could find all the right moves, then a 75-ply deep engine would make no >>>difference. >>> >>>Anyhow, I then wondered whether the phenomenon of diminishing returns wasn't in >>>fact the ultimate sign that perfect chess is ultimately a draw. After all, if >>>chess was ultimately a big 1-0 then greater depth and precision (drawing closer >>>to this perfect win) should lead to more wins and losses and not less, no? >>> >>> Albert >> >> >>Interesting thought. Although you are thinking straight line, when it might be >>a curve that first flattens for a long while appearing to be settling in on a >>draw score, but going even deeper suddenly accelerates the curve back toward >>winning again... > >Yes, I had thought of something like this but on a slightly different line: that >the paths to absolute victory (should it exist) are extremely few, thus the >greater number of draws are related to the genuinely drawn nature of that >majority. > >> >>But I would not be surprised if it ended up as a dead draw with perfect play. >>Although when you think about the game, one simple tempi ought not be enough to >>win, if the world is fair. :) > >Still, I agree and personally believe that with perfect play on both sides, a >draw would be the result. > > Albert Now if we can just one day test that hypothesis, preferably with a computer program. :)
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