Computer Chess Club Archives


Search

Terms

Messages

Subject: Re: Null Move Heuristic - Comments Please (somewhat long)

Author: Dave Gomboc

Date: 21:34:35 05/14/99

Go up one level in this thread


On May 14, 1999 at 20:10:09, William Bryant wrote:

>I'm ready to ruin a perfectly good search by adding more code. If done right,
>the Null move should make it much stronger.  My copy of C. Donningers paper has
>been ordered by inter library loan so I have not yet read the paper.  Below is a
>summary or digest of information available from this forum over the last year
>concerning null moves.
>
>I think this is a pretty up to date summary of the heuristic, but would
>appreaciate any comments.
>
>Note: I have assembled this from many posts, maybe even yours.  I claim no
>copyright on the material.  For those, like me, ready to expand their programs
>with Null move search, I hope this summary helps.  Please feel free to correct
>any errors I might have made.
>
>William
>wbryant@ix.netcom.com
>
>Null Move Summary
>
>Description
>	Null moves are a forward pruning mechanism to generate a beta cutoff without
>doing a full search
>
>Situations to Avoid Null Moves
>1. When the side on move is in check. Then a null move simply allows the other
>side to capture the King.
>2. Having just done a null move.

I have heard this restriction before, but I have also heard that it is fine to
do this, because one or the other null-move will fail.  Does this make any
sense?  I have not spent much time thinking about it.

Dave



This page took 0 seconds to execute

Last modified: Thu, 15 Apr 21 08:11:13 -0700

Current Computer Chess Club Forums at Talkchess. This site by Sean Mintz.