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Subject: Re: Some thoughts on engine vs. engine matches

Author: Robert Hyatt

Date: 07:54:04 06/28/99

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On June 28, 1999 at 09:51:05, blass uri wrote:

>
>On June 28, 1999 at 09:26:19, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>
>>On June 28, 1999 at 08:29:36, Francesco Di Tolla wrote:
>>
>>>>I can only offer two data points.  In Crafty, _my_ timing allocation code
>>>>assumes that there will actually be more time to use than crafty has at the
>>>>point it has to make the decision.
>>>
>>>I'm sorry Bob, but I don't agree here. I think that if your program does this it
>>>is a "problem" of your program. Any program that supports a "ponder off" mode
>>>should also be able to play at maximum efficency within the time given.
>>>
>>
>>
>>Sorry but you are wrong.  Should I spend 1/2 my time testing with ponder=off
>>to be sure that it works optimally?  Or should I spend 100% of my time testing
>>in the way where the program plays the strongest?
>
>I think that you do not need to spend 1/2 of your time to test with ponder=off
>to be sure that it works optimally.
>
>I understand that the problem is that you assume that you can save time when you
>guess the opponent's move.
>You can simply decide to use x% of your regular time because you know that you
>cannot save time when the user can choose x.
>
>The user who are interested in engine-engine games can find by testing the
>the value of x that is close to be optimal.
>
>Uri


You just contradicted your own statement, however.  Your last sentence says it
all.  It takes a lot of time to find X, and "X" isn't the only thing.  IE when
I see 'trouble' I use more time knowing I will make it up later.  If I am not
going to 'make it up' then I can't use as much.

The 'timing' in a chess engine is non-trivial, in spite of how easy it may look
on the surface.  Only after you try to write/debug this code do you get an
appreciation for just how hard proper time allocation is...



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