Author: Bruce Moreland
Date: 21:32:59 07/25/99
Go up one level in this thread
On July 25, 1999 at 12:25:49, Don Dailey wrote:
>The other thing you can do is to limit the time controls you use to play
>against humans with. You do this if you want to maximize the stability
>of your computers rating. A lot of computers do this and try to maximize
>their performance against humans by using zero time increments. Many
>won't play other computers, I have no idea why this is. Since most of
>the computers doing this are not by the original authors but by Crafty
>clones, you cannot argue that you are interested in studying the games to
>learn how to play against humans. So I can only assume it is done
>in an attempt to maximize the rating of the machines. I have serious
>doubts that this has any impact on another computers rating though,
>it's based on the illogical assumption that a computer with a given
>rating is more likely to beat you than a human with the same rating.
>This indicates a lack of understanding of how the rating system works.
>I suspect that part of the motivation of the Crafty cloners is that
>they like to identify with a winner, even if they themselves are not,
>especially in the case of those that won't play other computers, there
>is more thrill in beating a human I guess.
People have wondered for years why this gang of people compete to see who can
get the highest rating by using a program that they did not write. I think that
you are most likely right.
>I let Occam play anyone (computers or humans) as long as they are not
>more than 300 weaker than Occam. I am probaably going to relax this
>restriction even more. With the linear rating formula they use, there
>is absolutely no motivation to play anyone a lot weaker than you,
>even though you are almost certain to win, you win zero points and
>this is a terrible deal. The correct formula (at least in principal)
>makes it not matter who you play although most people are superstitious
>about things like this.
If you want to make sure you get at least one point, play established players
("established" in formula), and play within about 700 points.
bruce
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