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Subject: Re: Crafty on Anything is not that good..... <grin>....

Author: pete

Date: 13:33:29 09/13/99

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On September 13, 1999 at 10:06:36, Robert Hyatt wrote:

>On September 13, 1999 at 01:22:12, blass uri wrote:
>
>>On September 12, 1999 at 20:54:47, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>
>>>On September 12, 1999 at 10:43:37, Randy Schmidt wrote:
>>>
>>>>I do not believe that Crafty running on any processor(s) would
>>>>be stronger than Hiarcs7.1, or for that matter Junior.  My
>>>>large caveat is that the time control be something like eight
>>>>hours a move (perhaps even 50 hours a move).
>>>>
>>>>My point is that the positional elements of Junior and Hiarcs
>>>>would supercede the speed of crafty on a souped up computer.
>>>>On any time control faster than 40/2, I think Crafty would have
>>>>a decisive advantage.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Here's a point to ponder.  If "junior" has a lot more 'positional understanding'
>>>than crafty, how would you explain the fact that it is _far_ faster than crafty.
>>>In fact, it is likely the fastest program running that I have seen NPS numbers
>>>for.
>>
>>The theory that slow searchers are better positional understanding is not a
>>right theory because the question is not nps for second but if the evaluation
>>function is good.
>>
>>For example I think that Crafty has better positional understanding relative to
>>tal because tal is too optimistic about the positional advantage.
>>
>>It is not clear to me if Junior is a better positional player relative to crafty
>>but you cannot learn about it by the number of nodes per second.
>>
>>I believe that the latest version of Junior is better in
>>positional understnding relative to previous versions and it is looking at the
>>same number of nodes per second.
>>
>>Uri
>
>
>I agree partially... but there _is_ a direct correlation between NPS and "amount
>of stuff" in the evaluation.  IE in my code, the evaluation is about 50% of the
>total search time.  In Hiarcs I would bet it is closer to 75-80%.  In Junior I'd
>guess at 10%-20% max.  Does that mean I do more?  Probably.  Does that mean mine
>does better?  Not necessarily. Tuning also plays an important role, of course.
>
>But one thing is pretty clear.  you can't go fast _and_ do a thorough eval.  You
>have to depend more on piece/square stuff and quick things you can detect.  And
>you run into trouble in the right kinds of positions... like when you don't
>handle outside passed pawns against a program that does, you get ripped by that
>repeatedly.  Or where you don't understand something like Bxh2 or Bxa2, and you
>get ripped.  And I won't name names about the programs that _still_ fall for
>this one... but the ones that are very fast do, the ones that are slower don't.
>
>The reason is pretty obvious...  :)


this is most interesting stuff and not obious at all I think ; junior has a hard
time in polemic discussions as it doesn't know a few things a 1600 player will
know ; ie underpromotion or the a2,a7,h2,h7 stuff ; obvious , and if you see it
happen it is a pain as _everybody_ knows it ; I am only a chessplayer watching
the progs sometimes , and these things don't happen _that_ often ; it is a
question of prize and cost .

junior _very_ often plays very deep positional moves ; I don't know why ;
probably because of tactics ; but see :

a.) I have never seen a single match played under serious conditions where
Hiarcs was able to beat Junior ( in my own tourney it has just been a 3-1 for
Junior )

b.) what is intelligence ? programs won't _ever_ have GM knowledge I think ;
some programs have the knowledge of a 2200 player , so us lesser players are
impressed , but are we also able to judge if the prize of speed was a good
investment ? )

I have seen too many games where Junior played grat positionally ( maybe just
because it was able to search a ply deeper ) to be easily convinced that slower
means more clever .

pete





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