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Subject: Re: Me Vs Some Programs

Author: Ralf Elvsén

Date: 03:25:54 09/18/99

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On September 17, 1999 at 21:48:21, odell hall wrote:

>On September 17, 1999 at 15:40:13, Ralf Elvsén wrote:
>
[snip]>
>
>  Hi
>
>
> I went over game 3, against hiarcs7.32, My impression is that you were playing
>stronger than I would expect a 1700 player, perhaps you are actually  stronger
>than you think, especially since it has been 18 years since you have played
>competitively, I know a gentlemen that has played in only 14 tournaments games
>and has a 2100 rating but actually plays at the 2400 level.  I think that the
>biggest weakness of the top programs today is that they allow way to many draws,
>simply because they don't have the "counsciousness of human players, and will
>not take the necessary risk, or consider the rating of their opponents. I came
>very close last night to drawing Hiarcs 7.32 On my Amd k6-2 350 so I believe
>that it is certainly possible to draw, even at our level.

Since I intentionally tried to be provocative (something I
regret to a small extent now) I didn't mention that I have
done some unsystematic training and that I probably am a little
stronger than when I was young. My openings are a little sounder,
I don't seem to have lost the decent tactical ability I had,
and (if you are below 20, pardon me) as you mature you are
more willing to admit you make systematic mistakes and listen
to peoples advice to correct them. Ah well, I can't
possibly be over 1900 :)

Yes, the way I see it is that if you can smell tactical
trouble and steer away from it, you have a good chance
to draw. The computers follow the small subplans that
happen to be within their search horizon. As a complete
game plan it just isn't very impressive, but that is
hardly any news.

Many times I have been thinking things like:
"Gee, I hope it doesn't move f2-f4-f5 and trouble
my pawn at e6." The computer won't do it if it
doesn't think it is the objectively best move,
although a human master would know I could hardly
handle the pressure. Assuming the best response
from your opponent isn't always the best way to win
a game.

My advice for anti-computer play:

trade if the cost isn't too high,

pay special attention to the pawn
structure: I have lost numerous "equal" endings to
computers due to double pawns,

avoid knight endings: they can make you dizzy :) ,

the transition to the endgame
is very important: since I play somewhat passively
I can end up in a very defensive position in the endgame
and lose, although the material is equal.

One of your advantages over computers: you are probably
better in evaluating the long term prospects of light
pieces, especially for the ending.

Ralf



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