Computer Chess Club Archives


Search

Terms

Messages

Subject: Re: Making a computer play more like a human

Author: Steffen Jakob

Date: 00:31:09 09/30/99

Go up one level in this thread


On September 29, 1999 at 22:22:31, Dave Gomboc wrote:

>On September 29, 1999 at 20:52:37, Michael Fuhrmann wrote:
>
>>          From my limited understanding of computer chess, I gather that
>>programs choose moves based on the assumption that their opponents always make
>>the best possible moves. This may not happen -- especially in the case of a
>>human opponent. Which leads to the paradox that computers might win more games
>>if they sometimes played weaker moves.
>>          The reason for this is that humans know that a computer always makes
>>the best move according to its own analysis. This predictability can only
>>benefit the human.
>>           Take this example: a computer sees that, given best play by it and
>>its opponent, it is about to lose the equivalent of a piece.
>>           A GM (let's say white) in the same position might decide that loss of
>>the piece will lead to a hopeless position, and try to distract his human
>>opponent with a counterattack. The counterattack is unsound, and the GM knows
>>it. With correct play by black, white will actually be worse off. But in a
>>complex position, the counterattack may look sufficiently threatening to
>>distract black. The result: black abandons his own attack and is eventually
>>"faked out" of his advantage. White steals the game.
>>             In some positions, white has little or nothing to lose and
>>everything to gain by this ploy.
>>             So (a) Is any computer today capable of choosing this kind of
>>technically unsound, counter-attacking move (in positions where it will probably
>>lose anyway given best play) instead of the "correct" move according to its
>>eval?
>>             And (b) Does anyone else agree that if a computer could do this, it
>>would add a human-like, "psychological" dimension to its arsenal?
>
>It is rumoured that some of the commercial programs will do this if they are
>hitting "guaranteed loss" scores, though none of the authors has stood up and
>admitted it (here, anyway).

I am not commercial but I am doing something like this. I call it "lucky punch
mode". From my web page:

"2.lucky punch mode

When Hossa has a very bad position but still has enough material to start an
attack then he doesn't take care too much about losing more material but rather
tries to start a wild attack against the opponent's king. This approach is
especially useful in blitz games against human opponents."

Greetings,
Steffen.



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.