Author: Robert Hyatt
Date: 18:25:09 10/07/99
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On October 07, 1999 at 19:51:56, Scott Gasch wrote: >Hello, > >My engine has a real problem defending against pawn promotions. The way it >works now I have a PSQT that makes advanced pawns more valuable. I also do an >extension threatoning pawn advances (to the 6th or 7th row) in the middlegame >and endgame. > >Bob had mentioned using a SEE on the pawn push to see if it is safe. I also >think my eval shoud do a better job of identifying threat pawns and scoring them >appropriately. Right now a pawn on the 7th rank gets a PSQT bonus for being far >advanced, another bonus for being passed... > >How do people handle pawn promotion defense? Every time I lose a game it is >because it messed this up. Often it has the oppertunity to sack a knight or >something to kill the pest but it doesn;t do it because it doesn't see deep >enough to realize the pawn will definately queen in like 8 moves or whatever... > >Thanks again, >Scott There are a couple of things you need to do. 1. recognize that they are dangerous. 2. recognize that they become less dangerous if they are blockaded as quickly as possible so that their advancement is inhibited. 1 can be done by just increasing the scores until you realize that a pawn that reaches the 7th safely is probably winning if you can't take it off quickly. 2 is also easy, just check the square in front of the pawn and if it is not empty, penalize the score substantially... I take away 1/2 of the passed pawn score if the pawn is blockaded myself... The rest has to be up to your search to resolve, so get faster. :) Or get deeper. :) :) Or both. :) :) :)
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