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Subject: Re: Positional Play

Author: Peter Kappler

Date: 16:12:34 10/20/99

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On October 20, 1999 at 16:31:42, Joshua Lee wrote:

>What positionally don't chessprograms understand yet?


Lots.

Give most micros a position devoid of tactics, requiring slow maneuvering and
repositioning of pieces, and they will play at or below 2200 ELO.  The trick for
a human is to get this kind of position, and then accurately convert it, which
almost always requires some type of tactical breakthrough.

Here's a few things I think all programs have trouble understanding (unless
there is an immediate tactical consequence):

pawn-sacrifices to gain time in the opening
pawn-sacrifices to open a file or secure a square for attacking purposes
pawn-sacrifices to improve piece activity
outside passers in certain endgames
attacks based on pawn-storms
bad bishops

I could probably think of others - these are the first that come to mind.

Different programs handle these problems with varying success, I think.  I know
that Bob does a lot of things in Crafty to try to *avoid* closed positions
altogether, and I think he has spent a lot of time on the outside passer
problem.

Probably the most famous example of how badly a strong program can botch
positional play is game 6 of the first Kasparov - Deep Blue match.


--Peter




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