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Subject: Re: Question for Dr. Robert Hyatt

Author: John Warfield

Date: 14:06:31 12/14/99

Go up one level in this thread


On December 14, 1999 at 09:22:49, Robert Hyatt wrote:

>On December 14, 1999 at 02:43:38, John Warfield wrote:
>
>>On December 13, 1999 at 16:59:00, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>
>>>On December 13, 1999 at 16:23:43, John Warfield wrote:
>>>
>>>>On December 13, 1999 at 15:09:09, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>On December 13, 1999 at 14:58:30, walter irvin wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>On December 12, 1999 at 20:40:46, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>On December 12, 1999 at 17:24:52, John Warfield wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Could you please tell me what your 2450 projection is for, on what machine?
>>>>>>>>Also I am curious what you would rate the best computer programs on these
>>>>>>>>platforms  1. Amd 600  2. Amd 300  3 MMX 200
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Thanks
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I think the best of today's programs, on the best of today's hardware, is
>>>>>>>playing at a 2450 (roughly) level (FIDE rating).  I don't think cutting the
>>>>>>>hardware speed by a factor of 2, nor doubling the hardware speed, would make
>>>>>>>any significant change...  The problem is that the programs are good tactically,
>>>>>>>but have significant positional holes that speed won't help.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I think programs will continue to improve, but only as those 'holes' are
>>>>>>>covered up solidly...
>>>>>>
>>>>>>do you believe that there are certain types of positions that computers play
>>>>>>better than humans and if so is it posible to gear the programs style and
>>>>>>opening book toward that goal .also what effect would haveing 4 or 5 different
>>>>>>engines with completely different styles available to the program have vs human
>>>>>>if the program randomly chose a different engine every 4 or 5 moves?????? that
>>>>>>asuming that all the engines were strong .
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>1.  "Do I believe that there are..."  Yes.  I remember playing a game using
>>>>>Cray Blitz at the 1984 US Open, against a 2400 (USCF) player.  He finally
>>>>>resigned, saying "this was impossible for me...  pieces pinned, pieces
>>>>>threatened, pieces on one side of the board attacking things on the other...
>>>>>It was just too much to keep up with..."
>>>>>
>>>>>2.  "Is it possible to gear ..."  Yes and No.  A GM has a _lot_ to say about
>>>>>what happens in a game. If he plays for a draw, it is _very_ difficult to avoid
>>>>>drawing, without taking substantial risk.  If he plays for a win, you have a
>>>>>good chance of leading the game into interesting positions.  But forcing the
>>>>>game into wild tactics is simply not possible. The program has to be prepared
>>>>>to play tactical lines, and also to handle strategic lines, or it won't have a
>>>>>chance against a GM.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>  How has rebel managed to Draw atleast 5 times against grandmaster players if
>>>>it plays so stretigically bad??
>>>
>>>
>>>Exactly _where_ did I say "Rebel has played strategically bad"???
>>>
>>>Or did your imagination run away?
>>
>>
>>  No you didn't actually say it in this thread, but based on reading some of
>>your other post, I get the impression that you think chess programs in general
>>(not just rebel) have very little strategic understanding,  their only good
>>point being very strong tactics. Now it is possible that I am misuderstanding
>>you.
>
>
>That is an _entirely_ different statement.  And yes, I think _all_ programs
>are weak strategically.

Ok then this takes me back to my original question, How Can a program like rebel
draw a Grandmaster five times if it is strategically weak? Tactics alone cannot
do this?



 There are too many things they don't know. They are
>managing to get by on tactics, until the opponents start taking an active role
>in avoiding those kinds of positions.  You only have to watch on ICC to see
>_every_ program have strategic problems...
>
>Rebel being not particularly worse (or better) than any other program.  It is
>a serious problem.



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