Single Comment

Reinhard, I used the latest downloadable version. All I say is that there should be knowledge built in so that it takes charge of the centre in the opening. Likewise, in pawn endgames there must be knowledge about the opposition. If there is no such knowledge, then all games are strategically lost. Of course, Smirf is likely to win anyway because it is so strong, but chess programmers must learn to honour the laws of chess. The game example I gave turns the stomach of a cunning chessplayer. It's like a musician who must bear to listen to false play. It is an interesting AI project, but I don't think you can do without knowledge. Chess programmers tend to see chess as an algorithmic experiment, and they disregard the laws of chess, expecting the program to find the best move unaided by knowledge worked out during the centuries. If the programs have knowledge then 10s/move on a 1.6 GHz machine is clearly good enough. Capablanca said that he counted one move forwards, but he had an immense knowledge. /Mats