Important announcement: World Computer Chess Championship –

[mjlef]

The full rules for 2016 are here:

https://icga.leidenuniv.nl/wp-content/u ... 2016-3.pdf

I have not heard if there are any rules changes other than David Levy's announcement.

[mjlef]

and in any case, there is no 'soul' in engine vs engine games. Not really...but seeing a human player go all out for a win...saving a desperate position...stalking, then pouncing - it's things like these that make humans enjoy the game, not a bunch of 'ones and zeroe's' coming into conflict.

If by "soul" you mean "the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal.", well, that does not exist. If instead you mean "the essence or embodiment of a specified quality.", that does exist, and chess programmers work hard to embed chess knowledge in our programs so they can "stalk and pounce". Programs are not human, but they can be an extension of parts of ourselves.

[pilgrimdan]

and in any case, there is no 'soul' in engine vs engine games. Not really...but seeing a human player go all out for a win...saving a desperate position...stalking, then pouncing - it's things like these that make humans enjoy the game, not a bunch of 'ones and zeroe's' coming into conflict.

If by "soul" you mean "the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal.", well, that does not exist. If instead you mean "the essence or embodiment of a specified quality.", that does exist, and chess programmers work hard to embed chess knowledge in our programs so they can "stalk and pounce". Programs are not human, but they can be an extension of parts of ourselves.

it would be interesting to know if a 'soul' and/or the 'immortal' could be represented by a series of 0s and 1s...

if it can...

then it would take only one instance for a distinction to occur...

and that one time distinction would be able to embody infinity...

I suppose if everything could be represented in binary...

that would make it a very special system...

it would look random and at times repetitive at the same time...

[Paloma]

Here the List of participants:

WCSC - World Chess Software Championship (1. und 2. June)
------------------------------------------------------------
The Baron (Richard Pijl)
Chess Ebiz 9 (Bruno Bras)
Deep Shredder (Stefan Meyer-Kahlen)
Jonny (Johannes Zwanzger)
Komodo (Mark Lefler & Larry Kaufman)
Ziggurat (David Norris)

--- Round Robin ---


WCCC - World Computer Chess Championship (3. bis 7. July)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Komodo (reigning champion from the 2016 event)
Jonny (2015 World Computer Chess Champion)
Deep Shredder (2015 World Chess Software Champion)
Chiron (rated 3207 in the CCRL and 3180 in the SSFD list)

--- Three rounds ---


WCCSC - World Computer Chess Speed Championship (5. July)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Chess Ebiz 9 (Bruno Bras)
Deep Shredder (Stefan Meyer-Kahlen)
Jonny (Johannes Zwanzger)
Komodo (Mark Lefler & Larry Kaufman)
Ziggurat (David Norris)

--- Two rounds ---

[IanO]

This event seems slightly more relevant, now that there is new Big Iron in the room. What do you think it would take to get AlphaZero to participate in the 2018 WCCC, given the format change? Has the qualifying tournament obtained a venue and schedule yet?

[whereagles]

This event seems slightly more relevant, now that there is new Big Iron in the room. What do you think it would take to get AlphaZero to participate in the 2018 WCCC, given the format change? Has the qualifying tournament obtained a venue and schedule yet?

It is natural that AlphaZero enters the unlimited hardware tournament (the software only tournament probably won't be possible). There is also no funding problem for Tyrel... errr... google corporation.