World Computer Chess Championship

[Rebel]

I mean the current (2018) TCEC tournament.

The question remains the same and unanswered.

I did answer it as best as I know. If any program enters and evidence is presented that it violates ICGA tournament rules, it will be investigated and a decision made if it violates those rules. We do not have resources to investigate programs that might not even enter. It is a time consuming process, and it would not be appropriate to ban a program just on someones claims about it.

It's extremely odd coming from you (as ICGA representative and private person) while you know better and have expressed yourself as such.

I do not understand. "you know better" about what? If you mean I have heard claims some engines are derivatives then yes, I have heard that. But I cannot judge someone merely on a claim. I would have to carefully review the evidence such as disassembled code before I could decide if I believe the claims.

Makes me wonder in case Houdart wins TCEC again will feel warm, fuzzy and very welcome after he receives David's offer.

Seriously, you (ICGA) should open all windows for fresh air because it smells musty in your house, enter into the 21 century, we are already in the 18th year.

In any case, as the programmer for Komodo which is likely to compete in future WCCCs, people would be concerned of a conflict of interest, so I could not be involved in any such investigation.

Something positive at last, no more silver and bronze medalists that are going the judge the golden medalist. Or is my interpretation wrong?

[Henk]

Is WCCC in the future becoming a clone or derivative of TCEC ? Then maybe better quit.

[Ovyron]

We are open for more ideas of how to go about this.

Okay then, get in contact with the TCEC organizers and ask them how did they manage to get Stockfish on their tournament, since participating in TCEC breaks the same philosophy of participating in the WCCC, so the organizers of the former managed to do something that the ICGA hasn't done yet.

I think Nelson Hernandez is one of them (I could be wrong), and he has posted here, so that's a start.

But yeah, in my opinion this needs to be prioritized, as, if changes were implemented that included high participation from programmers, and we got as popular as yesteryear with 12 engines fighting for the title, but with Stockfish and Houdini missing, it wouldn't be satisfactory.

If this is already prioritized, then I apologize for some of the comments I've made on the thread, it's just that this wasn't made apparent, and having an expert ready to check out an engine's originality on application sounds hostile. Perhaps you should have a different set of rules depending on who's the best currently and who you want to get in, so Houdini would get in without being checked because it's one of the best (and with this ruleset, Fire, Bouquet, or Fritz 16 would be able to enter freely), unless this makes Stockfish not participate. If in the future Shredder or Hiarcs become the top #1 engine and they would not get in because Houdini is there, you kick out Houdini for that Championship, and so on.

[mjlef]

We have take some baby steps toward this with live displays online of the games.

This is not an easy thing to do, I am not sure you have the expertise to do this, you need people that eats burgers and HTML for breakfast

If I was the chief of your organization I would have _already_ knocked at, say, lichess door saying something like: "Hey guys, what about to do something big? A big, amazing and wonderful online tournament? Something that makes TCEC look like "space invaders" old arcade?"

You should ask for support/collaboration/sharing...for really many reasons:

1. You are not able to do by yourself

2. It is _wrong_ to do by yourself, you should attract people, talent and audience (lichess has all of this)

3. Together you will reach a much better result

4. You have to look out of your garden

I am not the one doing it, although I did setup a chat window one year. I certainly ask for help when I need it. I fully admit I am not an expert on live game displays, and have never even tried to write one. I am not sure why you thought I would try this by myself, but I have not. Fortunately, the computer chess community is full of experts that often offer their help. An expert in wikis is helping me and Gerd move the Chess Programming Wiki. We have discusses with several big online chess groups hosting live games. And expert in DGT (auto move chess boards) has setup the chessboards for WCCC for the last few years.... Any offers from other to help are always appreciated. But I think some of the big live chess sites would be best to do this.

[Leo]

This is a golden opportunity for Alpha Zero. The WCCC is an anything goes free-for-all. Alpha could use anything it wants. When it won the tournament it would have a nice feather in its cap. I wish they would compete but I would be really surprised if they do.

[Kotlov]

This is a golden opportunity for Alpha Zero.

Google better than that.

[Ovyron]

This is a golden opportunity for Alpha Zero.

Google better than that.

Yeah, note that when they wanted to play against the strongest chess engine available, they didn't look at the WCCC, but they chose TCEC's winner.

So at this point, Alpha Zero has a higher chance to appear in TCEC than in the WCCC.

[Harvey Williamson]

Alpha Zero has a higher chance to appear in TCEC than in the WCCC.

Only if it is willing to play on the TCEC hardware.

[Rebel]

This is a golden opportunity for Alpha Zero.

Google better than that.

Yeah, note that when they wanted to play against the strongest chess engine available, they didn't look at the WCCC, but they chose TCEC's winner.

So at this point, Alpha Zero has a higher chance to appear in TCEC than in the WCCC.

I think it's the other way around. David already might even have a signed contract with the AZ folks.

[CheckersGuy]

This is a golden opportunity for Alpha Zero.

Google better than that.

Yeah, note that when they wanted to play against the strongest chess engine available, they didn't look at the WCCC, but they chose TCEC's winner.

So at this point, Alpha Zero has a higher chance to appear in TCEC than in the WCCC.

I think it's the other way around. David already might even have a signed contract with the AZ folks.

Would be great but I think it`s unlikely