Question about Program called Belle

[Sean Evans]

I read somewhere that Belle was the first Master level Chess program, i find this hard to believe so far back. Where could I find some of it's games? I assume it had master opposition from humans?

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/ ... omphis.htm

In 1978 BELLE wins the 9th ACM computer champonship, held in Washington, DC.

In 1980 BELLE wins the 11th ACM computer championship, held in Nashville.

In 1981 CRAY BLITZ won the Mississipi State Championship with a perfect 5-0 score and a performance rating of 2258. In round 4 it defeated Joe Sentef (2262) to become the first computer to beat a master in tournament play and the first computer to gain a master rating (2258).

In 1981 BELLE wins the 12th ACM computer championship, held in Los Angeles.

In 1982 BELLE was confiscated by the State Department as it was heading to the Soviet Union to participate in a computer chess tournament. The State Department claimed it was a violation of a technology transfer law to ship a high technology computer to a foreign country. BELLE later played in the U.S. Open speed championship and took 2nd place.

In 1982 BELLE wins the 13th ACM computer championship, held in Dallas.

In 1983, the first chess microcomputer beat a master in tournament play. BELLE became the first chess computer to attain a master's rating when, in October, 1983, its USCF rating was 2203.

In 1986 BELLE won the ACM computer championship in Dallas.

Enjoy the chronology:

Sean

[fern]

Of course I had. My daughters, for certain. The rest will be dust and ashes.
Fern

[bob]

I read somewhere that Belle was the first Master level Chess program, i find this hard to believe so far back. Where could I find some of it's games? I assume it had master opposition from humans?

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/ ... omphis.htm

In 1978 BELLE wins the 9th ACM computer champonship, held in Washington, DC.

In 1980 BELLE wins the 11th ACM computer championship, held in Nashville.

In 1981 CRAY BLITZ won the Mississipi State Championship with a perfect 5-0 score and a performance rating of 2258. In round 4 it defeated Joe Sentef (2262) to become the first computer to beat a master in tournament play and the first computer to gain a master rating (2258).

Unfortunately, that is not the whole truth. yes, it's rating (which started over when we moved to the Cray by USCF policy at the time) was 2258, but it was a _provisional_ rating. Belle was the first program to record an official 2200+ rating (2208 if I recall correctly) which required 24 games. Cray Blitz's 2258 was listed as "2258/5." which was "2258 after 5 games". It went up from that but we never had the chance to play in enough human tournaments to reach an official 2200+ non-provisional. By that time getting computers into human tournaments was becoming very difficult, as most were advertised (NC) (no computers)...

In 1981 BELLE wins the 12th ACM computer championship, held in Los Angeles.

In 1982 BELLE was confiscated by the State Department as it was heading to the Soviet Union to participate in a computer chess tournament. The State Department claimed it was a violation of a technology transfer law to ship a high technology computer to a foreign country. BELLE later played in the U.S. Open speed championship and took 2nd place.

In 1982 BELLE wins the 13th ACM computer championship, held in Dallas.

Actually that year I believe we tied for 1st, and there was no "tie break" so both programs got a first place trophy (I believe, I can check the trophies when I get to my office to verify this.)

In 1983, the first chess microcomputer beat a master in tournament play. BELLE became the first chess computer to attain a master's rating when, in October, 1983, its USCF rating was 2203.

In 1986 BELLE won the ACM computer championship in Dallas.

Enjoy the chronology:

Sean

Ken was asked to participate in 1986 even though belle had missed the previous year and was essentially inactive. The WCCC was in germany a couple of months prior to the ACM and several could not attend both (we cound not make machine arrangements for both and chose the WCCC to attend).

[sje]

Belle's first established USCF master rating was 2203. Note that the error bar on a USCF rating is something like fifty points either way.

At about the same time of Belle's exit (1987), I started working on my old program Spector and I entered it in many USCF tournaments in the New England area. It was easy getting people to play against Spector -- until I got most of the bugs fixed and started using hardware faster than my 1986 Macintosh Plus.

Spector may hold the record for most USCF games vs humans played by a non-commercial, non-academic program. But due to the current and persistent resistance to computer opponents by nearly all USCF human players, Symbolic has never played in a USCF event; it isn't even a registered USCF member.

Some of the local folks who played Spector in 1980s and 1990s USCF tournaments had been around two decades earlier and had seen MacHack VI in action in Massachusetts events.

[bob]

Belle's first established USCF master rating was 2203. Note that the error bar on a USCF rating is something like fifty points either way.

At about the same time of Belle's exit (1987), I started working on my old program Spector and I entered it in many USCF tournaments in the New England area. It was easy getting people to play against Spector -- until I got most of the bugs fixed and started using hardware faster than my 1986 Macintosh Plus.

Spector may hold the record for most USCF games vs humans played by a non-commercial, non-academic program. But due to the current and persistent resistance to computer opponents by nearly all USCF human players, Symbolic has never played in a USCF event; it isn't even a registered USCF member.

Some of the local folks who played Spector in 1980s and 1990s USCF tournaments had been around two decades earlier and had seen MacHack VI in action in Massachusetts events.

Crafty played in a couple of the pan american tournaments several years back (late 90's). Finding a (NC) event around us is not possible, and really would be pointless anyway as we would really need to play in an event with IM/GM players and those are not very common in the South, except for the (NC) type events.

As far as Belle's rating, 2203 is certainly possible. the 2208 came from memory and that was a _long_ time ago. I remembered that David Welch presented him with the certificate, after he lost to us in round 5.

[sje]

Crafty played in a couple of the pan american tournaments several years back (late 90's). Finding a (NC) event around us is not possible, and really would be pointless anyway as we would really need to play in an event with IM/GM players and those are not very common in the South, except for the (NC) type events.

In the Old Days it was quite a task to enter a program in human tournaments. If the machine was off-site, then a terminal, a modem, and a phone line were needed. And that hours long phone call could be extremely expensive if it was long distance. Maybe this is why Greenblatt never ran MacHack VI outside of Massachusetts; MIT wouldn't allow collect calls to its pdp-6.

Having an on-site machine like I did was no easy job either as it involved hauling the machine, a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, some cables, a power strip, and a long extension cord. This is all in addition to carrying a chess set, a board, a chess clock, and other paraphernalia. That's not too much fun without a helper.

Nowadays, all I'd need would be a small laptop. But few if any opponents are willing to battle.

[GenoM]

Of course I had. My daughters, for certain. The rest will be dust and ashes.
Fern

Are you sure its your work?

"The father is always unknown" regards,
Geno

[fern]

It is my work in any case, including the one you suggest as always possible. I raised them and love them.

Fern