GM Kaufman v.Novag Constellation 3.6 QR Odds (Moves 1-40)

Discussion of computer chess matches and engine tournaments.

Moderator: Ras

Steve B
Posts: 3697
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:26 pm

Re: GM Kaufman v. Novag Constellation 3.6 QR Odds Game

Post by Steve B »

Milton wrote:"sort of like watching my mother-in-law drive off a cliff in my new Lexus"

I take it your mother-in-law doesn't visit this forum much... :shock:

You know, I've really admired the Phoenix Revelation chess boards. Do you know where I can get one cheap? :)

Extortionist Regards,
Milton
Sadly Milton even if purchased used they cost alot of money
but they do show up on Ebay every now and again for prices somewhat less then if purchased new

High-End Regards
Steve
Steve B
Posts: 3697
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:26 pm

Re: GM Kaufman v. Novag Constellation 3.6 QR Odds Game

Post by Steve B »

bob wrote:This reminds me of a particular instant at the 1977 ACM event (I believe, long time ago so it could have been a year later). The typical program, back then, set two time limits, a soft limit and a hard limit. After finishing an iteration, if the program had passed the soft limit, the search terminated and the best move found was played. If it had not passed the soft limit the search continued. If, at any time, during the middle of an iteration, the hard limit was reached, the search was terminated and the best move found so far was played immediately.

I was watching a game between chess 4.x and somebody (do not remember who) where at iteration N, they finished close to the soft time limit, but not over, so they started a new iteration. As they gave their analysis to David Levy on the stage, he looked and said, "wait a minute, that move loses, here's why." Slate was pretty sure that 4.x could see that. But back then nobody displayed any search output until the end of the iteration, or the final PV when the search times out. So neither Slate nor Atkin knew whether the PV score had dropped, nor did they know whether or not they had changed their mind. Hence, they were bouncing around like two kids worried about (a) did it see the problem with the current best move? (b) had it already found something better? (c) If not, would it find something better before time ran out. Watching that almost nervous breakdown led me to two ideas.

As Murray Campbell and I were talking (my game was over) I mentioned "you know, I display the PV/score/etc at the end of each iteration, but it is an easy change to move that code up so that the PV is displayed whenever it changed." He thought that was an excellent idea. I made the change, fixed a couple of bugs (the PV now has to be displayed in the search, rather than in iterate.c) and we agreed that this was a quantum leap forward for operator sanity, because now we knew what was going on. I thought a bit longer and concluded "if the score drops a lot, why sit around worrying about whether I will find a better move before time runs out, why not just increase the time limit to guarantee that we have a chance to solve whatever problem the best move so far has?" I made that change and the rest is history. I explained the idea later in the event, wrote it up for the JICCA (along with another idea we came up with later, that of using more time right out of book to make sure we 'understood' what was happening since there are some difficult gambits to deal with.) The paper "Using Time Wisely" was published, and one dark chapter of computer chess was closed forever. :)

My move-by-change output format has not changed in almost 35 years since, since it makes so much sense. Ditto for time overflow and using more time right out of book. The funny thing was the changes were less about making the program play better and more about helping the operator keep his sanity, although the time-overflow did make a difference in Elo...
Great Stuff Bob
thanks for recounting it!
to answer your question in your previous post
the Connie 3.6 does not display the search depth or anything else except the current move she would play while pondering
no anticipated reply by the opponent
the Super Connie does display the depth
however the Connie supposedly will search 5 ply in "typical middle game" positions and up to 10 ply for captures ,checks ..etc at 40/2
i quoted this from some of the literature at the time in an earlier post here somewhere

Steve
lkaufman
Posts: 6255
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2010 6:15 am
Location: Maryland USA
Full name: Larry Kaufman

Re: GM Kaufman v. Novag Constellation 3.6 QR Odds Game

Post by lkaufman »

[quote="Steve B" Connie returns the R to whence it came after pocketing the P with...

37..Rf5

[d] 6k1/p1pr1p1p/1p4q1/3n1r2/2Bp2RB/6Q1/P7/6K1 w - - 0 38

The Endgame Approaches Regards
Steve[/quote]

I play 38.Bd3, which seems to win another Exchange unless I'm missing something. This looks like a five ply sequence to me, so my guess is that Connie only managed 4 plies in this position. It looks like I'll have queen vs. rook and five pawns, a very unusual material balance. Whether having the queen is good for more than perpetual check remains to be seen.
User avatar
michiguel
Posts: 6401
Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2006 8:30 pm
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Re: GM Kaufman v. Novag Constellation 3.6 QR Odds Game

Post by michiguel »

Steve B wrote:
michiguel wrote:
Steve B wrote:
lkaufman wrote: I play 37.Kg1, since it attacks the rook and I can see no point in putting the king on h1 or h3. Currently I'm in second place after six rounds of the US Open, and I won the game/15' championship and the Fischerandom tourney, so maybe this game with Connie has been good practice!
Connie returns the R to whence it came after pocketing the P with...

37..Rf5

[d] 6k1/p1pr1p1p/1p4q1/3n1r2/2Bp2RB/6Q1/P7/6K1 w - - 0 38

The Endgame Approaches Regards
Steve
Another blunder?

Miguel

what would Gaviota's score of the position be here with White to move Miguel?
no analysis
just the score ..after pondering for 3 minutes
Thanks
Steve
After 3 min, -0.30 (white perspective). Larry played Bd3, which is what I had in mind when I wondered whether Rf5 was a blunder. On a second look, I do not think it was a blundered because Bd3 was unstoppable anyway!

Miguel
Steve B
Posts: 3697
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:26 pm

Re: GM Kaufman v. Novag Constellation 3.6 QR Odds Game

Post by Steve B »

michiguel wrote:
After 3 min, -0.30 (white perspective). Larry played Bd3, which is what I had in mind when I wondered whether Rf5 was a blunder. On a second look, I do not think it was a blundered because Bd3 was unstoppable anyway!

Miguel
Great
Thanks!
Steve
Steve B
Posts: 3697
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:26 pm

Re: GM Kaufman v. Novag Constellation 3.6 QR Odds Game

Post by Steve B »

lkaufman wrote: I play 38.Bd3, which seems to win another Exchange unless I'm missing something. This looks like a five ply sequence to me, so my guess is that Connie only managed 4 plies in this position. It looks like I'll have queen vs. rook and five pawns, a very unusual material balance. Whether having the queen is good for more than perpetual check remains to be seen.
Connie mounts her high horse and plays the quiet Intermezzo...
38..Nf4
[d] 6k1/p1pr1p1p/1p4q1/5r2/3p1nRB/3B2Q1/P7/6K1 w - - 0 39

High-Ho Silver..Regards
Steve
LucenaTheLucid
Posts: 197
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:16 am

Re: GM Kaufman v. Novag Constellation 3.6 QR Odds Game

Post by LucenaTheLucid »

Just for giggles I am letting Movei, Connie's next opponent guess the next move.

Analysis by Movei00_8_438:

= (-0.24) Depth: 16 00:01:33 55462kN
Steve B
Posts: 3697
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:26 pm

Re: GM Kaufman v. Novag Constellation 3.6 QR Odds Game

Post by Steve B »

LucenaTheLucid wrote:Just for giggles I am letting Movei, Connie's next opponent guess the next move.
Hi Luis
thanks for agreeing to operate Movei in the next game
Movei's next opponent will not be Connie
it will be another 1700 Range dedicated unit but i will choose one that enables me to either turn off the computer and retain the position or disable pondering..Connie does not allow either of these options

i am thinking of the Saitek Prisma programmed by Julio Kaplan(who was also an OTB Fide International Master)
rated mid-1700's ..just about 1000 Elo weaker then Movei

http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/in ... tek_Prisma

it would be interesting to see Movei's scores in this game but perhaps without the engine analysis posted

Best Regards
Steve
Last edited by Steve B on Sun Aug 08, 2010 5:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
LucenaTheLucid
Posts: 197
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:16 am

Re: GM Kaufman v. Novag Constellation 3.6 QR Odds Game

Post by LucenaTheLucid »

My apologies Steve, force of habit! I tried to go back and edit the post, but alas it is too late.

Either way I do not think Movei will fare as well as GM Kaufman.
Steve B
Posts: 3697
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:26 pm

Re: GM Kaufman v. Novag Constellation 3.6 QR Odds Game

Post by Steve B »

LucenaTheLucid wrote:My apologies Steve, force of habit! I tried to go back and edit the post, but alas it is too late.

Either way I do not think Movei will fare as well as GM Kaufman.
No problem Luis
i was able to edit out the Engine analysis from your post
i left Movei's score of the position
Best Regards
Steve