The Naum phenomenon

[Vinvin]

Or the Alexander Naumov phenomenon ...

Vasik Rajlich (the programmer of Rybka 3) is International Master, have a close team to help him and work professionally (= most of the time) on his engine ...

Alexander Naumov (the programmer of Naum 4) is NOT international Master, have NOT a close team to help him and DON'T work professionally (= have an other full time job) on his engine ...

And Naum 4 is only 80 elo points weaker than Rybka, so if Alexander improve in chess, take more close people in his team and become professional, I bet it would be 50 elo stronger than Rybka ...

Strange phenomenon, isn't it ?

[Spock]

Not quite true

http://www.talkchess.com/forum/viewtopi ... ht=#268780

Alex spent 2 yrs full time on Naum, he did not have another full-time job

But nevertheless - yes, his efforts with Naum have been very impressive

In the same way Zappa was very impressive until Anthony stopped working on it.

[Leto]

Not really anything strange, I think it just shows that Alex Naumov is a very gifted programmer. If Rybka had never existed Naum and Zappa would be battling for first place supremacy right now.

I highly doubt Naum and Zappa would be as strong as they are now though, I'm quite certain they got a lot of their strength from Rybka.

Whereas Vasik had to work hard to discover what works and what doesn't to make Rybka the king, all the other smart programmers are now using Rybka to increase their program's strength.

I think the reason Vasik Rajlich has done so well with Rybka is that his and his wife's deep understanding and love of the game plus his programming skills makes for a formiddable combination.

I think that for someone to break through and overtake Rybka as the new king, either they have to discover something truly groundbreaking or Vasik must quit programming.

[BubbaTough]

Not really anything strange, I think it just shows that Alex Naumov is a very gifted programmer. If Rybka had never existed Naum and Zappa would be battling for first place supremacy right now.

I highly doubt Naum and Zappa would be as strong as they are now though, I'm quite certain they got a lot of their strength from Rybka.

Whereas Vasik had to work hard to discover what works and what doesn't to make Rybka the king, all the other smart programmers are now using Rybka to increase their program's strength.

I think the reason Vasik Rajlich has done so well with Rybka is that his and his wife's deep understanding and love of the game plus his programming skills makes for a formiddable combination.

I think that for someone to break through and overtake Rybka as the new king, either they have to discover something truly groundbreaking or Vasik must quit programming.

I think Naum gained a lot of strength tuning its eval to be more like Rybka. If so, indeed much of its strength is owed to Rybka. I don't think Zappa did that, so it is much less influenced in that way.

-Sam