well, most computer championships feature really strong and new computers playing.
"BLUNDERS"- Dec 1-TOPIC # 1: CPU Chess Tourneys?? Should we care??
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Dec 3, 2010
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By definition, computers play inhuman chess. But as humans that doesn't mean we should ignore them.
I think as hardware and software get ever faster and stronger, not only will the rating-gap between computers and humans become wider, but also the "style-gap", which already exists, will begin to enlarge. Computers will begin to play a style of chess that will be more difficult for us to understand, even if we posit computer advancement as limited to the purely computational (Turing complete). (Other futures are possible, I believe.)
Metaphorically, computers, I feel, will begin to play "Martian Chess", a chess not based on human learning methodologies. It will be other. But I don't think it will be fully incomprehensible. Certainly, humans will be able to extract something of benefit from the games that future computers create. In fact, it is already beginning to happen.
Amy
Pardon Our Blunders Show Review: Dec. 1, 2010
Reported by: ChessMarkstheSpot
Welcome to the weekly review of Pardon Our Blunders. Every week our Hosts cover varied topics—all chess-related. As regular viewers know, their coverage normally leads to some very interesting and entertaining banter…like this tidbit here:
Before the topic started, Danny mentioned that Magnus Carlsen was not a subject in any of the topics and that David’s "man crush" on Mag-Town is over. And also, Danny asked for anyone out there to pass on the message that Aronian now has until the beginning of 2011 to ask Danny and David to be a special guest host on Chess.com/TV. Originally Aronian only had two weeks to ask, but now, since Danny was in the holiday spirit I guess, he gave Aronian until the beginning of 2011 to ask. We shall see if anything actually comes of this light-spirited dare. I, for one, am very curious to see if Aronian actually responds to this little “calling out" invite. Danny said, “I brought Aronian into this world, and I can take him out.”
So now, let’s get to this week’s Topic #1:
Do computer tournaments matter to anyone? And should we be paying closer attention to them??
As you may or may not know, there was a tournament held recently called the "Open Dutch Computer Championships" in Leiden, now entering it’s 30th year of competition. This year though, a stipulation was removed: they will no longer have the participating chess engines run on the same hardware, creating a level playing field. In this tournament it was hardcore, pullin-out-all-the-stops action. Twenty "players" were competing in a 9-round Swiss tournament. The winner, to no one’s surprise, was Rybka 4, with an almost perfect 8.5/9! More information on this topic can be foundhere. Below is a game from that tournament with Rybka in action:
Danny then asked if anyone really cares. I, myself, do because events like these are very interesting to see and follow. Since I am a PGN fiend, I will be downloading them to my databases and reviewing them, probably not understanding more than half the moves that are played, but at least I will enjoy them on some level.
Danny also said that we should pay attention to this because he wants to make sure Rybka is not taking over the entire world, like the SkyNet program in the Terminator movies.
Also, Danny filed a little “Retraction action” by telling David that the King’s Gambit was garbage originally, and now is the best opening ever in chess. If you remember, Danny got spanked by David in a King’s Gambit theme Blitz game last week where Danny guaranteed victory. This would once again rear its ugly head later in the show, so stay tuned for the Bonus Wrap-up Recap.