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Don't fear the machine!!

Don't fear the machine!!

Only Chess

b
Enigma

Seattle

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03 Sep 06
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3298
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13 Jul 09
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There has been much hand wringing in the last 5-10 years concerning the growing power of chess programs, and how they have become stronger than even the best GM's. Don't fear the machine! When you see a track meet, do these athletes compete against automobiles and trains? NO! Do weight lifters compete against forklifts and cranes? NO! So it is with chess. A chess engine is a tool...nothing more, it can be a great teacher and a helpful playing partner, but it is not your rival. I agree that it's sad that some idtiots use chess engines to win correspondence games vs other humans, nevertheless when you see the chess program for what it is (a tool only), you can begin to think of this tool in terms of how it can aid your study, and help make you a stronger player. Not as something you need to fear. 😏

V

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Originally posted by bill718
Do weight lifters compete against forklifts and cranes?
The point is that weight lifters have never competed against forklifts and cranes. It never was a competition with any interest.

But for decades, humans did compete against computers. And it generated a lot of interest.

I agree that it has now lost a lot of it's interest because computers are better and continue to increase the gap. So let's admit that the interest is gone without pretending it was never there.

greenpawn34

e4

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I'm having a fantastic week watching humans v humans at chess.
No matter how strong these things get they can never replace
the 'real' thing.

It's not a question of fearing the the machine. Just simply ignore it.

Having said that Graham Morrison showed me a position from one
of his games at Edinburgh with a fantastic move found by a computer.

(I'll post it on the Corner during the week.)

It's instructive and humerous which is a rare combination for a box.

I'm wondering where Fritz & Rybka go from here.
They can already beat everybody - now what?

Do you really want a buy a computer program that you will never beat
to replace a computer program that you can never beat.

They have shot themselves in the foot.

rc

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Originally posted by greenpawn34
I'm having a fantastic week watching humans v humans at chess.
No matter how strong these things get they can never replace
the 'real' thing.

It's not a question of fearing the the machine. Just simply ignore it.

Having said that Graham Morrison showed me a position from one
of his games at Edinburgh with a fantastic move found by a computer.
...[text shortened]... ace a computer program that you can never beat.

They have shot themselves in the foot.
na, they have engine competitions, see which engine is the strongest. for years i played against nothing but computers, i have grown to loathe them, i can count on two fingers the wins i had, they almost made me give up playing chess, the process was so painful.

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