Re: [computer-go] how to have a computer go tournament?

[Nick Wedd <nick@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In message <6.1.2.0.2.20050123142226.04d74710@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Ray 
Tayek <rtayek@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes

> > As for 2), (computers in human tournaments) other posters have 
> > mentioned problems with this; in addition, there's the problem that no 
> > one really knows how strong the programs are or what rank to enter 
> > them as.
> i am thinking that mf could be entered at 2 stones stronger than it's 
> current igs rating or whatever sensei (mr. yang) would agree to.
On the matter of computers entering a "real" Go tournament -

I have heard that the AGA classified tournaments into three groups:
  those which computers could not enter
  those with computer entrants, but no human could be forced to play one
  those with computer entrants competing on equal terms

This sounds to me like bureaucratic overkill, though I can see the 
reasons for it.  I don't know if it still applies, or even if it ever 
really applied.

I have asked about the official reasons for the BGA not wanting 
computers in human tournaments.  I was told that it was as I said 
earlier in this thread:  people attend "real" tournaments, travelling 
for hours to do so, in the expectation of playing human opponents.  If 
they had wanted to play against MFoG, they could have stayed at home and 
done so.


> maybe if we just did it when someone's opponent failed to show up and 
> we had say a $25-$50 prize (assuming this does not happen) a lot maybe 
> we would overcome the reistance and maybe it could be more than just a 
> "stunt" maybe a $100 prize for whoever beat the computer by the most 
> stones or someting (eric has been know to do some fairly unusual things).
Now I really don't think that is a good idea.

If I enter a tournament, and get drawn against a computer, I will shrug 
my shoulders and play it.  But If my opponent doesn't show up, and after 
sitting waiting for him, I get told that now I will have to play against 
a program, I _will_ be unhappy.


If you do ask people to play against computers, how, mechanically, will 
you do it?  The easy way is to expect the human to sit at the screen, 
and use the mouse to make their moves.  Many people claim they play 
worse under such conditions (I am 2k on the EGF scale, 7k on KGS).  The 
formal way is to use a real board and real clock, and have an operator 
transfer moves from board to computer and back.  You will need volunteer 
operators for this, but it may make the human opponents feel better 
about it.

Nick
--
Nick Wedd    nick@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_______________________________________________
computer-go mailing list
computer-go@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.computer-go.org/mailman/listinfo/computer-go/