Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!seismo!hao!hplabs!sri-unix!WILKINS@SRI-AI.ARPA From: WILKINS@SRI-AI.ARPA@sri-unix.UUCP Newsgroups: net.chess Subject: Re: Miscellaneous Message-ID: <3119@sri-arpa.UUCP> Date: Thu, 14-Jul-83 20:15:19 EDT Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.3119 Posted: Thu Jul 14 20:15:19 1983 Date-Received: Sun, 17-Jul-83 07:22:05 EDT Lines: 40 From: WilkinsI keep hearing about a program being the world backgammon champion, and this is not true. Furthermore, the falsehood is perpetrated by people in AI who should know better which also annoys me. (Fortunately, the author of the program plays no part in such perpetration). Hans Berliner's program did beat the reigning world champion in a 7-point match. Now, suppose the St. Louis Cardinals play a one-inning exhibition against the baseball team of Alcorn State (3 outs for each team). The Cardinals happen to get 3 outs without scoring while Alcorn State's best hitter happens to catch one good for a home run. Do you now say that Alcorn State's baseball team is the World Champion? No way. Likewise, there is no way you can claim the program is world champion because it got better luck in a match that was only a small fraction of the length of any reasonable championship match. So please stop perpetrating this falsehood and try to stop others from perpetrating it also. I have corrected some of the top people in AI who have said similar things in public. Then there are books like "Science Observed" by Jeremy Bernstein, which go out of their way not only to perpetrate such falsities but actually add to them. The first n pages are about this backgammon match, with lots of stress put on the fact that it wasn't just a program but an actual robot that won (bogus). He then went on to tell how Berliner told the downhearted Villa, "we both know you're the better player", insinuating that Villa was being humored (we all know how smart the computer is). I know Dr. Berliner, and he knows Villa is the better player and I feel certain that he meant every word sincerely. I certainly did not read the rest of Bernstein's book after wading thru the crap in the first few pages. The program does not play anywhere near a world-class game. I have a ready proof in the form of an offer you are free to give on my behalf to anyone who claims otherwise. I'll let you bet on the program against me and I'll give you 7 to 5 odds. The offer applies to either 7-point matches or simply games for money. 7 to 5 odds would be overwhelming between two world-class players, yet I'm only an intermediate player, not even an expert. (P.S. If you take my offer you'll likely lose a lot of money, as I will want a high enough stake to pay for my time.) In search of truth and knowledge, David Wilkins -------