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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!ima!haddock!trb
From: trb@haddock
Newsgroups: net.games.chess
Subject: Re: Perfect Play?
Message-ID: <102100013@haddock>
Date: Tue, 11-Mar-86 11:01:00 EST
Article-I.D.: haddock.102100013
Posted: Tue Mar 11 11:01:00 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 31-Mar-86 03:37:29 EST
References: <2916@sunybcs.UUCP>
Lines: 34
Nf-ID: #R:sunybcs.UUCP:2916:haddock:102100013:000:1528
Nf-From: haddock!trb    Mar 11 11:01:00 1986


> Whenever a player makes a move, the pointer traverses to the
> corresponding node through the corresponding arc. The player than picks
> up the point value of the arc and adds it to his score. So at any given
> moment of the game, the player who has the lower score is making less
> deviation from a perfect play.
> 	The question is:
> 
> 	IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THE LOSER OF THE GAME TO ACTUALLY HAVE
> ACQUIRED LOWER SCORE? IN OTHER WORD, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THE LOSER TO HAVE
> MADE FEWER DEVIATION FROM A PERFECT PLAY EVEN THOUGH HE LOST THE GAME??

Clearly, in most any position with substantial material on the board,
either player can win, with the help of the other player.  Let's say I
(a mediocre player) am playing a grandmaster.  After 25 moves, I may be
busted, with the GM having racked up a big "score."  Within a few
helpful blunderous moves, he can help me mate him.  Higher score, but
still lost.  This isn't a typical situation, but applies to a more
subtle extent in actual play.  (I regret that I know this from personal
experience.) 

Herein lies your problem:

> Therefore, it seems that the one who wins is the one who makes the fewer
> mistakes during the couse of the game.

This isn't true.  What is essentially true is that the last player to
get caught making a mistake loses.

Also, it is practically impossible to come up with exact scores for
positions early in the game.  We make judgement calls, which is what
gives chess its variety.

	Andrew Tannenbaum   Interactive   Boston, MA   617-247-1155