From: Glen Miner <gminer <at> NEWBRIDGE <dot> COM>
Date: 13 dec 1996
Subject: Re: Evaluation (was Re: Computer Shogi)

> >> >How about this for pieces on the board:
> >> >
> >> >
>
> >
> >> Why is a promoted pawn worth less than a gold? In fact a tokin is worth
> >> more.
> >
> >A promoted pawn is worth less than a real gold; while they are
> >functionally the same, when you take a promoted pawn you only get a pawn.
> >It is worth more than a regular pawn because of its enhanced mobility.
>
> O.K., suppose we use your suggested values--each side starts the game with
> material worth 660 points.  One side makes a tokin (a promoted pawn) and
> succeds in trading it for a gold. what are the new point totals? For the
> tokin side; 660+60-10=710. For the other side 660-60+10=610. So now there is
> a difference of 100 points, which according to your table equals 2 silvers.
> So the value of creating a tokin and exchanging it for a gold is a 2 silver
> advantage.

Hmm, I see your point; although I'm not sure how I'm going to fix
it. When the piece get's taken, it's value depreciates automatically as
it de-promotes... Hmmm, although it is good to make a distinction between
the relative values of getting various pieces promoted: ie; a pawn
promoting gains much more than silver promoting. Again, this seems to be
inherintly part of the deal...

Yes, making all nari-kin worth the same amount is good; the delta in
score is the issue, not the overall score. It doesn't have to be "worth
more" so much as "increases the score by a bigger margin".

Peace
===[ Gabo / [ABC] : gaminer <at> undergrad <dot> math <dot> uwaterloo <dot> ca ]===================
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