From: Larry Kaufman WIZARD NET> Date: 18 jul 1999 Subject: Shogi-playing software This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000C_01BED127.0623ECE0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable There has not been too much interest in shogi-playing software = outside the Orient, presumably because none of the strongest programs = are available for English-language computers. "Sekita Shogi" is one = program that is available in English, but it has not finished near the = top in competitions. On my recent trip to Japan, I picked up a copy of = "AI Shogi 2000" (aka AI Shogi4), which is said by some to be the = strongest program of all. I did so knowing that the Japanese writing in = the menus would not show up on my computer, but as long as the board and = pieces do show up, I hoped to be able to figure out how to use it. = Although I quickly got the program up and working, it took a bit of = advice from Reijer for me to figure out how to set the levels and = certain other features. =20 So it seems that all that is needed for this and other Japanese = programs to be sold in the West is for someone to translate the = instruction booklet into English, or just to write a description of how = to set levels and other features. Then everything will work fine. I was surprised at the strength of AI Shogi 2000 (note that no = comparison is implied with other software, as my only prior experience = among serious programs was Sekita). Based on the games that I and my = son have played with it, I can state with reasonable confidence that = this program could earn an Amateur 4 Dan ranking in most of the clubs in = Japan or in Western tournaments. However, it has certain weaknesses = that will enable the owner of the program to gradually improve his = results against it, for example by selecting openings it badly = mishandles. The program has an unfortunate tendency to resort to = "passing" moves when it doesn't know what to do or how to start the = fight. Of course sometimes that's all that can be done, but most of the = time this is not the case. Once the fighting has begun in earnest, = though, the program is quite strong, and if it has not already seriously = compromised its position it will be very difficult to beat. When it = comes to the endgame and TSUME it is suberb. The program does allow one to play handicap games, but it is = obvious that no effort went into teaching it how to play such games. = The result is that even though it occasionally beats me in even games, I = can often win giving it a bishop or a rook handicap, though that appears = to be the upper limit. When it tries to give handicaps of rook or more, = it doesn't have much of a clue as to how to arrange its pieces, though = it still plays very strongly once the fight starts. Overall, in = handicap play I would judge it to be about 3 Dan. My guess is that if you are a 3 dan, you will initially get killed = by the program in even games, but after a while you should be able to = play it fairly evenly if you pick openings it doesn't understand. Lower = ranked players will generally need to take a handicap or else set it on = non-optimal level to be able to win a reasonable share of the games. I hope that someone makes the effort to make this or other strong = programs accessible to the non-Japanese shogi community. = Larry Kaufman, Amateur 5 Dan =20 ------=_NextPart_000_000C_01BED127.0623ECE0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

There has = not been too=20 much interest in shogi-playing software outside the Orient, presumably = because=20 none of the strongest programs are available for English-language=20 computers. "Sekita Shogi" is one program that is = available in=20 English, but it has not finished near the top in competitions. On = my=20 recent trip to Japan, I picked up a copy of "AI Shogi 2000" = (aka AI=20 Shogi4), which is said by some to be the strongest program of all. = I did=20 so knowing that the Japanese writing in the menus would not show up on = my=20 computer, but as long as the board and pieces do show up, I hoped to be = able to=20 figure out how to use it. Although I quickly got the program up = and=20 working, it took a bit of advice from Reijer for me to figure out how to = set the=20 levels and certain other features.

So it seems = that all=20 that is needed for this and other Japanese programs to be sold in the = West is=20 for someone to translate the instruction booklet into English, or just = to write=20 a description of how to set levels and other features. Then = everything=20 will work fine.

I was = surprised at the=20 strength of AI Shogi 2000 (note that no comparison is implied with other = software, as my only prior experience among serious programs was = Sekita). =20 Based on the games that I and my son have played with it, I can state = with=20 reasonable confidence that this program could earn an Amateur 4 Dan = ranking in=20 most of the clubs in Japan or in Western tournaments. However, it = has=20 certain weaknesses that will enable the owner of the program to = gradually=20 improve his results against it, for example by selecting openings it = badly=20 mishandles. The program has an unfortunate tendency to resort to=20 "passing" moves when it doesn't know what to do or how to = start the=20 fight. Of course sometimes that's all that can be done, but most = of the=20 time this is not the case. Once the fighting has begun in earnest, = though,=20 the program is quite strong, and if it has not already seriously = compromised its=20 position it will be very difficult to beat. When it comes to the = endgame=20 and TSUME it is suberb.

The program = does allow=20 one to play handicap games, but it is obvious that no effort went into = teaching=20 it how to play such games. The result is that even though it = occasionally=20 beats me in even games, I can often win giving it a bishop or a rook = handicap,=20 though that appears to be the upper limit. When it tries to give = handicaps=20 of rook or more, it doesn't have much of a clue as to how to arrange its = pieces,=20 though it still plays very strongly once the fight starts. = Overall, in=20 handicap play I would judge it to be about 3 Dan.

My guess is = that if you=20 are a 3 dan, you will initially get killed by the program in even games, = but=20 after a while you should be able to play it fairly evenly if you pick = openings=20 it doesn't understand. Lower ranked players will generally need to = take a=20 handicap or else set it on non-optimal level to be able to win a = reasonable=20 share of the games.

I hope that = someone=20 makes the effort to make this or other strong programs accessible to the = non-Japanese shogi community.

&nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; =20 Larry Kaufman, Amateur 5 Dan

------=_NextPart_000_000C_01BED127.0623ECE0--