From: Larry Kaufman <lkaufman <at> WIZARD <dot> NET>
Date: 14 jun 2000
Subject: Re: computer shogi

At 10:22 AM 6/15/00 +0900, you wrote:
>Dear Larry Kaufman,
>
>>      I just wondered if anyone knew whether any computer shogi programs
>> play on "ShogiDojo", and if so which ones and what are they rated?
>
>I tested my shogi program YSS on "Shogi Club 24" three months ago.
>
>All games were "quick game" ... thinking time is 30 seconds/move.
>
>YSS used PentiumIII 840MHz.
>And I made YSS to think 20 seconds/move.
>Other 10 seconds was my operation time.
>
>
>Opponent Rating - Result - YSS Rating
>
> 0: ----       1800
> 1: 1729 win
> 2: 1759 lose
> 3: 1752 win   1805
> 4: 1794 win
> 5: 1921 win
> 6: 1773 win
> 7: 1810 win   1871
> 8: 1355 lose  1841
> 9: 1894 lose
>10: 1808 win
>11: 2002 win
>12: 1602 win   1864
>13: 1917 win   1895
>14: 2003 lose  1883
>
>
>YSS started from 2Dan(1800).
>Correct rating needs over 30 games.
>I tried only 14 games, but I wonder YSS rating was 1850-1900.
>
>1700-1900 is 2Dan.
>1900-2100 is 3Dan.
>
>So YSS is maybe strong 2Dan under quick game.
>
>Regards,
>Hiroshi Yamashita
>
     Since ShogiDojo Dan ranks run about two ranks below normal ranks (both
in Japan and in the West), this indicates that YSS would be rated as a 4
Dan in most clubs.  My latest survey showed a rating difference of about
370 points on average between Dan players on the Pan Atlantic rating system
and the same players on ShogiDojo, nearly 2 Dan ranks.  In both systems
2000 is the midpoint of 3 Dan.  Even if we knock off 50-100  points for the
fact that these were quick games (which definitely favors the computer),
the rating would still fall comfortably within 4 Dan range.
     To put it another way, 1883 plus 370 = 2253; if we take off a hundred
points for the time limit (which I think is probably overstating the
effect, since the games are not all that fast) that still leaves a
predicted Pan-Atlantic rating of 2153; our standard for 4 Dan is 2160.
     It is my understanding that YSS is the same as the commercial program
known as "AI Shogi" (Please correct me if this is incorrect).  So this
would seem to confirm my previously stated opinion that AI Shogi could earn
a 4 Dan rank playing in most shogi clubs.  Of course it does not play
"like" a 4 Dan; its play is much weaker in the earlier stages of the game,
much stronger in the ending.  But the net result seems to be in the 4 Dan
range.
     I wonder if any other programs have been tested yet?  It seems that
ShogiDojo is the best way to assess the true level of programs.

      Larry Kaufman