Training Tools Chess Players Use

Get Grand Master expertise on your computer and learn how to use it!

Shiv Sankaranarayanan

What this presentation will leave you with

Some interesting inferences from Game Theory and how Computers see a chess position. A look at how software has changed the way a 400+ year old game is played at the highest levels. An awareness of the different types of tools competitive chess players train with. Fun Facts and Photos from the Worldwide Underground Fight Club that is Chess you never knew existed.

The Machines already won. Way back in 2006!

Man Vs. Machine Matches
Kasparov ties a match with X3D Fritz Vishy Anand beats Chess Genius at speed chess

Kasparov ties a match with Deep Junior Kasparov wins a 6 game match vs. Deep Blue Kramnik ties a match 4-4 with Deep Fritz

David Levy beat Chess 4.7

Kasparov demolishes Deep Thought

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000
Deep Blue wins the rematch

2005

2010

Hydra beats Michael Adams 5.5 - 0.5 Deep Thought beats a GM for the first time Rebel beats Vishy Anand at speed chess Deep Fritz beats Kramik 4-2

HIARCS on a Palm Pilot beats GM for the first time

Welcome our new overlords and lets ask them for help!

Pint-sized Grand Masters : Younger and Younger

Player Sergey Karjakin Parimarjan Negi Magnus Carlsen Bu Xiangzhi Richard Rapport Bobby Fischer (#16 on the list) Nationality Ukraine India Norway China Hungary USA Age 12 13 13 13 13 15 Year 2002 2006 2004 1999 2010 1958

This would not be possible without advances in Training Tools!

Sources for acquiring Chess Expertise: The Times are a-changing.

Back Then Now

Books Journals / Magazines Newspapers Local Clubs Friends/Family Coaches Shady-looking chess players at your local park

eBooks/ Internet Chess Engines Database Apps Video Lectures Live Chess Servers Local Clubs Friends/Family Coaches Shady-looking chess players at your local Starbucks

A Simple Theory Of Learning (1/2)

Adding Plusses and Subtracting Minuses Plusses Contextual Knowledge In these types of positions, do THIS! But dont do THAT! Pattern Accumulation/Recognition Chess is 99% Pattern recognition! (Seeing 5-10 moves ahead all the time is just a MYTH!!) Minuses Bad Habits / Repeating known mistakes Defective Thought Process Attitude / Willpower / Drive Complacency

A Simple Theory Of Learning (2/2)

Improvement Feedback Loop

Failing to do any of the 3 consistently + efficiently is why most chess players never advance beyond a certain point!
Computer tools help with the critiquing phase as well adding plusses!

Seeing a Game with Computer Eyes

- Evaluation and Analysis in Turn-based Games - Evaluation : Who is winning - Analysis : All the calculation you need to make an accurate Evaluation Consider a Tic-Tac-Toe Game in progress

Evaluate the Position with O to move Analysis required?

Seeing it with Computer Eyes (2/8)

How about this one?

Evaluate the Position with X to move Win for X/Loss for X/Draw(tie)? Analysis required? (only for next move?) What really is the Evaluation? Expertise/Pattern recognition makes the difference between a correct vs. incorrect evaluation!

Seeing it with Computer Eyes (3/8)

If you played PERFECT tic-tac-toe OR memorized a LUT (Look-up Table), you would NEVER LOSE! (See cheat sheet below)

But that doesnt mean youll always win now, does it?

Seeing it with Computer Eyes (4/8)

Lets look at some famous results from Game Theory for turn-based zero-sum games such as tic-tac-toe (and chess!) #1 : At the beginning of the game, the forces stand in equilibrium. (Nobodys winning, nobodys losing!) #2 : Correct play on both sides maintains this equilibrium and leads to a drawn game. #3 : A player can change this equilibrium only by exploiting an error made by the opponent. (There is no such thing as a winning move though you can create/induce positions on the board that require accurate responses!)

Seeing it with Computer Eyes (5/8)

Some More inferences

If you are losing on Move N, then you STAY LOSING by the same margin on Moves N+1 and beyond with perfect play. If you are winning on Move N, then you STAY WINNING on Moves N+1 and beyond with perfect play. Pondering Question: No mistakes = draw, then why arent computer Vs. computer chess games all draws? Bonus Question: If you are winning / ahead whats the common-sense strategy to follow (Hint : Running the clock ?)

Seeing it with Computer Eyes (6/8)

Nearly ALL Computer Chess Engines evaluate a positions worth based on a number-line score

- How BIG this evaluation score can get in either direction is constrained by side-to-move, material and positional factors on the board right now. - How ACCURATE this score is based on position complexity, algorithm quality and how much time a chess engine has to perform the evaluation

Seeing it with Computer Eyes (7/8)

Putting it all together .

Other Evaluation Score Examples:

- White is up a Bishop, everything else equal : +3.04 - Black is up a queen, everything else equal: -9.01 - Two kings on an empty board : 0.00 (Drawn!)

Better Algorithm, Better Hardware, More time => More accurate* Evaluation!

Seeing it with Computer Eyes (8/8)

Multiple Lines: Practical use of these evaluation scores
Post-mortem review in progress of a position from a played game: (Using the SCID UI with the Houdini 1.5a Chess Engine)

Evaluation Score Graphs (1/2)

Novice-level players
Greater # of errors/move Large sized errors Large # of failures to exploit

Intermediate-level Players
Fewer errors / move average Smaller error magnitudes Failures to exploit errors still exist

Evaluation Score Graphs (2/2)

A Grand Master vs Grand Master Game: Capablanca vs. Spielmann (1911)

Caveat : When Engines dont help

Often enough, positions DO occur in chess where there are multiple candidate moves with fairly equal evaluation scores. Example : ply-depth of 19+ moves, best 3 lines: Move A : Eval. Score = +0.45 Move B : Eval. Score = +0.43 Move C : Eval. Score = +0.39 Even over time, the Scores drift by small margins The score differences are underneath a noise floor so it cannot be conclusive that A is indeed better than B or C One line may historically be far more playable by humans than the others. So where does a truth-seeking chess player find answers in

these types of positions?

Stronger Players/Coaches Databases (Statistical fact-finding)

Databases can supplement Engine deficiencies

Very useful in the initial stages (Opening) of the game Leverages off the work of the best players in the last 300-400 years Can filter and display incredible levels of detailed statistics Like any tool, needs to be used with care (avoid misinterpreting statistics)

Types of Training Software (1/4)

Analysis Software (leverages on an engines capabilities) Pros Can provide clear evaluations on a move-to-move basis and look 15-16 ply ahead in most positions within seconds*. Can show N best-move line continuations Excellent for post-mortem review and analysis of a game Can set up any position for analysis For analytical positions and endgames with few pieces left on the board, they are infallible. (100% accurate) Caveats Do not do a great job verbalizing ideas/plans the way a human does. Okay, so I need to play *that* move herebut why? You may often need a coach/stronger player to help May be inaccurate in positions requiring long-term planning and some openings (like Gambits).

explain the why

Types of Training Software (2/4)

Database Software (leverages on documented human expertise over time ) Pros If fully stacked, Can be used to research any boards position w.r.t. chess history (400+ years of documented Master-level games exist today) : Average 4+ Million games! Can be used to gauge effectiveness of certain lines across time. Can be filtered on a ton of specific criterion Offers useful statistical data to determine courses of actions to take. Caveats Statistics are statistics! (need careful analysis, sifting through errors)

Types of Training Software (3/4)

Pattern Training Software (Openings, Tactics) Chess is 99% Pattern Recognition! Opening Training In competitive play : the Clock is a piece as well! Training tools allow you to store your entire opening playbook in an efficient manner and sync with current games played as well as with advances in opening theory on a day-today basis. Allows timed practice/training modes to ensure that you are remembering the lines! Tactics Training Tactics is the science of avoiding/exploiting errors that lose material/lead to checkmate. Tactics Training : Chess :: Weight Training :: Boxer Caveats Must be used as part of a complete training program practicing openings/tactics do not automatically win you games!

Types of Training Software (4/4)

Play Vs. Computer Software Pros If the engine level can be adjusted, may help in practicing tactics and technique. For beginners, a virtual coach can point out when you make a TACTICAL mistake. Some of the nicer tools offer tutorials, drills and videos lectures! Caveats Serious players rarely play vs. Computers (only during technique practice) Engines FAIL to simulate real human playing behaviors so not efficient to keep playing them if the goal is to beat humans. No Critiquing mechanism; inefficient in terms of maintaining an Improvement Feedback Loop!

Tool Usage Summary

Post-Mortem Game Analysis Excellent for reviewing tactical and endgame mistakes Position Setup & Analysis (Puzzle solving, depth-searching, cheating?) Can validate if a published puzzle has correct/alternative answers Can perform overnight analysis of a bunch of games A Grandmaster-strength handheld device can be a deadly illegal weapon in a tournament! Database / Statistical Analysis Figure out what the big boys are playing / learn from historys best At higher levels, you can research your known opponents repertoire and mine his/her games for weaknesses Opening Repertoire / Tactical Pattern Training Unlike the rest of the game, the opening is worth committing to your personal LUT (look-up table) Tactics Training helps you practice Safe Chess! Following live games Now everybody can mouth off like an expert!

Tools to buy + Free Alternatives

Tool Type Analysis w/Engine Database Mgmt Opening Training Tactics Training Play vs. Computer $ - $$$ Fritz(UI) + Fritz,Rybka (Engines) ChessBase, Chess Assistant COW/Bookup, ChessBase C.T. ART, Fritz ChessMaster, Fritz, Shredder SCID Chess Position Trainer Chess Tempo Too many to list! Free (open source) Any free UCI UI + Houdini

To Try out at home:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Google for SCID (Shanes Chess Information Database) : it is free! Download + Install it! Google for the chess engine Houdini : it is free! Download + plug Houdini into your SCID application You now have a Grand Master-strength Assistant on your computer!

Some Interesting Photos (1/6)

What a hotel lobby usually looks like between rounds of a big tournament

Why did I play that @#$#@$@#$ move????

Some Interesting Photos (2/6)

Grand Masters analyzing a position : Back then vs. Now

Some Interesting Photos (3/6)

Metal Detectors are now common in Big League Tournaments

Pocket Fritz 2 on a WinMo Device (2005) (Plays near Grand Master strength)

Super GM Ruslan Ponomariov entering the 2009 FIDE World Cup tournament hall.

Some Interesting Photos (4/6)

U.S. Grand Master Hikaru HBomb Nakamura : The Next Bobby Fischer?

Born in 1987 Ranked 10th in the World today Arguably the FASTEST Bullet Chess (1minute) player in the World Has NEVER read an instructional chess book FULLY Computer trained!

Some Interesting Photos (5/6)

Uhhhdid anyone bring an actual chess board?

World Champion Vishy Anand training with his seconds during the 2010 Championship in Sofia, Bulgaria

Some Interesting Photos (6/6)

The average kid at the Dallas Chess Club:
Does 30-60 mins of Tactics practice on C.T.ART each day Periodically reviews/updates/trains his 15+ ply opening playbook on CPT / Bookup Reviews every game hes played on Fritz using the Rybka Engine Gets weekly lessons from his Grand Master coach Often seen playing with his Nintendo while waiting for you to make your move

Questions?