HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dwf@kepler.unh.edu (Dennis W Fitanides)
Subject: ICS server eve.assumption.edu
Summary: problems? 
Organization: University of New Hampshire  -  Durham, NH
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 19:49:24 GMT

Apparently the ICS server at eve is being flaky, at best.  I try to
connect like so:

$ xics eve.assumption.edu 5000
Trying...
telnet: connect: A remote host refused an attempted connect operation.

Does anyone know if ICS has problems on eve, or should I be using a 
different port, or should I use another ICS server?  Or is there 
another problem?  I got ICS working around Monday of this week, and
it hasn't worked since.  I sent mail to shaheen@eve.assumption.edu,
and I haven't received any reply.  There could be network problems
between here and there...I don't know.  If anyone knows what's going
on, please let me know.  I'm dying to get onto ICS and play some
"real" games, and I'm having trouble.

			-Thanks,

			 Nick
			 (fitanide@lmig.com)
Xref: sparky rec.games.chess:6293 rec.games.board:8048
From: 9015724t@lux.latrobe.edu.au (Roberto Blaskovic )
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess,rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Checkers match
Date: 20 Aug 92 23:33:31 GMT
Organization: La Trobe University

In article <1992Aug20.172712.24197@watson.ibm.com> msc@watson.ibm.com (Murray Campbell) writes:
>There is currently a match going on between Marion Tinsley (sp?),
>who has been world checkers champion for many years, and
>"Chinook", a checkers program out of the University of Alberta written
>by a group headed by Jonathan Schaeffer.  The match is taking
>place in London, England.  I heard that on Wednesday August 19,
>Chinook managed to beat Tinsley to level the match at one win each
>with 6 draws.  This is notable because Tinsley has lost only a
>handful of games in his 40 year career, and has had no losses
>in the past ten years.  The match is supposed to continue
>until August 29, with a total of 40 games to be played.

From what I heard Tinsley has only lost 8 games in his 40 years also I
heard that the number of game is only 30 and not 40 has there being a
change?
From: rray@lookout.it.uswc.uswest.com (Randy J. Ray)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: NICBT segment on Fischer
Date: 12 Aug 92 15:20:32 GMT
Organization: US WEST Communications, Inc. -- Denver, CO

"Now It Can Be Told" re-aired it's segment on Bobby Fischer last night.
Interesting that, though obviously a re-run, they did not employ a voice-over
or talking head to append the story to include the recent decision to play the
rematch. The story alleged (among other things) that Fischer has been playing
in local clubs and keeping up with his studies of chess all along. I find it
hard to believe that he could be playing at any local (to Los Angeles) clubs 
for so long and not be recognized sooner. But, after all, this is Geraldo we're
dealing with.

Randy
-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Randy J. Ray -- U S WEST IT/CSD         rray@{lookout,uswat}.it.uswc.uswest.com
I'd rather talk religion with Charles Manson than discuss ethics with Congress.
     -me                                                   Phone: (303)595-2852
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: jarmo@ae.tut.fi (Jarmo Sorvari)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Chess tournaments in France?
Date: 21 Aug 92 15:52:50 GMT
Distribution: eunet
Organization: Tampere Univ. of Technology, Finland.


I will visit France in September, and would like to play some chess
during a free weekend.

I would gladly receive any information about weekend tournaments to be
held in France during the weekend 4.-6. September, or 11.-13.
September.  The Grenoble area is preferred, but other parts are not
impossible.  Longer than weekend tournaments are not possible!

Thank you in advance!
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
! Jarmo Sorvari                         Control Engineering Laboratory      !
! jarmo@ae.tut.fi                       Tampere University of Technology    !
--------------------------------------- BOX 527, 33101 Tampere, Finland -----
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
From: hau4@ellis.uchicago.edu (sven  hauptfeld)
Subject: Re: Fischer-Gligoric 6.5-1.5 (Blitz) ?
Reply-To: hau4@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 21:41:37 GMT

In article <28563@option.GBA.NYU.EDU> mginsbur@option.GBA.NYU.EDU (Mark Ginsburg) writes:
>Geez, Gligoric is only about a million years old.  Wouldn't you
>expect, offhand, that RJF would win every game?
>

Well, Bobby is only about half a million years old...

Sven

P.S. Seems that people still perceive Bobby as young. So let's compare:

Karpov is already considered over the hill. Fischer is 8 years older.

Korchnoi was considered old in Merano '81. Fischer is ONE year younger now.

Botvinnik was 52 when he lost the title for the last time. Fischer is 3 years
younger.

Age difference between Gligoric and Fischer is about equal as between Fischer
and Kasparov.


Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
From: jhc@iris.uucp (James H. Coombs)
Subject: Re: Computers in tournaments: Who cares?
Reply-To: jhc@iris.brown.edu.UUCP (James H. Coombs)
Organization: IRIS - Brown University
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 20:51:38 GMT

In article <1992Aug14.184203.20864@noose.ecn.purdue.edu> watsonb@alcohol.ecn.purdue.edu (Bradley S Watson) writes:

>Judging from the flood of posts about this new rule revoking
>human players' right to refuse to play computers in C tournaments,
>many people must be under the misconception that this rule
>will actually have a practical impact on them.  It won't.

Unless it does.

>There are only 7 computer programs with established USCF ratings
>in the entire country.  That's right, SEVEN!

Only 7 now, perhaps.  But how many in the pipeline?

>When you compare this number to the thousands of human tournament
>players, you see that the chance of actually getting paired against one
>is incredibly small.  It's not worth worrying about.

Gee, then there's no point in changing the rules.  If the chances of
computers actually being paired with humans is infinitesimal, then why
would we take away people's option of refusing to play them?  According
to you, it's just not going to come up.

>Let's drop this pointless discussion so we can get back to the
>really important issues that effect the game.

The point of the discussion is to make the issues clear to everyone and
to express preferences to the proposed change in the rules.  If you
don't find the discussion interesting or useful, don't participate.

--Jim
From: jph@hardy.u.washington.edu (Jeff Hanson)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Re: handicap in chess
Date: 20 Aug 92 23:01:40 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Aug20.230140.23506
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

In article <1992Aug19.214908.4373@ists.ists.ca> sizone!justin@ee.ryerson.ca (Justin Wells) writes:
>
>  In chinese chess, there is no stalemate situation.  The rules require
>  you to move a man every turn.  If at the end of your turn your king
>  (emporer) remains in check, you lose.
>

      This is also true in draughts . . .
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess,rec.games.go,rec.games.board,rec.games.programmer
From: gardner@cs.monash.edu.au ()
Subject: Re: rec.games.strategic
Keywords: checkers, shogi, othello, hex, etc.
Organization: Computer Science, Monash University, Australia
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 02:22:22 GMT

darse@cs.UAlberta.CA (Darse Billings) writes:

>I would very much like to see a newsgroup devoted exclusively to games
>of strategy -- which is quite distinct from the more general class of
>games in rec.games.board.

Excellent idea. Let's get the CFV happening RSN!

>There is a very definite need for such a newsgroup, and it is long
>overdue.  Here is a starting list of the games which might be discussed:

>Awari, Chase, 8x8 Checkers, 10x10 Draughts, Chinese Chess, Connect
>Four, Dominoes, Hex, Go-Moku, Renju, Reversi (Othello), Nine Men's
>Morris, Nim, Qubic (4x4x4 Tic-Tac-Toe), Scrabble, Shogi

There is a class of games you do not consider that would fit perfectly
into such a group: bargaining games! Primitive Politics, Coalitions,
Coalections, Log Rolling, Agendas. These are games where the strategic
questions are perhaps the most difficult of all, and where success
depends upon one's skill as a political negotiator, not to mention
the regard in which you are held by other players (not entirely out of
your control of course).

And then, of course, there is the ultimate meta-game - Nomic, in which
each move consists of a proposal to change the rules, which is then voted
on. (The winner that player who succeeds in either satisfying the winning
condition (whatever that might be at the time) or by creating a paradox so that
the game is unable to continue). Strategy in Nomic is almost too complicated 
to think about!

>If you support the formation of this new newsgroup, send your ideas and
>contributions to Neil Bowers (neilb@scs.leeds.ac.uk).  If you see a call
>for votes, please take the time to cast your YES vote.  Thank-you.
>--

I'll second that!

*******************************************************************************
* __  ___  ___ \    /  ___  |  * "We have no choice. We must believe in free  *
*|__   |  |__   \  /  |__   |  *  will."                                      *
*___|  |  |___   \/   |___  o  *           Isaac Bashevis Singer              *
*gardner@bruce.cs.monash.edu.au*                                              *
*******************************************************************************
From: cracraft@rice-chex.ai.mit.edu (Stuart Cracraft)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Travelmaster & Fidelity
Date: 19 Aug 92 04:30:25 GMT
Organization: MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab


Fidelity has pulled another number on the American chess-playing
public and its own customers. 

After the lengthy troubles with the Travelmaster, they were sending
out letters like this one:

"We have received your Travel Master for exchange. Since we
 have experienced problems with this model, we are working on
 a solution. The problems will be resolved within 6 to 8 
 weeks. At that time you will be entitled to an exchange
 and a new 1 year warranty."

This is a terribly misleading letter in that it would appear
that a substitute/exchange of a Travelmaster was proferred.
Instead, what comes in the mail later (less than 4 weeks later)
is a forced exchange for either the weak Marco Polo (and a lousy
peg set at that) or the ugly Fidelity Designer with the over-
hyped Mach III program. The Travelmaster is, in effect, confiscated.

When questioned, a Fidelity representative explained that the
a sub-contractor named "National" which manufactured the newer
version of the Travelmaster had gone bankrupt. The individual,
a major person in their customer service department, seemed to
know nothing about CXG's bankruptcy which was the reason given
for quite awhile about the Travelmaster's slow-to-be-fixed status.

I am curious what other Travelmaster owners have experienced in
the last couple of weeks. Have any of you decided never to buy
again from Fidelity like me?

Stuart
From: pmbarlow@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Dan Fielding)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Re: US Open
Date: 13 Aug 92 19:43:57 GMT
Organization: Miami University Academic Computer Service"

In article <1992Aug13.170455.16949@cs.brown.edu>, jhc@iris.uucp (James H. Coombs) writes:
> In article <1992Aug11.163422.26408@sco.com> richardr@sco.COM (Richard Robinson) writes:
>>Lastly, those who felt that there were not enough tournaments of their
>>kind are always welcome to put their own mental health on the line and
>>organize and direct their own tournaments!
> Yes, and those who don't think there are enough good restaurants in
> town can just go ahead and start their own!  --Jim

I don't know if you're being sarcastic or not, Mr. Coombs... if you aren't, then
you should probably realise that the majority of tournaments that are run
(excepting Grand Prix events) are run because the director would like to play,
but doesn't really want to travel 500 miles to do so.  In my case, however, I
started organising tournaments because I came to the realisation that I was and
am a TERRIBLE chess player.  As a result, I have more confidence in myself when
I go to a tournament to direct, than when I go to play in one.  but then that's
not the point.

Incidentally, if anyone's looking for a slightly used Local TD to run a two-day
event they're going to put on, contact me... we'll do business.


Sitting on h8, on the very last board,

pb...
From: dweddin@uoft02.utoledo.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Re: Girls
Date: 12 Aug 92 17:52:07 EST
Organization: University of Toledo, Computer Services


> 
> Okay, there's this girl whom I desperately like (the whole thing is rather
> sick, actually) and we get together and play chess every once in a while
> and I wind up beating her easily.
>

ok, i think that what we have here is NOT a chess problem...it is
a MALE-FEMALE problem. i do not profess to be an expert on women,
but i do know enough to tell you....

   LET HER WIN!!!!

that will keep her interested!!! if she starts getting bored, then
win a couple of games....just barely. that adds a bit of suspense!

don't rip her lungs out over the chess board and make her feel
stupid and then expect her to be romantically inclined towards
you.

> 
> Needless to say, and I know I'm not the only one who experiences this,
> but this does not make for harmony.
> 

no kidding.

know what else you shouldn't do is if she says "do you think i'm
gaining weight" (and she has been putting on a few pounds) say

NO HONEY, IN FACT YOU COULD STAND TO EAT A LITTLE MORE...YOU'RE ALL
SKIN AND BONE!!!


----------------------------------------------

gene,

you seem to be making the mistake that all quiet/thoughtful people
make about interacting with the fair sex...that is, you think it
should be built on honesty and being forthright.  wrong. 

tell her what she wants to hear and make her feel good about herself.

example:

after she beats you 3 hard fought games in a row (you let her win), you
say

"god, what a fast learner. i think i taught you too well!!!! i can't
believe it!!! is everybody in your family as clever as you???? how
about talking chess over dinner tonight???"

then let nature take its course.

good luck,
don wedding
From: os9ug@gkcl.ists.ca (OS-9 User Group)
Subject: Rules of Chess
Reply-To: sizone!justin@ee.ryerson.ca  (Justin)
Organization: y
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 09:36:35 GMT


Someone recently told me that there is a sort of Catch-22 situation
in the rules of chess.  I can't remember the exact details, but it
goes something like this:

According to the official rules of chess (USCF), if you want to be a 
jerk, and follow them verbatim (lawyer style) -- then:

(1) As soon as checkmate occurs, the game is over.
(2) If an illegal move is not called by the opponant before the
	end of the game, then the move must stand.

So.  I pick my Queen up from wherever it happens to be on the board,
slam it down somewhere else, completely illegally, creating a checkmate
situation.  Declare the game is over, and point out that you didn't
call the illegal move prior to the end of the game.  And win.

Question:  Does this actually work?  And if it does, has anyone ever
won a major prize doing it?

(Question 2: If it does work, and someone did try it, did everyone
else beat them up?)


Actually -- what I really wanna know is: can someone who knows the
rules like a laywer tell me if this is true?



Newsgroups: rec.games.chess,rec.games.go,comp.ai,rec.games.programmer
From: ninja@halcyon.com (Jonathan Roy)
Subject: Re: comp.games.research
Keywords: chess go othello games abalone
Organization: The 23:00 News and Mail Service
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 03:25:00 GMT

 - How about a more general newsgroup devoted to computing research in
 - any and all tactical/strategic games?
 
Sounds great! I'd love to have such a newsgroup... I always skim
comp.ai and various rec.games groups looking for game playing related
messages... 
 
 - Perhaps someone can think of a better name than
 - "comp.games.research", since it might not be readily apparent that
 - the focus is on tactical and strategic board games like Chess, Go,
 - Othello, and other things of this sort.
 
Perhaps comp.games.ai or comp.ai.games.
 
I hope this sort of newsgroup gets started! See ya.
 
-- 
  |||  Jonathan Roy -- GEnie:  J.ROY18 -- Internet: ninja@halcyon.com
  |||  -- BBS: Darkest Realm - (Down for now) - Public UUCP/Usenet --
 / | \ "...make him want to change his name,take him to the cleaners,
 devastate him, wipe him out, humiliate him." -CHESS      Lynx me up!
From: de19@umail.umd.edu (Dana S Emery)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Re: comp.games.research
Date: 20 Aug 92 07:25:46 GMT
Followup-To: rec.games.chess,rec.games.go,rec.games.programmer
Organization: Personal

From my gemini-ish viewpoint of Go-amateur, Computer profesional, and
general gamer (ships on the floor, tanks in the sand box, dragons over the
dungeon door, railroad empire stock manipulation), I would expect the
following:

    rec.games.strategic

     discussion of existing comercial and traditional board games.  Player
strategy, rules problems, rules alternatives, sources of supply.  Games
might include 'The awfull green monsters from space', 1829, othello,
railbaron, knights of the air, War in the Pacific.  

    comp.games.strategic

     discussion of computer based stragic games, related computer
programming issues.

    comp.ai.games.strategic

     discussion of computer-as-player issues, both programming and
strategy.
--

Dana S Emery <de19@umail.umd.edu>
From: jriechel@Bonnie.ICS.UCI.EDU
Subject: (none)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Date: 19 Aug 92 01:31:07 GMT



         #######  ##   ##  #######  #######  #######
         ##       ##   ##  ##       ##       ##
         ##       #######  #######  #######  #######
         ##       ##   ##  ##            ##       ##
         #######  ##   ##  #######  #######  #######

#######  #######  #######  ######   ##       #######  ##   ##
##   ##  ##   ##  ##   ##  ##    #  ##       ##       ### ###
#######  #######  ##   ##  ######   ##       #######  ## # ##
##       ## ##    ##   ##  ##    #  ##       ##       ##   ##
##       ##   ##  #######  ######   #######  #######  ##   ##

            For your enjoyment, edification, ect..

-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-


White:  Pa3c4d3f2g3 Nf3 Bf4g2 Re1 Qe4 Kg1
Black:  Pa7c5d4e6f5 Nc6d7 Rg8h7 Qe7 Kb7

  -----------------------------------------
8 |    |    |    |    |    |    | *R |    |
  -----------------------------------------
7 | *P | *K |    | *N | *Q |    |    | *R |   P = Pawn
  -----------------------------------------   N = Knight
6 |    |    | *N |    | *P |    |    |    |   B = Bishop
  -----------------------------------------   R = Rook (aka Castle)
5 |    |    | *P |    |    | *P |    |    |   Q = Queen
  -----------------------------------------   K = King
4 |    |    |  P | *P |  Q |  B |    |    |
  -----------------------------------------
3 |  P |    |    |  P |    |  N |  P |    |   *'s precede Black pieces
  -----------------------------------------
2 |    |    |    |    |    |  P |  B |    |
  -----------------------------------------
1 |    |    |    |    |  R |    |  K |    |
  -----------------------------------------
    a    b    c    d    e    f    g    h

Problem #3:  White to play and win.  From the game Norwood-Marsh, England
1992.


I will post the solution in ~1 week.  Or mail me if you wish.  James

-----
jriechel@bonnie.ics.uci.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
From: perlman@qso.Colorado.EDU (Eric S. Perlman)
Subject: Re: Man vs Computer Checkers Championship
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 16:34:54 GMT

In article <UeZDeDM00k00FY5ZkQ@transarc.com> Bruce_Leverett@TRANSARC.COM writes:
>How can they play up to 4 games a day if the games are on the order of 5 hours?
>
>It's incredible to me that Tinsley could maintain a pace of 12 games in 4 days.
>Weekend chess tournaments used to be like this (3 games Saturday, 2 games
>Sunday, at time controls which led to 5-hour games), but that format has been
>almost universally abandoned because it was too strenuous.  International
>chess tournaments are held at 1 game a day, and even this is too strenuous
>for many players.

It all depends on 1) The number of moves per game and 2) the time
control.  Scrabble tournaments, for example, are played with a G/25 time
control, and usually run 5-8 rounds per day.  On the other hand, the
average tournament scrabble game lasts around 15 moves, not 45 or so.  

-- 
"How sad to see/A model of decorum and tranquillity/become like any other sport
A battleground for rival ideologies to slug it out with glee." -Tim Rice,"Chess"
     Eric S. Perlman 				 <perlman@qso.colorado.edu> 
  Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy, University of Colorado, Boulder
From: gene@midway.ecn.uoknor.edu (Gene E. Johannsen)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Girls
Date: 12 Aug 92 16:31:52 GMT
Article-I.D.: constell.1992Aug12.163152.6197
Organization: Engineering Computer Network, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA


Okay, there's this girl whom I desperately like (the whole thing is rather
sick, actually) and we get together and play chess every once in a while
and I wind up beating her easily.

Needless to say, and I know I'm not the only one who experiences this,
but this does not make for harmony.

But, she has expressed a desire to improve.  Or at least she started talking
to me about what she thought she was having problems with.  (I don't know if
it was a desperate plea for help or if she was just making conversation until
I went away)  Anyway, her problem is (say it with me) tactics.  She has 
problems visualizing moves.  Looking one move ahead is difficult for her.

So my question to you is, do you know any good but basic (BASIC) books on
tactics?  She needs a gentle introduction, in order for her to maintain
interest.  If it gets too hard too fast, its all over.  And not a children's
book, either.  That would be bad, too.

Anyway, the whole point is that we are going to be parting soon (perhaps
forever) and I want to leave her with some gifts (I am just, like, so
sentimental).  I think she really likes chess, so I want to get her a good
book or two.

Thanks,
gene
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
From: jhc@m2lll.uucp (James H. Coombs)
Subject: Re: Mandatory human-computer tournament play (was Re: US Open)
Reply-To: jhc@iris.brown.edu.UUCP (James H. Coombs)
Organization: IRIS - Brown University
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 05:47:04 GMT

In article <SCHILLER.92Aug19180333@tira.uchicago.edu> schiller@tira.uchicago.edu (Eric Schiller) writes:

>All this paranoid nonsense about the committee is getting silly.  You
>want a vote. Show up. Then you get a vote.  It is that simple. I don't
>even check for USCF membership.  Every person in the room gets a vote.

Ok, where do we find announcements for the meetings?  Time, place,
agenda?

And what about people who live too far away to participate?  Do USCF
members get to vote on changes to rules?  Most organizations submit
changes to charters, bylaws, etc., to the entire membership.

How about an article in Chess Life to inform the members about the
existence of the committee, its purpose, current activities, etc.?  I
see meeting reports in Chess Horizons, and it could be something like
that.

--Jim