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Azlan Iqbal

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I work in the field of artificial intelligence. Initially, I focused on computational aesthetics but have since built upon that and am now focusing on computational creativity. I think machines can be creative without needing to be conscious like humans. It's amazing to be able to create things that can create things.

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University of Zagreb

Uppsala University

University of East London

University of Leicester

Gwen Robbins Schug

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Gabriel Gutierrez-Alonso

University of Salamanca

Macquarie University

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

Swansea University

Jesper Hoffmeyer

University of Copenhagen

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Papers by Azlan Iqbal

Theme Detection and Evaluation in Chess

ICGA Journal, Jun 1, 2008

Which gender plays more beautiful chess

4th International Congress on Interdisciplinary Behavior and Social Science, ICIBSOS 2015, Sep 19, 2016

Computationally Estimating the Solvability of Forced Mate Sequences

In automatic chess problem composition, there may be a need to classify or label problems in term... more In automatic chess problem composition, there may be a need to classify or label problems in terms of solvability (i.e. how difficult it is for the typical player to solve) for more efficient human consumption. Automatically classifying a chess problem as being easy, moderate or difficult therefore helps in that regard. In this article, we explain a formula for this that relies on five variables, i.e. chess engine solving time, total piece count, total piece value, move length and an adjusted number to represent the variations possible. The method was tested on samples of forced mates (3, 4 and 5-movers) including both published chess problems by human composers and computer-generated ones. Statistical analysis of the results was significant and as expected based on the groups tested. Such problems may therefore then be classified as 'easy', 'moderate' or 'difficult' based on percentile. The lowest third of scores is considered easy, for example. Longer seque...

Exhaustive Search of Piece Combinations Based on Total Shannon Value

Computer Science and Information Technology, 2015

In chess games, the Shannon value is one way to represent the relative values of chess pieces. We... more In chess games, the Shannon value is one way to represent the relative values of chess pieces. We propose a method to perform an exhaustive search of piece combinations based on any given total Shannon value. Nested loops are used along with certain sentinel controls that comply with the basic rules of chess. For example, there are 9 loops assigned for the queen, as the maximum legal number of queens on the board is 9, including the promoted pawns. Therefore, each chess piece (queen, rook, bishop, knight, pawn) has its own specific number of loops which correspond to its legal number and they are nested in together. The experiment performed shows that if nested loops that represent each of the pieces are arranged together along with the chess-based sentinel controls, they can produce all possible and legal chess piece combinations that match the desired Total Shannon Value (TSV). This method can be used for a variety of purposes in chess engines and other games or areas with similar...

Estimating Total Search Space Size for Specific Piece Sets in Chess

Automatic chess problem or puzzle composition typically involves generating and testing various d... more Automatic chess problem or puzzle composition typically involves generating and testing various different positions, sometimes using particular piece sets. Once a position has been generated, it is then usually tested for positional legality based on the game rules. However, it is useful to be able to estimate what the search space size for particular piece combinations is to begin with. So if a desirable chess problem was successfully generated by examining 'merely' 100,000 or so positions in a theoretical search space of about 100 billion, this would imply the composing approach used was quite viable and perhaps even impressive. In this article, I explain a method of calculating the size of this search space using a combinatorics and permutations approach. While the mathematics itself may already be established, a precise method and justification of applying it with regard to the chessboard and chess pieces has not been documented, to the best of our knowledge. Additionall...

Computational Creativity as a Basis for Crypto Assets

A Proposal for a Universal Chess Rating System

Former world chess champion and one of the strongest players of all time, Garry Kasparov, has sug... more Former world chess champion and one of the strongest players of all time, Garry Kasparov, has suggested the creation of a universal rating system for chess that includes all games played. The purpose is to unite tens of millions of players from around the globe and improve sponsorship for the game. In this article we propose such a rating system. It is different in many ways from the standard Elo system adopted by the FIDE (World Chess Federation) yet compatible in some ways with it. While the new system is capable of establishing a rating for every player and every game, it does not displace the current best players from their rightful dominance. The presence and ubiquity of web technology today creates the perfect environment for the successful implementation of the proposed rating system.

The Official Rules of Switch-Side Chain-Chess

Switch-Side Chain-Chess (SSCC) is a chess variant invented by the author in 2011. It differs from... more Switch-Side Chain-Chess (SSCC) is a chess variant invented by the author in 2011. It differs from standard or international chess in that when &#39;chains&#39; of pieces form during play there is the option of switching sides with the opponent, i.e. assuming control of the opponent&#39;s pieces. This creates a seemingly vastly more complex version of the game while still preserving the original theoretical structure of the standard chess game tree. In other words, every standard chess game is also an SSCC game and every SSCC game can at least appear to the uninitiated observer as a standard chess game. This document was created with the intention of compiling in one place and explaining the official rules of the game clearly. It will also allow the author to periodically make updates and corrections, if any, with greater ease. This document (and subsequent higher-number versions of it as shown in the upper left corner of this page) should therefore serve as the primary reference point for all essential things concerning the game and play of SSCC.

Backup Synchronization on Different Operating Systems

– The processes of backing up and synchronizing computer data are common. Backups may be retained... more – The processes of backing up and synchronizing computer data are common. Backups may be retained in multiple computers or storage devices to protect data from risks such as hard disk failure, computer theft or even accidental deletion. There are many software applications which are designed for synchronizing backups but few of them are able to work across different operating systems and platforms. The undertaken policies and methods in these applications make the common synchronizing process time-consuming. Moreover it is not easy to manage large-sized backups across relatively slow networks like the Internet. In this research we present a systematic model which is able to synchronize large sized backups, in terms of mirroring the name and quantity of the files, across different operating systems. Time and cost efficiency are two main factors in this study. We present a meta-analysis and review of the literature. Several software applications with similar capabilities are reviewed ...

The Digital Synaptic Neural Substrate: Size and Quality Matters

ArXiv, 2016

We investigate the 'Digital Synaptic Neural Substrate' (DSNS) computational creativity ap... more We investigate the 'Digital Synaptic Neural Substrate' (DSNS) computational creativity approach further with respect to the size and quality of images that can be used to seed the process. In previous work we demonstrated how combining photographs of people and sequences taken from chess games between weak players can be used to generate chess problems or puzzles of higher aesthetic quality, on average, compared to alternative approaches. In this work we show experimentally that using larger images as opposed to smaller ones improves the output quality even further. The same is also true for using clearer or less corrupted images. The reasons why these things influence the DSNS process is presently not well-understood and debatable but the findings are nevertheless immediately applicable for obtaining better results.

Computational assessment of sparsity in board games

1 Tenaga Nasional University, Malaysia, email: [email protected], [email protected] Abstra... more 1 Tenaga Nasional University, Malaysia, email: [email protected], [email protected] Abstract. Board games like chess, checkers and go all have squares or points on a matrix-like board and pieces that occupy them throughout the course of a game. The author proposes an evaluation function for the concept of sparsity in such games. Sparsity refers to the general lack of concentration of pieces on the board and is inversely proportional to the perceived density. Evaluating sparsity is important from a visual perspective and useful for computational aesthetics purposes since dense piece configurations can be confusing and less pleasing to the eye. The evaluation function was designed with aesthetics in mind and comparisons with possible alternatives were done, suggesting its advantages. Experiments involving over a thousand chess positions were carried out to validate the function with promising results. An alternative method was also tested using the same data and it was found th...

An Algorithm for Automatically Updating a Forsyth-Edwards Notation String Without an Array Board Representation

We present an algorithm that correctly updates the Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) chessboard char... more We present an algorithm that correctly updates the Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) chessboard character string after any move is made without the need for an intermediary array representation of the board. In particular, this relates to software that have to do with chess, certain chess variants and possibly even similar board games with comparable position representation. Even when performance may be equal or inferior to using arrays, the algorithm still provides an accurate and viable alternative to accomplishing the same thing, or when there may be a need for additional or side processing in conjunction with arrays. Furthermore, the end result (i.e. an updated FEN string) is immediately ready for export to any other internal module or external program, unlike with an intermediary array which needs to be first converted into a FEN string for export purposes. The algorithm is especially useful when there are no existing array-based modules to represent a visual board as it can do wi...

A Computational Method of Optimizing Chess Compositions to Enhance Aesthetic Appeal

2021 2nd International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Data Sciences (AiDAS), 2021

Chess compositions are typically positions set up with a stipulation, e.g., ‘White to Play and Ma... more Chess compositions are typically positions set up with a stipulation, e.g., ‘White to Play and Mate in 3’. They are also usually challenging, educational or possess some aesthetic appeal. In this article, a computational method of optimizing compositions is presented that can help improve them, primarily in terms of aesthetics as described by the conventions of problem composition. This is useful in automatic chess composition, which is fairly new in artificial intelligence (AI) and still a largely open area of research. The method involves seven aspects, namely 1) removing pieces, 2) swapping white pieces for weaker ones, 3) swapping black pieces for stronger ones, 4) moving the white king to avoid check, 5) looking for a shorter mate, 6) moving the white king closer to the other pieces, and 7) preventing major black pieces from being en prise (capturable). All of these are applied in order and together whilst preserving the original solution as much as possible. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated using examples (before and after optimization) illustrating the positive changes to the positions. Human expert assessment is also shown to be comparable in outcome. This method can therefore be used to automatically improve, in general, the aesthetic appeal of compositions to a significant or noticeable degree.

A Computer Composes A Fabled Problem: Four Knights vs. Queen

We explain how the prototype automatic chess problem composer, Chesthetica, successfully composed... more We explain how the prototype automatic chess problem composer, Chesthetica, successfully composed a rare and interesting chess problem using the new Digital Synaptic Neural Substrate (DSNS) computational creativity approach. This problem represents a greater challenge from a creative standpoint because the checkmate is not always clear and the method of winning even less so. Creating a decisive chess problem of this type without the aid of an omniscient 7-piece endgame tablebase (and one that also abides by several chess composition conventions) would therefore be a challenge for most human players and composers working on their own. The fact that a small computer with relatively low processing power and memory was sufficient to compose such a problem using the DSNS approach in just 10 days is therefore noteworthy. In this report we document the event and result in some detail. It lends additional credence to the DSNS as a viable new approach in the field of computational creativity...

A Chain-Detection Algorithm for Two-Dimensional Grids

Online Article, Volume :-, Issue No :-, Article ID :1610.03573, Page Start :1, Page End : 28, ISS... more

A Novel Machine Learning Method for Preference Identification

ArXiv, 2020

Human preference or taste within any domain is usually a difficult thing to identify or predict w... more Human preference or taste within any domain is usually a difficult thing to identify or predict with high probability. In the domain of chess problem composition, the same is true. Traditional machine learning approaches tend to focus on the ability of computers to process massive amounts of data and continuously adjust 'weights' within an artificial neural network to better distinguish between say, two groups of objects. Contrasted with chess compositions, there is no clear distinction between what constitutes one and what does not; even less so between a good one and a poor one. We propose a computational method that is able to learn from existing databases of 'liked' and 'disliked' compositions such that a new and unseen collection can be sorted with increased probability of matching a solver's preferences. The method uses a simple 'change factor' relating to the Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) of each composition's starting position, couple...

Aesthetics in Mate-in-3 Combinations, Part II: Normality

Icga Journal, 2010

ABSTRACT In part 1 of this research, experimental results showed that, alone, the correlation str... more ABSTRACT In part 1 of this research, experimental results showed that, alone, the correlation strength of the scores generated by a computational aesthetics model (for mate-in-3 combinations in chess) with mean human-player aesthetic ratings can be misleading, and that the use of weights or multipliers (even those provided by domain experts) with aesthetic features is unreliable. In this article, the probability distribution of the human ratings was explored as a third criterion to further substantiate such a model’s viability (after achievement of a minimum qualifying standard, and having a reasonably good correlation with the human ratings). Only one approach from the thousands of alternatives tested was found that resembled the human ratings in this way. It combined a specific probability-split ‘random-alternating’ technique with selections of features to be both added and subtracted. The new and unexpected stochastic approach therefore contrasts against the author’s deterministic existing model that generates only precise aesthetic scores. Given the new model’s closer resemblance to the human ratings, its ability to now ‘change its mind’ slightly, and otherwise equivalent performance to the existing model, it was considered an overall improvement and a recommended modification. Additionally, this research highlights a curious 30-70 ‘strictness rule’ which suggests that humans appreciate only the top 30% of aesthetic features associated with an object yet simultaneously penalize it for (up to) the remaining 70% that ‘try’ but fail to ‘impress’.

Aesthetics in Mate-in-3 Combinations, Part I: Combinatorics and Weights

Journal of the International Computer Games Association, 2010

ABSTRACT In this research, I attempted to improve upon an existing computational model for recogn... more ABSTRACT In this research, I attempted to improve upon an existing computational model for recognizing beauty in mate-in-3 combinations in the game of international (or Western) chess. The intention was also to get some idea how the existing model could be applied outside the current scope (e.g. to single moves, endgame studies). The first part of the research described in this article consists of two phases of experimentation comparing combinations taken from the domains of compositions and real games, and using a sample of mean human-player aesthetic ratings. First, it was discovered that, alone, having a higher positive correlation with the human ratings does not necessarily mean that (the variation of) the model is even viable. Second, variations of the existing model – in terms of the aesthetic features examined and the weights attributed to them – are apparently either worse or, in the minority of cases examined, only equivalent in performance to it. Third, experimental results bring into question the effectiveness of using different weights or multipliers (even those provided by domain experts) with aesthetic features for the purpose of discriminating between them in terms of inherent ‘importance’. The practice was found to be unreliable and therefore offered no improvement over the default intelligently-designed feature evaluation functions that, in principle, do not value some features over others.

Investigating Games of Very High Complexity

ABSTRACT An overview of a research project in our varsity&#39;s research bulletin.

Chess Aesthetics Research Survey Results

Validation was determined based on three criteria. First, a respondent had to answer two 'con... more Validation was determined based on three criteria. First, a respondent had to answer two 'control questions' correctly. A certain level of competence - but not necessarily mastery - is necessary to appreciate beauty in the game. Second, their evaluations should not appear suspicious such as having too many similar values and no precision at all. This would suggest a hurried

Theme Detection and Evaluation in Chess

ICGA Journal, Jun 1, 2008

Which gender plays more beautiful chess

4th International Congress on Interdisciplinary Behavior and Social Science, ICIBSOS 2015, Sep 19, 2016

Computationally Estimating the Solvability of Forced Mate Sequences

In automatic chess problem composition, there may be a need to classify or label problems in term... more In automatic chess problem composition, there may be a need to classify or label problems in terms of solvability (i.e. how difficult it is for the typical player to solve) for more efficient human consumption. Automatically classifying a chess problem as being easy, moderate or difficult therefore helps in that regard. In this article, we explain a formula for this that relies on five variables, i.e. chess engine solving time, total piece count, total piece value, move length and an adjusted number to represent the variations possible. The method was tested on samples of forced mates (3, 4 and 5-movers) including both published chess problems by human composers and computer-generated ones. Statistical analysis of the results was significant and as expected based on the groups tested. Such problems may therefore then be classified as 'easy', 'moderate' or 'difficult' based on percentile. The lowest third of scores is considered easy, for example. Longer seque...

Exhaustive Search of Piece Combinations Based on Total Shannon Value

Computer Science and Information Technology, 2015

In chess games, the Shannon value is one way to represent the relative values of chess pieces. We... more In chess games, the Shannon value is one way to represent the relative values of chess pieces. We propose a method to perform an exhaustive search of piece combinations based on any given total Shannon value. Nested loops are used along with certain sentinel controls that comply with the basic rules of chess. For example, there are 9 loops assigned for the queen, as the maximum legal number of queens on the board is 9, including the promoted pawns. Therefore, each chess piece (queen, rook, bishop, knight, pawn) has its own specific number of loops which correspond to its legal number and they are nested in together. The experiment performed shows that if nested loops that represent each of the pieces are arranged together along with the chess-based sentinel controls, they can produce all possible and legal chess piece combinations that match the desired Total Shannon Value (TSV). This method can be used for a variety of purposes in chess engines and other games or areas with similar...

Estimating Total Search Space Size for Specific Piece Sets in Chess

Automatic chess problem or puzzle composition typically involves generating and testing various d... more Automatic chess problem or puzzle composition typically involves generating and testing various different positions, sometimes using particular piece sets. Once a position has been generated, it is then usually tested for positional legality based on the game rules. However, it is useful to be able to estimate what the search space size for particular piece combinations is to begin with. So if a desirable chess problem was successfully generated by examining 'merely' 100,000 or so positions in a theoretical search space of about 100 billion, this would imply the composing approach used was quite viable and perhaps even impressive. In this article, I explain a method of calculating the size of this search space using a combinatorics and permutations approach. While the mathematics itself may already be established, a precise method and justification of applying it with regard to the chessboard and chess pieces has not been documented, to the best of our knowledge. Additionall...

Computational Creativity as a Basis for Crypto Assets

A Proposal for a Universal Chess Rating System

Former world chess champion and one of the strongest players of all time, Garry Kasparov, has sug... more Former world chess champion and one of the strongest players of all time, Garry Kasparov, has suggested the creation of a universal rating system for chess that includes all games played. The purpose is to unite tens of millions of players from around the globe and improve sponsorship for the game. In this article we propose such a rating system. It is different in many ways from the standard Elo system adopted by the FIDE (World Chess Federation) yet compatible in some ways with it. While the new system is capable of establishing a rating for every player and every game, it does not displace the current best players from their rightful dominance. The presence and ubiquity of web technology today creates the perfect environment for the successful implementation of the proposed rating system.

The Official Rules of Switch-Side Chain-Chess

Switch-Side Chain-Chess (SSCC) is a chess variant invented by the author in 2011. It differs from... more Switch-Side Chain-Chess (SSCC) is a chess variant invented by the author in 2011. It differs from standard or international chess in that when &#39;chains&#39; of pieces form during play there is the option of switching sides with the opponent, i.e. assuming control of the opponent&#39;s pieces. This creates a seemingly vastly more complex version of the game while still preserving the original theoretical structure of the standard chess game tree. In other words, every standard chess game is also an SSCC game and every SSCC game can at least appear to the uninitiated observer as a standard chess game. This document was created with the intention of compiling in one place and explaining the official rules of the game clearly. It will also allow the author to periodically make updates and corrections, if any, with greater ease. This document (and subsequent higher-number versions of it as shown in the upper left corner of this page) should therefore serve as the primary reference point for all essential things concerning the game and play of SSCC.

Backup Synchronization on Different Operating Systems

– The processes of backing up and synchronizing computer data are common. Backups may be retained... more – The processes of backing up and synchronizing computer data are common. Backups may be retained in multiple computers or storage devices to protect data from risks such as hard disk failure, computer theft or even accidental deletion. There are many software applications which are designed for synchronizing backups but few of them are able to work across different operating systems and platforms. The undertaken policies and methods in these applications make the common synchronizing process time-consuming. Moreover it is not easy to manage large-sized backups across relatively slow networks like the Internet. In this research we present a systematic model which is able to synchronize large sized backups, in terms of mirroring the name and quantity of the files, across different operating systems. Time and cost efficiency are two main factors in this study. We present a meta-analysis and review of the literature. Several software applications with similar capabilities are reviewed ...

The Digital Synaptic Neural Substrate: Size and Quality Matters

ArXiv, 2016

We investigate the 'Digital Synaptic Neural Substrate' (DSNS) computational creativity ap... more We investigate the 'Digital Synaptic Neural Substrate' (DSNS) computational creativity approach further with respect to the size and quality of images that can be used to seed the process. In previous work we demonstrated how combining photographs of people and sequences taken from chess games between weak players can be used to generate chess problems or puzzles of higher aesthetic quality, on average, compared to alternative approaches. In this work we show experimentally that using larger images as opposed to smaller ones improves the output quality even further. The same is also true for using clearer or less corrupted images. The reasons why these things influence the DSNS process is presently not well-understood and debatable but the findings are nevertheless immediately applicable for obtaining better results.

Computational assessment of sparsity in board games

1 Tenaga Nasional University, Malaysia, email: [email protected], [email protected] Abstra... more 1 Tenaga Nasional University, Malaysia, email: [email protected], [email protected] Abstract. Board games like chess, checkers and go all have squares or points on a matrix-like board and pieces that occupy them throughout the course of a game. The author proposes an evaluation function for the concept of sparsity in such games. Sparsity refers to the general lack of concentration of pieces on the board and is inversely proportional to the perceived density. Evaluating sparsity is important from a visual perspective and useful for computational aesthetics purposes since dense piece configurations can be confusing and less pleasing to the eye. The evaluation function was designed with aesthetics in mind and comparisons with possible alternatives were done, suggesting its advantages. Experiments involving over a thousand chess positions were carried out to validate the function with promising results. An alternative method was also tested using the same data and it was found th...

An Algorithm for Automatically Updating a Forsyth-Edwards Notation String Without an Array Board Representation

We present an algorithm that correctly updates the Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) chessboard char... more We present an algorithm that correctly updates the Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) chessboard character string after any move is made without the need for an intermediary array representation of the board. In particular, this relates to software that have to do with chess, certain chess variants and possibly even similar board games with comparable position representation. Even when performance may be equal or inferior to using arrays, the algorithm still provides an accurate and viable alternative to accomplishing the same thing, or when there may be a need for additional or side processing in conjunction with arrays. Furthermore, the end result (i.e. an updated FEN string) is immediately ready for export to any other internal module or external program, unlike with an intermediary array which needs to be first converted into a FEN string for export purposes. The algorithm is especially useful when there are no existing array-based modules to represent a visual board as it can do wi...

A Computational Method of Optimizing Chess Compositions to Enhance Aesthetic Appeal

2021 2nd International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Data Sciences (AiDAS), 2021

Chess compositions are typically positions set up with a stipulation, e.g., ‘White to Play and Ma... more Chess compositions are typically positions set up with a stipulation, e.g., ‘White to Play and Mate in 3’. They are also usually challenging, educational or possess some aesthetic appeal. In this article, a computational method of optimizing compositions is presented that can help improve them, primarily in terms of aesthetics as described by the conventions of problem composition. This is useful in automatic chess composition, which is fairly new in artificial intelligence (AI) and still a largely open area of research. The method involves seven aspects, namely 1) removing pieces, 2) swapping white pieces for weaker ones, 3) swapping black pieces for stronger ones, 4) moving the white king to avoid check, 5) looking for a shorter mate, 6) moving the white king closer to the other pieces, and 7) preventing major black pieces from being en prise (capturable). All of these are applied in order and together whilst preserving the original solution as much as possible. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated using examples (before and after optimization) illustrating the positive changes to the positions. Human expert assessment is also shown to be comparable in outcome. This method can therefore be used to automatically improve, in general, the aesthetic appeal of compositions to a significant or noticeable degree.

A Computer Composes A Fabled Problem: Four Knights vs. Queen

We explain how the prototype automatic chess problem composer, Chesthetica, successfully composed... more We explain how the prototype automatic chess problem composer, Chesthetica, successfully composed a rare and interesting chess problem using the new Digital Synaptic Neural Substrate (DSNS) computational creativity approach. This problem represents a greater challenge from a creative standpoint because the checkmate is not always clear and the method of winning even less so. Creating a decisive chess problem of this type without the aid of an omniscient 7-piece endgame tablebase (and one that also abides by several chess composition conventions) would therefore be a challenge for most human players and composers working on their own. The fact that a small computer with relatively low processing power and memory was sufficient to compose such a problem using the DSNS approach in just 10 days is therefore noteworthy. In this report we document the event and result in some detail. It lends additional credence to the DSNS as a viable new approach in the field of computational creativity...

A Chain-Detection Algorithm for Two-Dimensional Grids

Online Article, Volume :-, Issue No :-, Article ID :1610.03573, Page Start :1, Page End : 28, ISS... more

A Novel Machine Learning Method for Preference Identification

ArXiv, 2020

Human preference or taste within any domain is usually a difficult thing to identify or predict w... more Human preference or taste within any domain is usually a difficult thing to identify or predict with high probability. In the domain of chess problem composition, the same is true. Traditional machine learning approaches tend to focus on the ability of computers to process massive amounts of data and continuously adjust 'weights' within an artificial neural network to better distinguish between say, two groups of objects. Contrasted with chess compositions, there is no clear distinction between what constitutes one and what does not; even less so between a good one and a poor one. We propose a computational method that is able to learn from existing databases of 'liked' and 'disliked' compositions such that a new and unseen collection can be sorted with increased probability of matching a solver's preferences. The method uses a simple 'change factor' relating to the Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) of each composition's starting position, couple...

Aesthetics in Mate-in-3 Combinations, Part II: Normality

Icga Journal, 2010

ABSTRACT In part 1 of this research, experimental results showed that, alone, the correlation str... more ABSTRACT In part 1 of this research, experimental results showed that, alone, the correlation strength of the scores generated by a computational aesthetics model (for mate-in-3 combinations in chess) with mean human-player aesthetic ratings can be misleading, and that the use of weights or multipliers (even those provided by domain experts) with aesthetic features is unreliable. In this article, the probability distribution of the human ratings was explored as a third criterion to further substantiate such a model’s viability (after achievement of a minimum qualifying standard, and having a reasonably good correlation with the human ratings). Only one approach from the thousands of alternatives tested was found that resembled the human ratings in this way. It combined a specific probability-split ‘random-alternating’ technique with selections of features to be both added and subtracted. The new and unexpected stochastic approach therefore contrasts against the author’s deterministic existing model that generates only precise aesthetic scores. Given the new model’s closer resemblance to the human ratings, its ability to now ‘change its mind’ slightly, and otherwise equivalent performance to the existing model, it was considered an overall improvement and a recommended modification. Additionally, this research highlights a curious 30-70 ‘strictness rule’ which suggests that humans appreciate only the top 30% of aesthetic features associated with an object yet simultaneously penalize it for (up to) the remaining 70% that ‘try’ but fail to ‘impress’.

Aesthetics in Mate-in-3 Combinations, Part I: Combinatorics and Weights

Journal of the International Computer Games Association, 2010

ABSTRACT In this research, I attempted to improve upon an existing computational model for recogn... more ABSTRACT In this research, I attempted to improve upon an existing computational model for recognizing beauty in mate-in-3 combinations in the game of international (or Western) chess. The intention was also to get some idea how the existing model could be applied outside the current scope (e.g. to single moves, endgame studies). The first part of the research described in this article consists of two phases of experimentation comparing combinations taken from the domains of compositions and real games, and using a sample of mean human-player aesthetic ratings. First, it was discovered that, alone, having a higher positive correlation with the human ratings does not necessarily mean that (the variation of) the model is even viable. Second, variations of the existing model – in terms of the aesthetic features examined and the weights attributed to them – are apparently either worse or, in the minority of cases examined, only equivalent in performance to it. Third, experimental results bring into question the effectiveness of using different weights or multipliers (even those provided by domain experts) with aesthetic features for the purpose of discriminating between them in terms of inherent ‘importance’. The practice was found to be unreliable and therefore offered no improvement over the default intelligently-designed feature evaluation functions that, in principle, do not value some features over others.

Investigating Games of Very High Complexity

ABSTRACT An overview of a research project in our varsity&#39;s research bulletin.

Chess Aesthetics Research Survey Results

Validation was determined based on three criteria. First, a respondent had to answer two 'con... more Validation was determined based on three criteria. First, a respondent had to answer two 'control questions' correctly. A certain level of competence - but not necessarily mastery - is necessary to appreciate beauty in the game. Second, their evaluations should not appear suspicious such as having too many similar values and no precision at all. This would suggest a hurried