Most chess software allows you to control the computer's tenacity (e.g., you can have the computer refuse to draw under any circumstance if you choose); I would imagine chess computers would have similar functionality.
Do chess computers ever give up a game?
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Apr 27, 2020
0
#3
I've just had a look at the manual - you can set the "contempt for draw", which is what MGT88 is referring to above, but when to resign is a different issue. I was surprised to find that it appears this machine never resigns, which seems like quite an omission on such a high quality chess computer. I'm not absolutely certain, but I did skim the manual, and I also did a search for the work "resign" and it does not appear anywhere in the manual.
When i try to play a game against a computer here it won't let me? Just keeps loading and loading and doesn't stop?
Vivvin, off topic. Please don't hijack the thread, this thread is about dedicated chess computers, like the one in the picture. That chess computer allows me to play any time I like... 
sound67 wrote:
It's true, the King Performance will fight until the bitter end, even if it recognizes a mate against itself. And I think that's quite educational against human players; after all, you might never have found the mate.
Actually, even many early computers had the ability to resign, even my old Chess Challenger Sensory 9 from 1982 did that if the position was hopeless (or a mate forthcoming).
Yes, I agree it may be educational for some, but best would be if it would be a setting and would explain why it should give up in a situation so that the player could really learn. This way I may not even understand that this is a winning game for the white, unless I play draw because I don't know it better...
Anyway, I am controlling the game, so I can just push the new button knowing that I won. I don't really need the "Mate" message to understand that.
Most computers will give up if you are up 100 centipawns; they used to give up at the 60 mark when they were rated 2400 ELO. Now it is 100 at 3400 ELO. So, the Secret of Chess is to some how get to 100 centipawn advantage.
Apr 30, 2020
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#8
Mgx9600, The topic is about standalone chess computers and not inclusive of chess programs.
On the general topic, non of the chess computers in my collection have the ability (never mind the option) or resign or offer a draw. There is not even an option for the player to resign in the user interface.
I have never seen any of my units simply “give up” in terms of making poor moves just to get the game over with. What I have witnessed is the lower ranged computers demonstrating their lack of end-game strategy because non were programmed in.
The computer performs the same process to evaluate the best move it can see irrelevant of the positional and material score (evaluation score). It simply may be that in a hopeless situation there are no good moves but the computer is still following the same algorithmic process. We humans just like to think the computer interprets the evaluation score as we do.
I agree with the OP that Millennium’s newest offering, the King Performance, should have had the option to resign and offer a draw. I would expect both options to be set to off as a default. However, it is only very recently that Millennium have entered the upper Chess Computer market. Before that they produced entry level units that were excellent for introducing people to chess and came with a well executed training mode. The strength of these computers is not high enough to reliably discern if a position is truly lost. As a unit for chess beginners, the last thing that one would want is to teach beginners to resign inappropriately. So my presumption is they left the option out so as to not court controversy. Even mid ranged computers in my collection by other brands do not resign and I suspect for the same reason. To omit the function became the norm.
I think that because historically the majority of standalone chess computer did not resign or offer a draw that new stronger machines such as the King Performance and the DGT Centaur also do not resign or offer draws even though their strength makes them more able to do so appropriately.
I would be interested to know if the DGT pi with factory settings and engines resigns or offer draws and if there is a setting to enable such functionality.
On the general topic, non of the chess computers in my collection have the ability (never mind the option) or resign or offer a draw. There is not even an option for the player to resign in the user interface.
I have never seen any of my units simply “give up” in terms of making poor moves just to get the game over with. What I have witnessed is the lower ranged computers demonstrating their lack of end-game strategy because non were programmed in.
The computer performs the same process to evaluate the best move it can see irrelevant of the positional and material score (evaluation score). It simply may be that in a hopeless situation there are no good moves but the computer is still following the same algorithmic process. We humans just like to think the computer interprets the evaluation score as we do.
I agree with the OP that Millennium’s newest offering, the King Performance, should have had the option to resign and offer a draw. I would expect both options to be set to off as a default. However, it is only very recently that Millennium have entered the upper Chess Computer market. Before that they produced entry level units that were excellent for introducing people to chess and came with a well executed training mode. The strength of these computers is not high enough to reliably discern if a position is truly lost. As a unit for chess beginners, the last thing that one would want is to teach beginners to resign inappropriately. So my presumption is they left the option out so as to not court controversy. Even mid ranged computers in my collection by other brands do not resign and I suspect for the same reason. To omit the function became the norm.
I think that because historically the majority of standalone chess computer did not resign or offer a draw that new stronger machines such as the King Performance and the DGT Centaur also do not resign or offer draws even though their strength makes them more able to do so appropriately.
I would be interested to know if the DGT pi with factory settings and engines resigns or offer draws and if there is a setting to enable such functionality.
Apr 30, 2020
0
#9
My ancient Mephisto Saitek does not have the option to resign or offer a draw from either side. If mate is forced it will sacrifice 4 pieces to make it a mate in 4 rather than a mate in 1. If it's a dead draw eg. rook and king vs rook and king it will shuffle for 50 moves taking the same time over each move as normal.
Apr 30, 2020
0
#10
The Millennium Chess Genius range allegedly runs the Chess Genius engine originally designed for PC. I don’t own any of the Chess Genius computers so cannot test if they have resign or offer draw functionality. If they did not though, that would suggest the coding for that part of the engine had been removed or disabled.
I've had a few PC chess games that run the game to the DRAW and maybe lose to me once in a lifetime but no computer game (MS Windows) ever withdrew...
Apr 30, 2020
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#12
Perhaps if Millennium bought the rights to The King programming that they themselves “improved” the engine or contracted someone to do so? I agree though, one has to watch out for hyperbole when it comes to promotional blurb.
That is interesting about the Windows PC programs. Perhaps the resign and draw functionality is not part of the engine but part of the GUI back end?
That is interesting about the Windows PC programs. Perhaps the resign and draw functionality is not part of the engine but part of the GUI back end?
Oct 8, 2020
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#13
Hi
I just recieved my King perfomance, which is great
Does anyone know the rating strenght of the different levels?
Greets
Nick
I have a brand new Millennium King Performance chess computer, and while the computer wins most of the time, I do win some times as well, and one thing I noticed is that the computer never gives up.
Does it hope I fall dead or end up in a draw or something like that in this situation? Is it like this with all the other chess computers also?