Objectives
- Uses easiest difficulty
- Forgoes time-saving glitches
- Forgoes "warps"
- Genre: Board
Time Save over the previous submission
The bulk of the 11-seconds time save comes simply from using the lower-left side button. The instructions manual says this is what it does:
Before move is completed, move piece back to last position
For some reason, you can press this button the moment the computer selects a piece to instantly snap it to its destination square, instead of watching the computer mosey its piece on over to the square for a couple seconds time save per move.
We also saved some time by hiding the clock displays, which is done by pressing the "8" key twice on the right controller. This frees up some additional RAM to be used for computer thinking and reduced the total time spent on that.
Difficulty/Goal Choices
The easiest difficulty (skill level 1) was chosen here. See the "Level 6" TAS I submitted alongside this one for a real challenge!
There is an absolutely overpowered time-saving glitch I did not use where you can essentially force the computer to make whatever move you want it to, but explaining that in full is beyond the scope of this submission. See the other TAS I submitted alongside this one which takes full advantage of the glitch.
The lower-right side button is called the "Force Move" button, and it forces the computer to make whatever move it has so far deemed the best. While this will often cause the computer to move faster at the higher skill levels, it was not found to save time during this TAS, and was thus the reason I did not use it at all. Not pressing this button is what I mean by the "Forgoes Warps" objective as it's otherwise kinda like warping through the AI's decision tree.
Routing
The goal is not necessarily to checkmate in the least number of moves but to deliver the checkmate that makes the computer "think" the least. For instance, the computer thinks for a cumulative 0:59 over eight moves in this TAS. I have also found a six-move checkmate but the computer thinks for 1:11 and is therefore not faster. Shorter "thinking" times are achieved by keeping the position simple. Giving the computer few options and not attacking with a lot of pieces simultaneously is a good way to minimize thinking times.
RNG
Moves are NOT determined stochastically. The computer's response to a position at a given skill level will be the same every time.
The Computer's Weakness?
The first thing to test for would be to see if the computer falls for any quick mates. I was surprised by how well the computer was able to defend every permutation I threw at it. Eventually, I found a way to make it crack: the computer values potential pawn promotion much higher than it should. In the case of this TAS, Black values getting a pawn to the second rank more than it values its own king! In the end, we have a game which looks like a longer variation of the Scholar's Mate.
Game Summary and Q/A
| Move | White | Black | Black's Time | Commentary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | e4 | e5 | 0:05 | King's Pawn Opening. |
| 2 | Nf3 | d5 | 0:13 | White puts pressure on Black's e5 pawn. Black ignores this and opts for the Elephant Gambit, establishing a pawn duo in the center and attacking White's e4 pawn. |
| 3 | Nxe5 | dxe4 | 0:20 | Both sides capture. |
| 4 | Bc4 | Be6 | 0:31 | White eyes up the f7 square. Black defends this with his light-square bishop!? |
| 5 | Bxe6 | fxe6 | 0:38 | Both sides trade bishops, but Black's pawn structure is now compromised. |
| 6 | d3 | exd3 | 0:46 | White sets up a distraction, offering to improve Black's pawn structure, which Black is eager to capitalize on. |
| 7 | Qf3 | dxc2 | 0:58 | The White Queen posts up on the f3 square which is no longer defended... but Black, who is obsessed over the idea of promoting, takes on c2 and does not notice that it's mate in one! |
| 8 | Qxf7# | 0:59 | GG |
Q: Why waste two moves to first play Bishop c4 and then capture Black's Bishop? Why couldn't you just play d3 on move 4?
A: Responding with literally anything else on move 4 prompts Black to play Knight f6. If Black plays this move, we are not giving checkmate anytime soon. Black's bishop must be captured because it is defending the f7 square, which will later be used for checkmate.
Q: Why couldn't you play Queen h5 on move 6 instead?
A: Black would meet that with Knight h6, defending against checkmate. d3 is key to distracting Black and to lure their e4 pawn away from defense of f3.
Piece Movements
In addition to all the focus on think time minimization, there are also some speed strats going on with how we move pieces. A piece or square can be selected even if the cursor is on an infinitesimal portion of the square's right or bottom edge, or the bottom-right corner. This allows us to set all our pieces down quite early, and gives an advantage to picking up pieces if they're moving down or to the right.
The cursor becomes active for the player's next turn from the moment the "gong" sound plays to denote the computer has decided on a move, even though the cursor cannot be seen yet. This is why the cursor is always in the perfect spot when it becomes visible.
Special Options
The (8) key on the left controller allows the player to start as Black instead of White. I've also tested this pretty extensively and no quick mates can really be found. Besides, by going second, you're giving the computer an extra turn to think for which loses a lot of time.
You can actually adjust the skill level on the fly between the computer's turns. I also tested many variations to see if the computer would in some instances make a more dubious move on level 2 than level 1. In some cases, it actually did! But too much time was lost due to extra thinking time so we stayed on Skill Level 1.
Suggested Screenshot
Any frame after the CHECKMATE! message appears
Suggested Publication Notes
Winslinator obliterates the easiest difficulty in record time by finding a quick 8-move checkmate that also minimizes computer thinking times.
nymx: Claiming for judging.
nymx As with your Level 6 movie, you do the same exploitation of the game's weakness. Enjoyed seeing your findings of "snapping" a piece into place, saving even more time over https://tasvideos.org/7017S.
Your work, being done on "Level 1", satisfies the goal of "Forgoing major skip glitches", as the game was completed as fast as possible having used no glitches. Good work.
Thanks to ikuyo for your review.
Accepting.
despoa: Processing...