Lesson plan

Endgame tablebase

In chess, an endgame tablebase, or simply tablebase, is a computerised database containing precalculated evaluations of endgame positions. Tablebases are used by players and chess engines to analyze games and positions. Tablebases are typically exhaustive, covering every legal arrangement of a specific selection of pieces on the board, with both White and Black to move. For each position, the tablebase records the ultimate result of the game assuming perfect play from both sides (i.e. a win for White, a win for Black, or a draw), and the number of moves required to achieve that result. Because every move from a covered position results in another covered position, the tablebase acts as an oracle that always provides the optimal move. Tablebases are generated by retrograde analysis, working backwards from checkmated positions. By 2005, tablebases for all positions having up to six pieces, including the two kings, had been created. By August 2012, tablebases had solved chess for almost every position with up to seven pieces, with certain subclasses omitted due to their assumed triviality; the first complete seven-piece tablebase was released in August 2018. , work is still underway to solve all eight-piece positions. Tablebases have profoundly advanced the chess community's understanding of endgame theory.…

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Article summary

In chess, an endgame tablebase, or simply tablebase, is a computerised database containing precalculated evaluations of endgame positions. Tablebases are used by players and chess engines to analyze games and positions. Tablebases are typically exhaustive, covering every legal arrangement of a specific selection of pieces on the board, with both White and Black to move. For each position, the tablebase records the ultimate result of the game assuming perfect play from both sides (i.e. a win for White, a win for Black, or a draw), and the number of moves required to achieve that result. Because every move from a covered position results in another covered position, the tablebase acts as an oracle that always provides the optimal move. Tablebases are generated by retrograde analysis, working backwards from checkmated positions. By 2005, tablebases for all positions having up to six pieces, including the two kings, had been created. By August 2012, tablebases had solved chess for almost every position with up to seven pieces, with certain subclasses omitted due to their assumed triviality; the first complete seven-piece tablebase was released in August 2018. , work is still underway to solve all eight-piece positions. Tablebases have profoundly advanced the chess community's understanding of endgame theory.…

Key claims

  1. publication date: 2015 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  2. release date: 2018 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. The record states that the publication date is "2015". What evidence would count against this claim?
  3. The record states that the release date is "2018". What evidence would count against this claim?
  4. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  5. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

  1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372171863

Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.