This message is mainly to explain the reasoning behind KGS's rules on granting rated-bot status.
The rating system assumes that each player's strength is fairly stable. To give an example of the sort of thing that might upset the rating system: In the recent bot tournament, LeelaBot lost a game by trying to make an illegal move in its opponent's one-point eye. That is not a problem in itself. Suppose it plays rated games on KGS (as it would have to, to acquire a rating) and some humans users find a way to take advantage of this bug, and use it to boost their own ratings. Their ratings will rise, as will the ratings of other users who have played them. That is unfortunate. Now suppose Gian-Carlo fixes the bug, and LeelaBot continues playing. Its rating will now rise, as will the ratings of those who learned to profit from the bug, *and* of those others who have played them, etc.. This is what the admins really want to avoid. I believe that if a significant improvement in a rated bot is made, its account should be abandoned, and a new one created. I will advise the KGS superadmin accordingly. (In fact, I do not know why LeelaBot's application for Rated bot status has produced no response. I am trying to find out. I hope Gian-Carlo Pascutto can fix the bug, and if he can, he should do so *before* it starts to play rated games.) Nick -- Nick Wedd mapr...@gmail.com
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