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Is the "Best move" always the best move?

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Mike_Kalish

In this game, I moved my queen to g4 (from g7) on move 20. This was considered a "good" move by the engine. I think it was more than that. I know it would not have worked against a GM, but I wasn't playing a GM, I was playing a 1200, and I had a pretty good feeling that he would see the "advantages" of taking the pawn on e4 with his queen. 

1. A free pawn

2. Pin the bishop.

3. My queen would be needed to defend the bishop. 

I felt that would be sufficient temptation for him to make the move, and he would not see the game ending consequences. It was a calculated risk, and I was right. He took the pawn, and resigned two moves later.

The engine doesn't know or care who I'm playing, but the level of the opponent can influence what move might be the best. No?

xFallesafe
No. Because the real best move is even better against somebody who isn’t good.
llama36

Sure, sometimes it's good to ignore the engine.

In this case your move maintained your winning advantage while also setting a trap. There's nothing wrong with a move like that, and in a practical sense Qg4 may even be the best move.

Traps that give up your advantage I'd generally dislike, but this wasn't like that.

llama36

I did have to look at the game to know what you're talking about. Qg4 (moving from g7) doesn't win a pawn or pin a bishop. It does move your queen to safety while setting a trap (if ...Qxe4 then black loses the queen).

Mike_Kalish

I guess we have to agree that "best" or "better" refer to the likelihood of winning without regard to how fast it happens. If so, I'd agree with you. If there's a value to winning sooner, then "best" move might have a different definition. 

Mike_Kalish
DesperateKingWalk wrote:

Most moves are still winning. Even QxR is winning instead of Qg4. I would have just played Bxc7 a nice forcing line. With a easy endgame. 

QxR is winning? Don't I lose my queen on the next move to BxQ?

Mike_Kalish
DesperateKingWalk wrote:
Mike_Kalish wrote:
DesperateKingWalk wrote:

Most moves are still winning. Even QxR is winning instead of Qg4. I would have just played Bxc7 a nice forcing line. With a easy endgame. 

QxR is winning? Don't I lose my queen on the next move to BxQ?

Yep QxR then BxQ then...... white still wins. 

I don't see how.

Mike_Kalish

Now I see how. Thanks.

woton

Sometimes, the computer calculated (cc) best move is not the best move for lower rated players.  Occasionally, the cc move leads to complicated positions where I wouldn't have a clue what to do.  As long as my move was not a mistake or a blunder, it was probably the best move for me.

trimalo

"When you found a good move, look for a better one" Emmanuel Lasker

bigbadsquid

When the position is either winning (like here) or losing, then the best move suggested by an engine is often not the best practical move against a human, in particular when taking time into consideration. Interestingly, the computer often wants to complicate when winning (because tactical complications are no issue for the engine) and simplify when in a losing position (because it wants to go from a -7.43 to a -6.95, which is completely useless because you lose anyway). As a human you want to do the opposite: simplify when winning and complicate when losing.

AdityaBorele
it depends. if the girl is really hot and a lotta guys r in her dms, go for the ‘best move’ that ur homies tell you. but personally, if she’s kinda shy or unpopular, take some risks. enjoy it while u can, and if she goes along, she’s definitely ur guy.
Mike_Kalish

@3

Thanks, lama36. That's kind of how I felt when I posted this, but there are also some very interesting counter opinions expressed by other highly rated players as well. 

I wonder what these discussions were like in the days before they had chess engines. 

mr_pizza23

Interesting :thinker

FavelaSwagKing
You can’t really trust the feedback and feedback symbols bc about every other game at least for me the best engine move will show as an inaccuracy. It happens all the time. That’s why I turn on show lines on my phone and let it calculate deeper when I’m pretty sure a move was good. I wish the feedback symbol would change as depth increases but I’m not a software specialist idk how hard that would be
FavelaSwagKing
You don’t even get a feedback symbol when you plug in a move when “show lines” settings is on. You have to look at the eval then plug in a move then look at the new eval and subtract. It’s inefficient for plugging in lots of moves. But again I’m not a game developer I have no idea how hard that would be
bigbadsquid

Probably best to download the games and analyse them with Chessbase, first without engine and then with different ones (Stockfish, LC0) to get various perspectives. 

easytarget
The best move is not to play.
PDX_Axe

Yes, the engine definition of best move appears to be the one that results in the highest evaluation bar number for you.  However, it is not taking into account that you might be setting a trap or some other long term strategic or positional plan that you are trying to implement.  It seems to be merely the eval number.  This is why I look more at wins and losses than that eval bar.  The ok, good, best, brilliant moves are artificial constructs and definitions for the computer, and that is all.  Don't get hung up on them.

Mike_Kalish
PDX_Axe wrote:

Yes, the engine definition of best move appears to be the one that results in the highest evaluation bar number for you.  However, it is not taking into account that you might be setting a trap or some other long term strategic or positional plan that you are trying to implement.  It seems to be merely the eval number.  This is why I look more at wins and losses than that eval bar.  The ok, good, best, brilliant moves are artificial constructs and definitions for the computer, and that is all.  Don't get hung up on them.

Hey David.....I agree totally with what you're saying, but more interestingly, we're neighbors. I live in Washougal, WA.