@Sarg0n The weird numbers are different lines. Suppose there is 2 positions with 20 legal moves. As a human, I'd much prefer an easier to play position like the second one. Engines will always take the first one.
1 move = 1.9 to +3.5 on engine analysis (Great advantage)
0 move = 1.1 to +1.8 on engine analysis (Moderate advantage)
0 move = 0.5 to +1 on engine analysis. (Slight advantage)
2 moves = -0.5 to 0.5 (roughly equal)
6 moves = -0.5 to -1 (Slight disadvantage)
5 moves = -1.1 to -1.8 (Moderate disadvantage)
7 moves = -1.9 to -3.5 (Great disadvantage)
Of the 20 moves here you are not going to be super happy with 19 of them here. 17 you will be worse off to some degree, 1 you will be in good shape, and 2 you will be about equal. An Engine would be super happy and comfortable playing a position like this. This is a position an engine would love to have. One little inaccuracy though and you may wind up losing.
Lets say there is another position though.
0 move = 1.9 to +3.5 on engine analysis (Great advantage)
5 move = 1.1 to +1.8 on engine analysis (Moderate advantage)
5 move = 0.5 to +1 on engine analysis. (Slight advantage)
5 moves = -0.5 to 0.5 (roughly equal)
3 moves = -0.5 to -1 (Slight disadvantage)
1 moves = -1.1 to -1.8 (Moderate disadvantage)
1 moves = -1.9 to -3.5 (Great disadvantage)
In a position like this second one you have 10 moves that are an advantage to you, and 5 that are about equal and only 5 that could be bad for you. The engine would scoff at a position like this compared to the other position. It doesn't care that most moves are easy to make and it's easy to maintain an advantage. It doesn't care that most moves are safe, and you can slowly grind that advantage up. It simply doesn't care. It only sees that 1 big good move in the other line and determines that the other position is a better one in spite of the winning / advantageous path being much more narrow it's slightly taller. Engines 100% prefer the first position they don't care they have to calculate and be super accurate on every move for the next 8 moves in a row. They don't care if 99.99% of moves are losing if they see the 1 winning move. That means nothing to them they already ran the numbers.
@Sarg0n The weird numbers are different lines. Suppose there is 2 positions with 20 legal moves. As a human, I'd much prefer an easier to play position like the second one. Engines will always take the first one.
1 move = 1.9 to +3.5 on engine analysis (Great advantage)
0 move = 1.1 to +1.8 on engine analysis (Moderate advantage)
0 move = 0.5 to +1 on engine analysis. (Slight advantage)
2 moves = -0.5 to 0.5 (roughly equal)
6 moves = -0.5 to -1 (Slight disadvantage)
5 moves = -1.1 to -1.8 (Moderate disadvantage)
7 moves = -1.9 to -3.5 (Great disadvantage)
Of the 20 moves here you are not going to be super happy with 19 of them here. 17 you will be worse off to some degree, 1 you will be in good shape, and 2 you will be about equal. An Engine would be super happy and comfortable playing a position like this. This is a position an engine would love to have. One little inaccuracy though and you may wind up losing.
Lets say there is another position though.
0 move = 1.9 to +3.5 on engine analysis (Great advantage)
5 move = 1.1 to +1.8 on engine analysis (Moderate advantage)
5 move = 0.5 to +1 on engine analysis. (Slight advantage)
5 moves = -0.5 to 0.5 (roughly equal)
3 moves = -0.5 to -1 (Slight disadvantage)
1 moves = -1.1 to -1.8 (Moderate disadvantage)
1 moves = -1.9 to -3.5 (Great disadvantage)
In a position like this second one you have 10 moves that are an advantage to you, and 5 that are about equal and only 5 that could be bad for you. The engine would scoff at a position like this compared to the other position. It doesn't care that most moves are easy to make and it's easy to maintain an advantage. It doesn't care that most moves are safe, and you can slowly grind that advantage up. It simply doesn't care. It only sees that 1 big good move in the other line and determines that the other position is a better one in spite of the winning / advantageous path being much more narrow it's slightly taller. Engines 100% prefer the first position they don't care they have to calculate and be super accurate on every move for the next 8 moves in a row. They don't care if 99.99% of moves are losing if they see the 1 winning move. That means nothing to them they already ran the numbers.