Re: Is handtalk the strongest program?

[Jean-loup Gailly <jloup@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Måns Ullerstam writes:

> Is handtalk the strongest program?

In tournaments, yes. I personally think that the latest version of Go4++ is
a little stronger than Handtalk, but not by a large margin.

> What does it mean by awarded 3 or 4 kyu diploma by the Nihon Ki-in of Japan?
> I bought it a couple of weeks ago and I'm about 10 kyu. I thought it would
> be nice to have an always willing stronger opponent to play.
> The first time I played against it I gave myself 5 stones and crushed it.
> The next time I let Handtalk start the game as black and I crushed it.

I am 5k on IGS and I can give Handtalk 20 stones.  See my go page
http://www.teaser.fr/~jlgailly/go.html for more details including game
records. I also strongly recommend reading the excellent page
"How Strong are Computer Go Programs?" by David Mechner
http://cns.nyu.edu/~mechner/go/comprat.html

> As I see it it was 60 bucks down the drain and false marketing.

This is not false marketing, Handtalk was really awarded a diploma
by the Nihon Ki-in. Try increasing the handicap as much as you can,
it's fun and you will feel better about your 60 bucks.

Jean-loup