Re: How does the computer tell a live group from a dead group

[Robert Jasiek <jasiek@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sam Sloan wrote:
> How does the computer tell a live group from a dead group?

Sorry, secret research:) I tell you only that I try to model
my thinking as precise as possible; i.e. I improve classical
go theory:)

> Next, how does the computer count the score accurately at the end of the game?

Surely you mean the score definition rather than the mechanical
rearrangement of stones.

For area scoring it is trivial after mutual agreement by
the players. Else or for territory scoring you might try to 
apply my commentary on the Nihon Kiin 1989 rules at
http://www.snafu.de/~jasiek/j1989com.html
This is helpful because this rule set attempts to define
life and death at the Japanese game end.
If you have questions about the page, I can try to answer
them. Life detection depends on game tree analysis.

> To those of you who have never actually tried to solve this problem, let me
> tell you that this is not as trivial a problem as it may seem.

Both problems are as hard as the entire game, when analysed
by theoretical informatics' complexity formulae. (Proof:
a game could end after zero or one board plays. qed :) )

-- 
robert jasiek
http://www.snafu.de/~jasiek/rules.html