Re: computer-go: A little Arithmetic

[Andre Engels <engels@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Ran Xiao wrote:

> Let's say we have 362 computers (361 computers evaluate positions and one
> does everything else), and 1000,000 good games (not 100,000). Assume every
> good game has about 250 moves, and no duplicated board configuration and
> move (even though we know many of them will be duplicated configurations.)

1,000,000 good games is a ridiculously low estimate. If we estimate that
there are 2 good moves in each position, with 250 moves we already have
10^25 possible games. 1,000,000 looks more correct as an estimate of the
number of ways the first 10 moves can be played good (according to the
standards of current professionals). On the other hand, of course several
of these games start the same way, so you have only 2.10^25 positions rather
than 2.10^27. On the other hand, in reality the number of good moves per
position will probably be greater than two on average. Especially since you
regard every move that would be played by someone stronger than 7 kyu as
'good'.

Some other objections to your proposals:
- How are you going to know which are the 'good games'?
- As soon as you play one 'not good' move, your system does not work
  any more. If Cho Chikun plays your proposal and (either or not deliberate)
  chooses to play slightly sub-standard on move 10, your computer #362 is
  on its own.

-- 
Andre Engels, engels@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
telephone: +31-40-2474628 (work) +31-6-17774490 (mobile)
http://www.win.tue.nl/~engels/index_en.html

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