Re: computer-go: Most simple Go rules

[Don Dailey <drd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> .. this is what ends up happening.  As I understand it, Tromp-Taylor
> assumes that all stones left on the board after two passes are alive.
>  Enforcing this is going to cause a lot of unhappiness among the
> entrants.
> 
> I feel that I am in the position of a schoolteacher organising a
> rounders game for six-year-olds.  I don't want to play with a hard ball
> and have half of them go home in tears.  I want them all to have a good
> time.

Believe me,  I understand this principle too.  

But you have  to realize that without rules,  you have a big  problem.
Suppose that you have  decided on Tromp-Taylor,  but by this  rule one
player wins,  but the other  player wins if  you accomodate  him.  You
have given away the integrity of the whole tournament unless you stick
with the rules you choose at the beginning.

You cannot cover every possibility, but a very  good strategy is to be
absolutely clear in advance  about  the BIG things  like how  you will
score the  end  game.   Tell   people they   cannot  play until   they
understand the rules and stick with this.   

When people are involved,  you  will always have  trouble with  one or
two.  There is no solution to this, so you might as well maintain some
dignity and integrity and strictly enforce rules that determine winner
and loser.

Don