Re: computer-go: Most simple Go rules

[Nick Wedd <nick@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Tom Cooper <coopert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes

>Perhaps it would be worthwhile agreeing on a computer referee programme to 
>manage computer games.  Obviously this would require some one-off work from 
>the computer go programmers, but if agreement could be reached then the 
>referee could be used in most (?) computer go tournaments and should
>i) save human referees from having to make difficult decisions
>ii) let competitors know exactly where they stand
>iii) decrease the workload during the competition

I think this code assumes that the referee program and both competitors
will all be running on the same PC.  There are various snags with this.

Some programs may want to think in their opponent's time.  This should
not be discouraged.

It allows cheating, by attempting to overwrite bits of one's opponent,
or of its data.

It allows cheating by setting up interrupts and using them to steal
one's opponent's time.

>As an illustration of the kind of thing I mean, I have written some pseudo 
>C++ code.
>This is not meant as a model of programming style but feel free to 
>critisize anyway
>
< pseudocode snipped >

I don't like 
   const MAXMOVES=500;// a draw will be declared after this many moves
This is not like anything in any published rule set.  It does not solve
any problem.  It encourages unsporting behaviour.

Nick
-- 
Nick Wedd