computer-go: Programming the capturing game

[Arnie Elkins <arnieelkins@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In her wonderful web site called "How to Teach Go", at 
http://www.sentex.net/~mmcadams/teachgo/, Mindy McAdams presents a 
wonderfully simple way of teaching new players the game of go.  In short, 
first you teach them how to capture, and then start them playing 'the 
capturing game'.  Essentially, they play on a 9x9 board, and the first one 
to capture a stone wins.  The teaching continues in two more stages, with 
the second having students play to capture 3, and the third revealing to 
them the significance of territory.  It seems a great way to introduce new 
students to the game, without frightening them away with the apparent 
complexity of the 'real' game.

It occurred to me that it would be really great to have a computer opponent 
for the capturing game.  Having no experience in such things, I 
nevertheless set out to create one.  I soon discovered just how little I 
know about what I am doing.  I will continue my quest for knowledge, but in 
the mean time, it also occurred to me that there are a number of go 
programmers in the world who probably already have algorithms sufficient to 
play the capturing game.  I have not found any current software that allows 
one to play the capturing game against the computer.  Thus my inquiry to 
the great minds of computer go programming.

Has anyone written a program that will play the capturing game?  It would 
seem, from my naive perspective, to be a rather trivial task for those who 
have written engines to play the 'real' game of go.  Assuming that it has 
not already been done, could I interest anyone in doing so?  Or, failing 
that, could someone point me in the direction of some suitable starting 
point for algorithms which would be useful in developing a program whose 
goal is merely to be the first to capture a stone?

I thank you for your time, and look forward to any and all replies.

Arnie