Re: Advice request--classic games

Michael Vondung wrote:
On Thu, 14 Sep 2006 01:15:48 GMT, alexti wrote:

The best Go software plays like an above-average to good amateur, and it
isn't likely that Go software will improve significantly in the forseeable
future. Brute force techniques don't really work. Thankfully, Go is one of
the few games where the human mind will prevail for quite some time to
come. :)

Why "thankfully"?

I'm always bemused by reports that such-and-such a game has been solved
via computer analysis. It's true that computer study has proven that,
with perfect play, certain games always result in a draw, or a win for
the first or second player. And I guess a strong computer program can
now play a perfect game of Nine Men's Morris and other games. But so
what?

Nine Men's Morris remains a good, challenging game for human beings to
play with each other. Similarly, even though the best computer chess
or checkers program can beat most human players most all the time,
these games are just as good as they ever were for people to play.
Nothing has really changed, as far as I can see.

For me personally, it's a benefit to have access to a computer program
that can offer me a challenging game. And it's even more of a benefit
if the program can give me tips or help me along toward becoming a
better player. But beyond that, I couldn't care less how strong a
computer program gets. If bridge and go are someday "solved" like Nine
Men's Morris, that's fine with me. Then maybe programmers will turn
their efforts to something useful, like creating "mentor" programs to
help us humans improve.

--Patrick

.

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