Monte-Carlo Proof-Number Search for Computer Go (original) (raw)

Abstract

In the last decade, proof-number search and Monte-Carlo methods have successfully been applied to the combinatorial-games domain. Proof-number search is a reliable algorithm. It requires a well defined goal to prove. This can be seen as a disadvantage. In contrast to proof-number search, Monte-Carlo evaluation is a flexible stochastic evaluation for game-tree search. In order to improve the efficiency of proof-number search, we introduce a new algorithm, Monte-Carlo Proof-Number search. It enhances proof-number search by adding the flexible Monte-Carlo evaluation. We present the new algorithm and evaluate it on a sub-problem of Go, the Life-and-Death problem. The results show a clear improvement in time efficiency and memory usage: the test problems are solved two times faster and four times less nodes are expanded on average. Future work will assess possibilities to extend this method to other enhanced Proof-Number techniques.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MICC-IKAT, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
    Jahn-Takeshi Saito, Guillaume Chaslot, Jos W. H. M. Uiterwijk & H. Jaap van den Herik

Authors

  1. Jahn-Takeshi Saito
  2. Guillaume Chaslot
  3. Jos W. H. M. Uiterwijk
  4. H. Jaap van den Herik

Editor information

H. Jaap van den Herik Paolo Ciancarini H. H. L. M. (Jeroen) Donkers

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© 2007 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Saito, JT., Chaslot, G., Uiterwijk, J.W.H.M., van den Herik, H.J. (2007). Monte-Carlo Proof-Number Search for Computer Go. In: van den Herik, H.J., Ciancarini, P., Donkers, H.H.L.M.(. (eds) Computers and Games. CG 2006. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 4630. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-75538-8\_5

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