Re: [gnugo-devel] strategy

[Arend Bayer]

> > What people see as a lack of strategy is, im my opinion, mostly just a
> > consequence of GNU Go's unprecise (to say the least) assessment of weak
> > groups.
> > 
> 
> WRONG.
> 
> It is a wrong assesment of the value of influence and other intangible
> factors.
> It is inability to make moves consistent with each other.
> It is inability to detect distant threats.
> It is inability to read through the opponent's moves' meaning and foil the
> opponent's plans.
> 
> Again, I encourage those who haven't already to read the following book:
> "The Thirty-Six Strategems Applied to Go" by Ma Xiaochun
> Also, there is a book about the flow of stones that is somewhat relevant here:
> "The Direction of Play" by Takeo Kajiwara
> Finally, the games of Kato Masao are good examples of applying stragegy to
> killing groups in the center. He wrote a book on the topic (out of print,
> unfortunately): "Kato's Attack and Kill"
> 
> If after reading the above you still can't figure out why strategy is of
> utmost importance, then you should quit playing Go.

My claim is that a computer should not be taught this explicitly. That
a computer program will automatically not show the weaknesses you
describe above, once it
- has a good estimation of weakness of groups
- much better life and death reading
- global look-ahead.

You are trying to teach GNU Go in the same way thay one teaches a human
kyu player.

Your arguments are very similar to arguments about chess programs from 20
years ago, that they will never be able to play chess well, since they
have no idea of strategy. When in fact they just don't understand
strategy the way humans understand it.

And btw, even among human players, let's say in games between two 2ds, I
think very many strategic mistakes result from misreadings or misjudgements
of group safeties/shape problems.

Arend