[computer-go] .. if Monte-Carlo programs would play infinitestrong

[Chrilly]

>>> I assume in Go the difference is also a very large handicap.
>> in any case, i think that the difference is probably much larger than 
>> just one or two stones.  :)
>
> It is said if has 4 stones handicap, every Pro will accept games play with 
> God even if bet his life.
>
> When in limited local fighting like TumeGo, Pro plays just like God.
>
> igo
>
One has to differentiate: In chess humans play very close to optimal in the 
subset of chess which is played by humans. But this is only a very small 
subset of what is really playable. E.g. There is currently a match between 
Kramnik and Fritz. I showed the Kramnik team a game were Hydra crashes Fritz 
in an important variation with a rook v. bishop sacrifice. But the team 
said: Theoretcially convincing, but of no use for us. Kramnik can not play 
this tactical massacre against a computer. Thats unhuman chess.

Humans are very far away from optimal play in unknown positions. E.g. they 
are helpless against a perfect endgame database. Such a DB plays from the 
human point of view completly crazy moves. A human opponent would never play 
this. In human-machine matches it is very important for the machine team to 
deviate from the human-patterns and to get a "chaotic" position. In the 
preperation for the Adams-Hydra match we spent a lot of effort to deviate as 
soon as possible from known opening theory and also that the programm plays 
"strange" moves which are not necessarily optimal. The only requirement was, 
that this "strange" moves are not really bad. This is completly sufficient 
against a human. My personal criterion was: When the Hydra chess expert GM 
Lutz said "Hmmm, whats this", I asked him if its bad. If he could not give a 
convincing reason why its bad within 10 seconds, it was a very good move 
against Adams (but not against God).

I think the same will happen also in Go. They have only a chance if God 
plays human-Go. But against non-human moves they are certainly as helpless 
as the chess-players. I assume its even worse, because Go is more pattern 
related and more complex than chess.

Chrilly