[computer-go] creating a "random" position

[David Doshay]

On 9, Jul 2007, at 8:37 AM, George Dahl wrote:

>
>
> On 7/9/07, Erik van der Werf <erikvanderwerf at gmail.com> wrote: On  
> 7/9/07, George Dahl <george.dahl at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I think this is what I want.  Thanks!  So I might have to repeat  
> this
> > a few hundred times to actually get a legal position?
>
> Are you aware that nearly all of these positions will be final  
> positions?

This depends upon the distribution function for w/b/e. The greater  
the % given to empty the further from "endgame" you will be.

> So I'll repeat my question: why do you need any of this? If you only
> need final positions it's probably much better to take them from real
> games, and if you actually need middle game positions you will have to
> use a different procedure...
>
> E.
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>
> Won't the final positions be much more likely to be rejected since  
> they are much more likely to be illegal?

Probably, but again, it will depend upon the distribution function.

> What is your claim about the distribution of the number of stones  
> on the board with this scheme?
>
>  I am hoping to use this method to help generate training data for  
> a learning system that learns certain graph properties of the board  
> that can also be computed deterministically from the board  
> position.  I know that might sound crazy, but it is working towards  
> the eventual goal of creating feature extractors for Go positions.   
> By learning to map Go positions as an array of stones to Go  
> positions as graphs of strings (instead of just mapping them with a  
> hand coded algorithm) I can take intermediate results in the  
> learner's computation and use it as a feature for another learner.

Have you read Ken Friedenbach's thesis Abstraction Hierarchies: A  
Model of Perception and Cognition in the Game of Go (UC Santa Cruz  
1980)? From what you are saying it sounds like you should.

> - George



Cheers,
David