[computer-go] Re: Should 9x9 komi be 8.0 ?]

[Magnus Persson]

Quoting Mark Boon <tesujisoftware at gmail.com>:

>
> On 3-mrt-08, at 18:43, Don Dailey wrote:
>
>> I base that logic on my observations that once the score goes below  10%
>> for Lazarus, it is losing.   It's extremely rare that it salvages a  game
>> once the score goes below even 20%.
>
> In which case I could argue that attempts at winning by playing
> 'silly' moves are not working either. It hardly seems like an  argument
> supporting your position. It may in fact make things worse.  This is a
> feeling I get when I see MC programs play, as soon as one  falls behind
> the loss is made irreversible by some extremely silly  moves. But this
> is more the case early in the game, not by the end of  the game.

The behavior of Valkyria as I see it is that it actually plays  
patiently up to the point where it knows for sure it has lost. When  
this happens it actually plays moves that makes the game as long as  
possible. These moves may look completely crazy, sometime it is just  
odd forcing moves. Against weaker programs this works quite often, and  
against stronger programs of course rarely.

Often when I investigate "bad moves" in the endgame, it is clear that  
"normal" moves would had simplified the game and end in a clear loss.  
In those situations Valkyria should have started playing crazy even  
earlier.

Also my impression is that MC-programs always plays "better" moves to  
a human eye if it searches deeper even in lost positions. It might  
still be crazy moves but better crazy moves.

For me it feels like a waste of time experimenting with playing style  
in the end of the game of lost positions. At least it comes really low  
on my priority list.

-Magnus