ICGA Journal - Volume 38, issue 1

Article Type: Other

DOI: 10.3233/ICG-2015-38101

Citation: ICGA Journal, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 1-2, 2015

Authors: Syed, Omar

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In 2003, I published a paper in the ICGA Journal describing the game Arimaa and offering a challenge prize of $10,000 USD to develop a program capable of defeating the top human player before the year 2020. In 2015, David Wu developed a program called SHARP which won the Arimaa Challenge. This article will discuss my perspective of the Arimaa Challenge over the years from inception to completion.

DOI: 10.3233/ICG-2015-38102

Citation: ICGA Journal, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 3-11, 2015

Authors: Fotland, David

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This contribution contains my personal experience with the Arimaa game. It is based on my communication with Omar Syed and my memories of developing the program that won the first five computer competitions. It also lost the human contest five times in a row. In Syed’s (2015) contribution the precise results are given. Finally, I will highlight the techniques used in Bomb, which were up to date ten years ago. In summary, the contribution describes how the first Arimaa program was developed.

DOI: 10.3233/ICG-2015-38103

Citation: ICGA Journal, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 12-18, 2015

Authors: Wu, David J.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In 2015, twelve years after the creation of the Arimaa Challenge, the program SHARP won the Challenge, defeating three strong human opponents with a total of 7 wins and 2 losses. This paper describes the design of the winning agent and the improvements and innovations that led to its recent success. Among these are several innovations greatly increasing the quality and selectivity of the search and several major improvements to the positional evaluation.

DOI: 10.3233/ICG-2015-38104

Citation: ICGA Journal, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 19-40, 2015

Authors: Haworth, G.McC.

Article Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.3233/ICG-2015-38105

Citation: ICGA Journal, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 41-46, 2015

Authors: Gao, Qiang | Xu, Xinhe

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Computational complexity of a computer game is an almost insurmountable obstacle in the process of looking for an ideal solution. Nevertheless researchers in the field of computer games aim to find such solutions, which may range from tractable to intractable. From the perspective of computational complexity, this article illustrates that n × n Chinese chess is intractable. The article starts to introduce the notion of an EXPTIME-complete problem of computational complexity and give as an example the G 3 game. Then an n × n Chinese chess position (one rook and two queens) is constructed, …which consists of three essential components, viz. Boolean controller, switch, and the crossing of clause-channel. The G 3 game is simulated on the position, and it is proved that G 3 is reducible to the n × n Chinese chess position in polynomial time. From this result it is implied that n × n Chinese chess is EXPTIME-complete. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/ICG-2015-38106

Citation: ICGA Journal, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 47-53, 2015

Article Type: Other

DOI: 10.3233/ICG-2015-38107

Citation: ICGA Journal, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 54-54, 2015

Authors: Lewis, Andy

Article Type: Other

Abstract: In an earlier article (Lewis, 2015) I introduced Kingpin readers to Arimaa, a recently invented and hitherto almost unknown chess variant. I argued that Arimaa has a comparable beauty and complexity to chess, but a much higher potential (given the lengthy history and extensive theory of chess) for creativity and originality. This article recounts the extraordinary events of the Arimaa 2015 Computer Challenge. It offers a third-party, non-technical account of one of the key innovations that led to the triumph of SHARP & David Wu. It poses the question whether there is any reason left for Arimaa to …exist, suggesting that even to survive it must rapidly emulate the technical innovations introduced within Chess in the past two decades. Finally, it reflects on how the community might regroup following Omar Syed’s sad announcement (May 2015) that he will step down as leader of the Arimaa world. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/ICG-2015-38108

Citation: ICGA Journal, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 55-62, 2015

Article Type: Other

DOI: 10.3233/ICG-2015-38109

Citation: ICGA Journal, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 63-63, 2015

Article Type: Calendar

DOI: 10.3233/ICG-2015-38110

Citation: ICGA Journal, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 63-63, 2015