GAME OVER: BLACK TO PLAY AND DRAW IN CHECKERS

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Schaeffer, Jonathan¹

Affiliations: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Note: [1] Department of Computing Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E8. E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: In 1989, an effort to solve the game of checkers began. It was naïve because of the daunting size of the search space, 5 × l020 positions, and because of computer capabilities of the time. Nevertheless the work continued, with the final calculation completing in 2007. The result? Perfect play by both sides leads to a draw. Checkers is the largest popular game that has been solved to date.

DOI: 10.3233/ICG-2007-30402

Journal: ICGA Journal, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 187-197, 2007