Just for fun I thought of a simple protocol for ending the game earlier that I think would work:
Each program, when it sends it's move to the server can optionally send 2 lists of dead stones to the server. The first list represents the status of the board BEFORE the move is played and the second list represents the status of the stones AFTER the move is played. If the "after" list of the one player matches the "before" list of the following player, the game is ended with the last 2 moves replaced by pass moves. The lists are optional, so a program doesn't have to use this protocol unless it wants to. The lists are also completely anonymous to the opponent to avoid any gamesmanship. It doesn't change anything on the server from the viewpoint of a program that doesn't want to use it. A program will not send this list unless it intends to pass and considers the game played out. The agreed upon dead stones would be removed and the game scored. - Don Don Dailey wrote: > David Fotland wrote: > >> Japanese rules. I know people on this list don't like them, but the game >> plays out almost the same as with Chinese rules, but since there is a one >> point penalty for playing inside your own territory, the game ends much >> earlier. >> >> > The real issue on a server that involves computers is having a simple > bullet-proof protocol for ending the game and getting the correct > score. CGOS method is very clean, simple and correct. Computers > don't have ego's and will not fight if they get cheated. On KGS when > my bot played I got situations where my program won, but the opponent > just marked all my programs stone as dead. KGS didn't have a protocol > for contesting this. I didn't really care since the games were not > rated but it was ugly nonetheless. > > I think KGS has something now involving sending a dead stone list to the > server, but it's not perfect. Without a great deal of expertise and > getting the protocol just right, games can get scored wrong. In > fact, even with the best of intentions and well behaved strong programs > I think it's possible to get some games scored incorrectly with Japanese > rules and computer play automated. > > But for ending the game early, you have to get into this. I don't > think it's a Japanese vs Chinese issue, but more about agreeing on dead > stones. Although this is usually simple, there can be complicated > cases that even a good program cannot score correctly. > > If I were to take it to the next step (which I'm not inclined to do) I > would try to find a way to allow early passes. I think this is > actually counter-productive though. It would make it more difficult > to get on CGOS by raising the bar and I don't want that. > > - Don > > > > >> David >> >> >> >>> This raises an interesting (to me) theoretical question: is there a >>> ruleset that allows games to end in a more reasonable time without >>> changing general play? >>> >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> computer-go mailing list >> computer-go@computer-go.org >> http://www.computer-go.org/mailman/listinfo/computer-go/ >> >> >> > _______________________________________________ > computer-go mailing list > computer-go@computer-go.org > http://www.computer-go.org/mailman/listinfo/computer-go/ > > _______________________________________________ computer-go mailing list computer-go@computer-go.org http://www.computer-go.org/mailman/listinfo/computer-go/
