[Computer-go] Could a 'doubling dice'** encourage early resignation by programs?

[Álvaro Begué]

On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 4:12 PM, Don Dailey <dailey.don at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 9:31 AM, Jonathan Chetwynd
> <j.chetwynd at btinternet.com> wrote:
>>
>> Could a 'doubling dice'** encourage early resignation by programs?
>>
>> each program would have to forfeit a double game, if it played on and lost
>> the game,
>> but could resign for a single loss.
>
> The problem is that you can still play the game out until there is just one
> or two moves left and then resign.    So for this work it has to be done at
> some reasonable point in the game and who is to decide when that should be?

I don't understand your objection, Don. The side that is winning will
at some point determine that the probability of winning the game is
large enough (say, more than 80%) and it will propose doubling. At
that point the losing side can resign and lose 1 point; resigning
later (after accepting the doubling) costs 2 points.

I have mixed feelings about this idea. On the one hand, having a
doubling cube in a deterministic game seems completely bizarre, but
since we have been thinking about go probabilistically for a while
now, it seems kind of natural at the same time.

In any case, I agree that playing the game well is difficult enough
and we should concentrate on that. I am happy with CGOS-style games
that are played to the bitter end.

Álvaro.