Evolution of an efficient search algorithm for the mate-in-N problem in chess

Ami Hauptman; Moshe Sipper

doi:10.1007/978-3-540-71605-1_8

Evolution of an efficient search algorithm for the mate-in-N problem in chess

Ami Hauptman
, Moshe Sipper

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

We propose an approach for developing efficient search algorithms through genetic programming. Focusing on the game of chess we evolve entire game-tree search algorithms to solve the Mate-In-N problem: find a key move such that even with the best possible counterplays, the opponent cannot avoid being mated in (or before) move N. We show that our evolved search algorithms successfully solve several instances of the Mate-In-N problem, for the hardest ones developing 47% less game-tree nodes than CRAFTY - a state-of-the-art chess engine with a ranking of 2614 points. Improvement is thus not over the basic alpha-beta algorithm, but over a world-class program using all standard enhancements.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Genetic Programming - 10th European Conference, EuroGP 2007 Proceedings
Publisher	Springer Verlag
Pages	78-89
Number of pages	12
ISBN (Print)	3540716025, 9783540716020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-71605-1_8
State	Published - 1 Jan 2007
Event	10th European Conference on Genetic Programming, EuroGP 2007 - Valencia, Spain Duration: 11 Apr 2007 → 13 Apr 2007

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume	4445 LNCS
ISSN (Print)	0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)	1611-3349

Conference

Conference	10th European Conference on Genetic Programming, EuroGP 2007
Country/Territory	Spain
City	Valencia
Period	11/04/07 → 13/04/07

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Theoretical Computer Science
General Computer Science

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-540-71605-1_8

Cite this

Hauptman, A., & Sipper, M. (2007). Evolution of an efficient search algorithm for the mate-in-N problem in chess. In Genetic Programming - 10th European Conference, EuroGP 2007 Proceedings (pp. 78-89). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics); Vol. 4445 LNCS). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-71605-1_8

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title = "Evolution of an efficient search algorithm for the mate-in-N problem in chess",

abstract = "We propose an approach for developing efficient search algorithms through genetic programming. Focusing on the game of chess we evolve entire game-tree search algorithms to solve the Mate-In-N problem: find a key move such that even with the best possible counterplays, the opponent cannot avoid being mated in (or before) move N. We show that our evolved search algorithms successfully solve several instances of the Mate-In-N problem, for the hardest ones developing 47\% less game-tree nodes than CRAFTY - a state-of-the-art chess engine with a ranking of 2614 points. Improvement is thus not over the basic alpha-beta algorithm, but over a world-class program using all standard enhancements.",

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Hauptman, A & Sipper, M 2007, Evolution of an efficient search algorithm for the mate-in-N problem in chess. in Genetic Programming - 10th European Conference, EuroGP 2007 Proceedings. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), vol. 4445 LNCS, Springer Verlag, pp. 78-89, 10th European Conference on Genetic Programming, EuroGP 2007, Valencia, Spain, 11/04/07. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-71605-1_8

Evolution of an efficient search algorithm for the mate-in-N problem in chess. / Hauptman, Ami; Sipper, Moshe.
Genetic Programming - 10th European Conference, EuroGP 2007 Proceedings. Springer Verlag, 2007. p. 78-89 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics); Vol. 4445 LNCS).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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Hauptman A, Sipper M. Evolution of an efficient search algorithm for the mate-in-N problem in chess. In Genetic Programming - 10th European Conference, EuroGP 2007 Proceedings. Springer Verlag. 2007. p. 78-89. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)). doi: 10.1007/978-3-540-71605-1_8

Evolution of an efficient search algorithm for the mate-in-N problem in chess

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