One Jump Ahead: Computer Perfection at Checkers

This rules! Maybe it's that Schaeffer is part of a story so incredible – John Henry dies and the creator of the steam engine is devastated and haunted by John Henry's ghost! – that he can't do anything except write a great book. But this is fantastic, a story that's better than Deep Blue (and I say that preferring chess!) and this one clearly has a deeply compelling man on the other side of the table from the checkers GOAT. Absolutely buy this, you won't be sorry.

This book is hard to categorize, it covers so much: programming a computer to win at checkers, certainly, but also the history of a dying competitive game, the story of an undisputed human champion, the nature of what makes a game and an opponent exciting, and many other threads. A fantastic book (at least for me).Already read the book? You can also play his program, Chinook (good luck!).

Reading of this book is nice pleasure about the story of the best checkers programme written by Jonathan Schaeffer, the leader of the Artificial Intelligence specialists from Canada. It is interesting for each person who likes checkers.

Schaeffer's real-life checkers adventure is like a fictional anthropologist encountering the still-vibrant remnant of a lost civilization. Never glimpsing the mystical heart of the culture upon which he brings so much technology to bear, Schaeffer cuts a comic and pitiable figure. He believes that he is a sportsman, that flipping the switch on some coded up standard algorithms allows him to join the company of the supreme adepts, that nervously watching the lights flash is in any way comparable to the actual, miraculously skillful, dizzying descent into the vortex. Most ridiculous is his overweening ambition to grab with his thick, profaning fingers what he takes to be the ultimate treasure and, especially, his preening glee when this illusory "honor" is ironically granted him by the dying master.

A fascinating account of a titanic struggle, in which Dr Schaeffer presents an honest account of events as he see it. The dedication of the entire team, particularly of Jonathan himself, is self-evident, and their crowning achievement in 2007 is remarkable and praiseworthy.A couple of points: first, more attention to the beauty and charm of the game itself would have enhanced the book for me: something which is drawn attention to at the start, but drifts away as the will to win dominates. Secondly, as a close reading will reveal, Chinook is far from perfect. It may be unbeatable at GAYP, but in terms of being an oracle it's very lame; there are millions of legally-attainable positions it doesn't understand. Also, in a hypothetical match against the best 'version' of Dr Tinsley on the 3-move restriction, it could still lose. (It's unbeatable at just 28 of the 156 ballots according to its latest website.) Worse, in a match of indefinite length on 3-move against a genuine oracle, it would be (almost) certain to lose. Notwithstanding these criticisms, a fine read which should make it clear, once and for all, that there is more than enough in checkers to challengeany human being. (I've been studying the game seriously for 37 years and have barely scratched the surface.)

An excellent and painfully honest account of a long, hard but ultimately brilliantly successful journey in artificial intelligence and game theory.There's enough of a human story for the general reader, enough theoretical meat for the academic or professional game coder, and enough checkers games, theory and anecdote to satisfy the checkerists.If you've bothered to read this review, you should buy the book.

Not cheap, but worth every penny!If you are interested in checkers and/or programming/AI, this book is for you. Fascinating story, well written.

Together with "behind deep blue" the best book on computer games available - written in a very respectful and entertaining way. For afficionados a must buy.