Computer vs Pro at EGC

At EGC 2010 in Finland a match between a Cray XT4/XT5 supercomputer against a European 5 dan professional, Catalin Taranu, was played on a small 9x9 board with no handicap and after that a game with a full size 19x19 board with 7 stones handicap for the computer. The computer program MogoTW used 512 of the 10864 computer cores available in the supercomputer.

Most people interested in go-playing computers were expecting MogoTW, an improved version of Mogo, to give a tough resistance on the small board while having problems on the full sized board. In the game on the small 9x9 board the computer never really had a chance and lost. On the full sized 19x19 board the computer played quite well and had a nice lead in the endgame. Because of the way the program works (Monte Carlo/UCT) it didn't really try to take any points in the endgame and was instead connecting stones in its own territory, while the human professional player were taking point after point. But that was OK because of the computers big lead and in the end it had won by 1.5 points.

Next time it can play with six or even five stones handicap. By then the computers playing strength have probably increased so it will be a challenge for the next human professional to beat it.

Double Rainbow

There are some really creative people on YouTube with a lot of time to use. I just stumbled over this video clip.


Yeah he seem to be high or something. Nothing creative about that clip. But when some creative person get their hands on such a video clip they can make something really interesting of it. Like this!

Quite cool ha? :)

Stockholm summer go club

The first time this year for me at Stockholm go club this summer. We play in the Bolero café where we can eat and drink beer. In the picture you can see my opponents in the pair go. We lost... :(
But it was fun anyway! :D

Work party - Midnight bath

Some of us took a bath in the pool. I didn't because I forgot my bathing suit. :P

Work party - Mosquitos

The sun is down but the mosquitos are still up with us. This stuff is helping some but not much... Some more beer and we will not notice... Raj raj!

Work party - Raj raj

A couple of beers... and everything becomes much more fun! :D

Work summer party

Once a year in the beginning of the summer my customers boss is inviting us all to his home. There he and his wife are treating us with food and drinks. Good customer!