Comment Re:Anagram-drilling Unix program (Score 1) 208
Computers are very, very good at Scrabble, within a few points per game of perfection. Finding all the possible moves is a trivial task, and strategy is based mainly on Monte Carlo simulations, except when the bag is empty, then it's alpha-beta like in Chess.
The best humans are also very good, and many expert players insist that they are better than the strongest computer player, but computers have won all of the recent matches.
John O'Laughlin
PS
I ended up in 34th place at this year's NSC. I had a good shot at finishing in the money but went 0.5-2.5 the last afternoon. I also wrote my own anagram-drilling program and was cramming on seven and eight letter words on the plane, at breakfast, after hours... we don't fool around. :)
The best humans are also very good, and many expert players insist that they are better than the strongest computer player, but computers have won all of the recent matches.
John O'Laughlin
PS
I ended up in 34th place at this year's NSC. I had a good shot at finishing in the money but went 0.5-2.5 the last afternoon. I also wrote my own anagram-drilling program and was cramming on seven and eight letter words on the plane, at breakfast, after hours... we don't fool around.
