Chess, Go, which game will be the next test for AI?

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First AI for CTOR

The first computer programs for playing CTOR were developed in 1990. These were simple algorithms that allowed beginners to train. You can try out one of these programs today by following this link and downloading the program to your computer.

The next step towards a CTOR AI

In 2011, we began to study these algorithms again and concluded that at this stage, we cannot create a program that would play at the level of a master. Therefore, we welcome anyone who wants to join our project and create such a program.

Number of possible combinations

Another challenge is calculating the number of possible combinations in the game. It is known that in Go this number is quite enormous, and that calculating it took some of the greatest mathematicians a lot of time. We hope that someone will be able to solve the same problem for our game, too.

After launching the program, you can play the variant installed by default.

Press the Start button. The time limit is set at 3 minutes.

The rules is standard: each turn, you can place 2 chips, move 2 chips one cell vertically or horizontally, or move one chip two cells. Enemy chips are taken automatically as long as the condition is fulfilled: the enemy chip is surrounded by 5 or more of your chips in a 3x3 grid. You move by pressing and holding the cursor over the chips.

After ending your turn, you have to pass it to the computer by pressing the Done button. You can stop the game at any point by pressing the Stop button and starting a new game.

If you want to review your game turn-by-turn after it ends or during the game-play, you can use the < > buttons in the bottom right-hand corner.

Before starting the game, you can also choose other options by clicking the Options button. You can change the duration of one party by selecting it in the Party Duration panel. Or you could choose other game variants using the buttons in the Level panel.

If you choose the Chip Decay version, the chips gain an «age» and will only remain on the field a certain amount of time.

If you choose the Pixel Fight version, your chips will act as people, and the computer’s chips will act as a virus, fighting against each other.

This version is meant for players to train while the computer algorithm is not optimized and plays at the level of a beginner.

This version is more advanced and has better analysis algorithms. You also have the ability to play with a friend over a network in addition to playing against a computer.

The rules is standard: each turn, you can place 2 chips, move 2 chips one cell vertically or horizontally, or move one chip two cells. Enemy chips are taken automatically as long as the condition is fulfilled: the enemy chip is surrounded by 5 or more of your chips in a 3x3 grid. You move by pressing and holding the cursor over the chips.

To play against the computer, you have to press the computer icon in the upper part of the bagel. To pass your turn to the computer, you have to press the triangle in the lower part of the bagel. You can stop the game by pressing the «cross» button in the lower left part of the bagel.

To play with another person over a network, you have to:

1. Place the .exe file in a network directory both players have access to.

2. Launch the .exe file (each player from their own machine) and choose the «network play» option.

This version is written using unity. You have to download the .zip file and unpack it in a separate folder. You should see two folders and one file you can launch. Open the .exe file.

The rules is standard: each turn, you can place 2 chips, move 2 chips one cell vertically or horizontally, or move one chip two cells. Enemy chips are taken automatically as long as the condition is fulfilled: the enemy chip is surrounded by 5 or more of your chips in a 3x3 grid. You move by pressing and holding the cursor over the chips.

First look at the game variants you can choose by pressing the Options button.

Note that in order to train, you can give the computer a Handicap by adding 4, 8, or 12 chips that will be randomly placed across the field before the game starts.

In this version of the game, the turn is passed along from the player to the computer automatically when the Turn Duration runs out. You can change the length of the game by setting the Game Duration. If you ended your turn before the turn duration ran out, you can pass the turn to the computer by pressing the Done button.

In this version, there is no «Stop Game» button; you just have to press the Done button multiple times.

The time a chip stays alive on the field is calculated based on a complicated algorithm and depends on the chosen Game Duration. This algorithm is the same for the player and the computer.

Notice that by setting the lowest values for the Turn Duration (2 sec.), the Game Duration (1 min.) and the Handicap (0), you can play the hardest possible version of the game. In this came, you will not have enough time to logically analyze your position each turn, and your bran will work on pattern recognition and intuition. Those who can defeat the computer in this variant are welcome to apply for the World Championship in 2023. Send us a video of you winning three games in a row.