Life In 19x19

Improvement through self play requires a different kind of search from game tree search, a search which explores variations of the self. I pointed out the possibility of self reinforcing blind spots long ago. In fact, I suggested the possibility that AlphaZero Chess reached a self play plateau that could not beat a version of Stockfish which used an opening book and endgame table base. I am unaware of anybody else suggesting that.

One possible response to plateaus and blind spots is to increase the search during self play games. I had that possibility in mind when I said that correct play could be found in infinite time. (Not that I would take that approach to overcoming the currently identified blind spots. )

Bill Spight wrote:I pointed out the possibility of self reinforcing blind spots long ago. In fact, I suggested the possibility that AlphaZero Chess reached a self play plateau that could not beat a version of Stockfish which used an opening book and endgame table base. I am unaware of anybody else suggesting that.

People used to be pretty worried about self-play plateaus until AlphaGo Zero came along and slaughtered all the top pros. But they may have been too quick to stop being concerned about it.

dfan wrote:

Bill Spight wrote:I pointed out the possibility of self reinforcing blind spots long ago. In fact, I suggested the possibility that AlphaZero Chess reached a self play plateau that could not beat a version of Stockfish which used an opening book and endgame table base. I am unaware of anybody else suggesting that.

People used to be pretty worried about self-play plateaus until AlphaGo Zero came along and slaughtered all the top pros. But they may have been too quick to stop being concerned about it.

Well, if your goal is just to beat all humans, what's the problem?