amnal wrote:This is probably less true for modern monte-carlo bots, but probably applies somewhat to gnugo - especially if it's pushed into a 10 minute game.
Actually, MC bots tends to be fairly crappy teachers unless you are looking to understand the value of tactical fighting and basic group safety. The problem is that MC bots will play more non-optimal moves when they feel they are ahead or behind (at least if the bot in question isn't using some kind of adeptive komi in its calculations). And that makes it quite difficult to learn from their play.
Traditional min-max bots are much better for learning in my opinion, especially for newer players. These bots have more consistent strengths and weaknesses that make them far easier to learn from. Yes, you'll pick up a few bad habits when it comes to areas where the bot is weak, but that is really not very different from playing players of a specific rank and server.
Also, using appropriate handicaps to make the fight more balanced will alleviate the problem. The biggest complaint I see about playing bots is examples of someone learning to exploit a weakness in the bot and then using that repeatedly without adjusting handicap to fix the problem.
Although if you are exploiting a weakness in that way, adjusting handicap will generally put you into a bind when the handicap is enough for the bot to prevent the exploit, because without the exploit to lean on, the players has little of use.
Dishonest play is essentially the single biggest hinder to learning. And that goes for playing both humans and bots.
tekesta wrote:In the second one, I played a rather unconventional fuseki in order to confuse the program.
And this basically sums up both of your games. You are trying to win by fooling your opponent (which works great against weak double kyu players). Those double kyu tricks won't work against GnuGo however.
For example, when you cut at K4 in the first game, GnuGo probably knows that your stone can't escape because it has read it out. You on the other hand keep trying to break it out repeatedly until you eventually give white a massive bottom as well as the right bottom black group.
tekesta wrote:Perhaps I should avoid the GnuGoBot engines on KGS if I want any serious games.
If you want serious games then you should probably take your opponent seriously. (including accepting handicaps against a stronger player)
You are the one playing dishonestly trying to probe for weaknesses in GnuGos play. GnuGo on the other hand is a very honest go engine (in fact, that could be said to be its strongest weakness) that responds honestly to your attempts to fool it.