Algorithm

[Victor]

Hi!
I've got a problem with solving "game problems" (in programming/algorithm contests) (I don't know how they're named). Generaly the problem is:
there is an area(usually an array - 1D, 2D or something like a tree etc.) and there are 2 players who have to move pawns in that array. You must write a program which do right moves (is a player) (but there are always right moves - you can always win if you do them). That programs must win with other programs, libary etc.
Has anyone an idea/algorithm/good tutorial which describe method of solving that problems?
Is it connected with a "game theory" ???
Thanks for a help.

[sean]

www.aihorizon.com - It's cprogramming's "sister site" apparently. Despite being the main purpose of the site, it doesn't teach you much AI at all - but it's got some good tutorials on gaming algorithms. Check it out.

[Victor]

Uhm... I don't think that these are AI algorithms...
Sean: Have you ever try to solve that kind of problems? I'm nearly sure that it's not AI[but I might be wrong]. Anyway thanks.
Does anyone else know something?

[sean]

I know you're not talking about AI. That site says that it teaches you AI, but I don't think it does. In fact, ignore everything I said about AI, and ignore everything that site says about AI. The articles in the link below will talk about AI and chess. They may not seem relevant at first - but just trust me when I tell you that they will show you techniques for writing programs like this.

http://aihorizon.com/essays/chessai/index.htm

Also as a future reference, www.gamedev.net has some very good forums and a lot of information on game programming in all of it's forms. I hope this helps.

[Perspective]

<hint> Mini-Max tree with Alpha-beta pruning (sometimes called an Alpha-beta tree)</hint>

[sean]

Minimax - guess which site has those?

[Perspective]

Minimax - guess which site has those?

yeah, but that site has a lot of info, i was just trying to give him a push in the right direction