xkcd 3045: AlphaMove

created by -LeopardShark- on 31/01/2025 at 23:13 UTC

284 upvotes, 13 top-level comments (showing 13)

Comments

Comment by -LeopardShark- at 31/01/2025 at 23:18 UTC

150 upvotes, 7 direct replies

Directly relevant video from (IMO) the most consistently fascinating source of computer science weirdness on the internet.

Comment by xkcd_bot at 31/01/2025 at 23:14 UTC

62 upvotes, 0 direct replies

*Mobile Version![1]**

1: http://m.xkcd.com/3045/

Direct image link: AlphaMove

*Title text:** It struggles a little with complex positions, like when there are an even number of moves and it has to round down, but when run against itself it's capable of finding some novelties. At one point I saw six knights on the board at once; Stockfish rarely exceeds four.

Don't get it? explain xkcd[2]*

2: http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/3045

I am a human typing with human hands. Sincerely, xkcd_bot. <3

Comment by Little-geek at 31/01/2025 at 23:38 UTC*

41 upvotes, 0 direct replies

... Bb4#.

well that was quick

Edit: if white had played a3 instead of Ne2, white would *still* be in deep shit, but winning for black is quite a bit more fiddly. If only the engine would (just this once) pick the alphabetically *first* move.

Comment by Schiffy94 at 01/02/2025 at 01:24 UTC

21 upvotes, 2 direct replies

Okay the comic's been out for like two hours I'm sure someone's made this for real by now

Comment by Entei999 at 01/02/2025 at 06:00 UTC

21 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Just ran through a game where both sides used this algorithm. If I didn't make a mistake (big if), the game ends on move 17 in a draw due to repetition. The game features underpromotion, en passant, and not a single check.

PGN: 1. e4 e6 2. f3 f5 3. e5 g5 4. d4 c6 5. d5 exd5 6. f4 g4 7. h4 gxh3 8. Kd2 h5 9. Kc3 h4 10. Kd2 hxg2 11. Ke1 gxh1=B 12. Kd2 d6 13. exd6 Kd7 14. Kc3 Ke8 15. Kd2 Kd7 16. Kc3 Ke8 17. Kd2 Kd7

Comment by lpsmitho at 31/01/2025 at 23:18 UTC

25 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Now we need to rank this with the other bad chess algorithms: http://tom7.org/chess/weak.pdf[1][2]

1: http://tom7.org/chess/weak.pdf

2: http://tom7.org/chess/weak.pdf

Comment by Qaanol at 01/02/2025 at 00:35 UTC

9 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Okay, so presumably white is using AlphaMove and black is not.

Can we figure out what moves must have been played to achieve the position in the comic?

Comment by AWTom at 01/02/2025 at 19:42 UTC

6 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Wow! I just recently scrolled the list of bots on Lichess and though this one was amusing: