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Checkers Solved, Unbeatable Database Created
tgeller writes "My story on the Nature site announced that a team of computer scientists at the University of Alberta has solved checkers. From the game's 500 billion billion positions (5 * 10^20), 'Chinook' has determined which 100,000 billion (10^14) are needed for their proof, and run through all relevant decision trees. They've set up a site where you can see the proof, traverse the logic, and play their unbeatable automaton. '[Jonathan] Schaeffer notes that his research has implications beyond the checkers board. The same algorithms his team writes to solve games could be helpful in searching other databases, such as vast lists of biological information because, as he says, "At the core, they both reduce to the same fundamental problem: large, compressed data sets that have to be accessed quickly."'"
Holy crap. . .you have any idea how badly their server is going to be slashdotted now? It's bad enough when its a php driven webpage but now you've just encouraged slashdotters to try a game or two against it. . .if the server crashes in the middle of a game is it considered a win for the human player?
It's a little difficult to play when you can't even load the game...
For non-Albertans... a Chinook wind is some hot air the blows down the mountains and melts the winter snow for a week or so.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinook_wind
So it an analogy for a bright new idea -- like a lite up light bulb.
Therefore there are a zillion things called "Chinook" in Alberta.