Re: [Bug-gnubg] Even more help?

[Russ Allbery]

John Boland <address@hidden> writes:

> INVARIABLY, when GNUB gets a even bit ahead, it moves into an
> UNBELIEVABLY aggressive mode - jumping clear across the board to hit
> EXACTLY the key piece it needs, rolls way too many doubles until it
> fills it's home board, with my checker (often checkerS) on the bar. GNUB
> then starts bearing off, and as higher points open, I get increasingly
> lower dice, often doubles, none of which allow me in, many times until
> GNUB wins, often with my checker, or checkerS STILL on the bar.

I know it feels like gnubg has just *got* to be cheating on the dice when
it plays on expert, but truly, it isn't.  It's just a very, very strong
player, which means that it's nearly always in the right position to take
advantage of lucky dice rolls, and is also actively creating positions in
which more possible rolls are "lucky" (useful) than otherwise.  That,
combined with the standard human cognitive bias towards noticing streaks
and unlucky runs but not mentally giving equal weight to alternations and
lack of runs, creates the impression.

-- 
Russ Allbery (address@hidden)             <http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/>