Description
Overview
The N-Queens problem is to put N Queens on a board (N × N) so that no queen attacks any other queen. (A
queen can attack any square on the same row, same column, or same diagonal.) The following is a diagram
of a game state with 2 queens on the board:
Q
Q
We will make a 2-player game of the N-Queens problem as follows: Players alternate putting a piece on the
board, and can only place a queen on a square that is not being attacked, i.e., there is no queen already on the
board in the same row or column or diagonal. In the N-Queens game, the objective is to be the last player to
have a legal place to put a queen. We will work with two variations of this game, which dier in 2 aspects: how
players can play, and how the score is counted.
Variation 1a The players must place a queen on the left-most unoccupied column: Player 1 plays on Column
1, Player 2 on Column 2, Player 1 on Column 3, etc). For example, in the above diagram, it’s Player 1’s turn to
move, and Player 1 must place a queen somewhere in column 3 (counting from the left, starting at 1). The
winner is the last player to put a queen on the board. For example, if it’s Player 1’s turn to play in Column 5, but
all squares in Column 5 are being attacked, then Player 1 loses, and Player 2 wins. The utility function would
return 1 for a win for Player 1, or -1 for a win for Player 2. For example, Player 1 can place a queen in the above
position, but Player 2 would be unable to play after that, so Player 1 would be the winner. There are no draws.
Note: If all N queens are on the board, then the last player to move is the winner: if N is even, then Player 2
wins, and the utility is 1 −1, and if odd, Player 1 wins, and the utility is −1 1.There are no draws.
Variation 1b This variation is identical to Variation 1a, except for the score of the game. The utility value is
calculated by counting how many queens are on the board at the end of a game: if there are k queens on the
board, and it’s a win for Player 1, the utility is k (positive, odd number); if there are k queens on the board, and
it’s a win for Player 2, the utility is −k (negative, even number). For example, the win for Player 1 (after playing
one more queen on the board position above) counts for 3. There are no draws.
Note: If all N queens are on the board, then the last player to move is the winner: if N is even, then Player 2
wins, and the utility is −N, and if odd, Player 1 wins, and the utility is N.
Notes
• The purpose of this assignment is not to implement a real game, but to understand the game-tree search
algorithms.
• These variations are games, but may not be interesting games to play as humans.
• Some of the variations of this game may not seem fair or balanced, and that’s okay for our work.
• For N < 3, the game is quite boring.
• Draw out the game trees for N ≤ 4 before you start coding. You’ll need these trees to debug your code.
Page 2
Programming
As in previous assignments, it’s advisable to separate the game-specic code from the game-search code.
The interface between your game-search code and your game-specic code is as follows:
• is_terminal(state): returns a Boolean, True if the given state has no more legal moves.
• utility(state): returns a numeric value. The state must be a terminal state.
• actions(state): returns a list of actions (i.e., moves) that are legal in the given state. The function needs
to examine the state to determine whose turn it is to move.
• result(state, action): returns a new game state which is the result of taking the given action in the
given state.
• Optional: is_maxs_turn(state): Returns a Boolean value, True if it’s Player 1’s turn (Max) in the given state.
• Optional: is_mins_turn(state): Returns a Boolean value, True if it’s Player 2’s turn (Min) in the given state.
Implementing the optional methods may not be necessary for all the questions, though it would be useful if
you wanted to play the game interactively. We saw the use of these optional functions in Lecture 18.
None of the coding is dicult, though nding a bug may be dicult. As always, you should write enough
tests for your methods and functions that you can debug them using a test script. Debugging a whole application is more of a waste of your time than writing a test script.
You’ll be developing a code base throughout this assignment, and we only want to see it once to grade
it. Each question will ask you to hand in a script that performs a task; this script can import the code you’re
developing, but don’t hand everything in multiple times.
Execution instructions
The markers may or may not wish to run your program, to verify your results. To help them, you should provide
brief instructions on what to do to get your program running. Include:
• Programming language used (including version, e.g., Java 8 or Python 3)
• A simple example of compiling and/or running the code from a UNIX shell would be best.
Keep it brief, and name it with the question number as the following example: a4q1_EXECUTION.txt. If your
assignment uses third party libraries, they have to be included in your submission.
Clarication: You’ll submit one le documenting the execution instructions for all your scripts.
Clarication: What to Hand in instructions
The rst version of this assignment required separate hand in les for questions 1-7,9. This pushes against
Moodle’s very hard limit of 20 les maximum. To remedy this, the new requirements collect the requirements
for these questions into 2 les:
• A4_output.txt will contain tables output from your scripts for questions 1-7,9. Please mark each Question’s output clearly, so markers can easily identify which data belongs to which question.
• A4_EXECUTION.txt will contain execution instructions for all your scripts for questions 1-7,9. Please mark
each Question’s information clearly, so markers can easily identify which information belongs to which
question.
You should not hand in separate output and execution instructions!
Page 3
Question 1 (4 points):
Purpose: To implement Minimax Search for Variation 1a.
Degree of Diculty: Moderate. Minimax is easy; the game will be the only tricky part.
Textbook: AIMA Chapter 5.1, 5.2
Implement Minimax search (with no bells or whistles) and apply it to Variation 1a, for game sizes N ∈
{1, · · · , 10}. Specically, write a loop to display the following table:
Size Minimax Value Best Opening Move Time in Seconds
1 1 (’X’, 0) 3.72e-05
2 1 (’X’, 0) 6.52e-05
3 1 (’X’, 1) 0.0001642
4 -1 (’X’, 0) 0.000388
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Clarication: In the above output, which is literally copy/paste from my computer, the Best Opening Move
is represented by a pair (WHO, ROW); in my implementation, I used the symbol ’X’ to represent player 1
(answering WHO), and for ROW, I give an integer value. There is no need to imitate my output, as long as
it’s clear.
Your output should go all the way up to 10 (or 11, if that amuses you). Your output should have the correct
Minimax values, though there may be more than one opening move to achieve that value; it does not
matter which of the equally good opening moves your script returns. Your times will vary, but reasonably
you should expect your implementation to take only a few seconds at most. Try a few larger sizes, e.g.
N = 11, 12, and observe the exponential nature of the search problem (again).
What to Hand In
• A le named a4q1.txt containing your table, as above.
• Revised: Your table, and any accompanying explanation, in your le A4_output.txt, which is a single
le that will contain your output for all questions. Be sure to mark clearly the question number as you
add information to this le.
• A le named a4q1.LANG containing a script/app which, if executed, would produce the output submitted in a4q1.txt (except the timing information which will dier). Use the le extension appropriate
for your choice of programming language, e.g., .py or .java.
• A le named a4q1_EXECUTION.txt containing execution instructions for markers to run your script/app
if they deem it necessary.
• Revised: Execution instructions for markers to run your script/app if they deem it necessary, clearly
presented in a the le A4_EXECUTION.txt, which is a single le that will contain your execution instructions for all questions. Be sure to mark clearly the question number as you add information to this
le.
Do not submit your entire codebase multiple times. Your script/app a4q1.LANG should run correctly, but it
should not contain code for Minimax search, and should not contain the code for your implementation of
Variation 1a (or any others).
Clarication: You’ll be developing your code-base as you work on Questions 1-9. You will hand in your
whole code base in Question 10. Your script for Question 1 will import modules/classes/libraries from (or
include, or compile with) your code base, of course! But you don’t need to hand in the game code or the
search code in Question 1. Just hand in the script that creates the data above. When the marker runs your
script, it should import or compile with the code you submit in Question 10.
Be sure to include your name, NSID, student number, and course number at the top of all documents.
Page 4
Evaluation
Revised:
• 3 marks: Your le A4_output.txt contains the required table, with correct Minimax values, and plausible times, clearly marked as a4q1.
• 1 mark: Your le a4q1.LANG contains a script/app that produces the output in A4_output.txt.
Page 5
Question 2 (4 points):
Purpose: To implement Minimax Search for Variation 1b.
Degree of Diculty: Easy. Minimax is done already; you have to modify the utility function for the new
variation.
Textbook: AIMA Chapter 5.1, 5.2
Implement Minimax search (with no bells or whistles) and apply it to Variation 1b, for game sizes N ∈
{1, · · · , 10}. Specically, write a loop to display the following table:
Size Minimax Value Best Opening Move Time in Seconds
1 1 (’X’, 0) 5.70e-05
2 1 (’X’, 0) 4.91e-05
3 1 (’X’, 1) 8.61e-05
4 -2 (’X’, 0) 0.000281
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Your output should go all the way up to 10 (or 11, if that amuses you). Your output should have the correct
Minimax values, though there may be more than one opening move to achieve that value; it does not
matter which of the equally good opening moves your script returns. Your times will vary, but reasonably
you should expect your implementation to take only a few seconds at most. Try a few larger sizes, e.g.
N = 11, 12, and observe the exponential nature of the search problem (again).
What to Hand In
• A le named a4q2.txt containing your table, as above.
• Revised: Your table, and any accompanying explanation, in your le A4_output.txt, which is a single
le that will contain your output for all questions. Be sure to mark clearly the question number as you
add information to this le.
• A le named a4q2.LANG containing a script/app which, if executed, would produce the output submitted in a4q2.txt (except the timing information which will dier). Use the le extension appropriate
for your choice of programming language, e.g., .py or .java.
• A le named a4q2_EXECUTION.txt containing execution instructions for markers to run your script/app
if they deem it necessary.
• Revised: Execution instructions for markers to run your script/app if they deem it necessary, clearly
presented in a the le A4_EXECUTION.txt, which is a single le that will contain your execution instructions for all questions. Be sure to mark clearly the question number as you add information.
Do not submit your entire codebase multiple times. Your script/app a4q2.LANG should run correctly, but it
should not contain code for Minimax search, and should not contain the code for your implementation of
Variation 1a (or any others).
Be sure to include your name, NSID, student number, and course number at the top of all documents.
Evaluation
Revised:
• 3 marks: Your le A4_output.txt contains the required table, with correct Minimax values, and plausible times, clearly marked as a4q2.
• 1 mark: Your le a4q2.LANG contains a script/app that produces the output in A4_output.txt.
Page 6
Question 3 (4 points):
Purpose: To implement Minimax Search with Alpha-Beta Pruning for Variation 1a.
Degree of Diculty: Moderate. Your implementation of Variation 1a is done; you have to implement AlphaBeta pruning.
Textbook: AIMA Chapter 5.3
Implement Minimax Search with Alpha-Beta Pruning and apply it to Variation 1a, for game sizes N ∈
{1, · · · , 10}. Specically, write a loop to display the following table:
Size Minimax Value Best Opening Move Time in Seconds
1 1 (’X’, 0) 3.60e-05
2 1 (’X’, 0) 3.98e-05
3 1 (’X’, 1) 8.51e-05
4 -1 (’X’, 0) 0.000322
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Your output should have the the same Minimax values as Question 2, though there may be more than one
opening move to achieve that value; it does not matter which of the equally good opening moves your
script returns. Your times will vary, but reasonably you should expect your implementation to take less
time than for Question 2, especially for larger values of N. Try a few larger sizes, e.g. N = 11, 12, and
observe the exponential nature of the search problem (again).
What to Hand In
• A le named a4q3.txt containing your table, as above.
• Revised: Your table, and any accompanying explanation, in your le A4_output.txt, which is a single
le that will contain your output for all questions. Be sure to mark clearly the question number as you
add information to this le.
• A le named a4q3.LANG containing a script/app which, if executed, would produce the output submitted in a4q3.txt (except the timing information which will dier). Use the le extension appropriate
for your choice of programming language, e.g., .py or .java.
• A le named a4q3_EXECUTION.txt containing execution instructions for markers to run your script/app
if they deem it necessary.
• Revised: Execution instructions for markers to run your script/app if they deem it necessary, clearly
presented in a the le A4_EXECUTION.txt, which is a single le that will contain your execution instructions for all questions. Be sure to mark clearly the question number as you add information.
Do not submit your entire codebase multiple times. Your script/app a4q3.LANG should run correctly, but it
should not contain code for Minimax search, and should not contain the code for your implementation of
Variation 1a (or any others).
Be sure to include your name, NSID, student number, and course number at the top of all documents.
Evaluation
Revised:
• 3 marks: Your le A4_output.txt contains the required table, with correct Minimax values, and plausible times, clearly marked as a4q3.
• 1 mark: Your le a4q3.LANG contains a script/app that produces the output in A4_output.txt.
Page 7
Question 4 (4 points):
Purpose: To implement Minimax Search with Alpha-Beta Pruning for Variation 1b.
Degree of Diculty: Moderate. Your implementation of Variation 1b is done; you have to implement AlphaBeta pruning.
Textbook: AIMA Chapter 5.3
Implement Minimax Search with Alpha-Beta Pruning and apply it to Variation 1b, for game sizes N ∈
{1, · · · , 10}. Specically, write a loop to display the following table:
Size Minimax Value Best Opening Move Time in Seconds
1 1 (’X’, 0) 3.60e-05
2 1 (’X’, 0) 3.98e-05
3 1 (’X’, 1) 8.51e-05
4 -2 (’X’, 0) 0.000322
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.
.
.
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.
.
.
.
.
.
Your output should have the the same Minimax values as Question 3, though there may be more than
one opening move to achieve that value; it does not matter which of the equally good opening moves
your script returns. Your times will vary, but reasonably you should expect your implementation to take
less time than for Question 2, especially for larger values of N. Try a few larger sizes, e.g. N = 11, 12, and
observe the exponential nature of the search problem (again).
What to Hand In
• A le named a4q4.txt containing your table, as above.
• Revised: Your table, and any accompanying explanation, in your le A4_output.txt, which is a single
le that will contain your output for all questions. Be sure to mark clearly the question number as you
add information to this le.
• A le named a4q4.LANG containing a script/app which, if executed, would produce the output submitted in a4q4.txt (except the timing information which will dier). Use the le extension appropriate
for your choice of programming language, e.g., .py or .java.
• A le named a4q4_EXECUTION.txt containing execution instructions for markers to run your script/app
if they deem it necessary.
• Revised: Execution instructions for markers to run your script/app if they deem it necessary, clearly
presented in a the le A4_EXECUTION.txt, which is a single le that will contain your execution instructions for all questions. Be sure to mark clearly the question number as you add information.
Do not submit your entire codebase multiple times. Your script/app a4q4.LANG should run correctly, but it
should not contain code for Minimax search, and should not contain the code for your implementation of
Variation 1a (or any others).
Be sure to include your name, NSID, student number, and course number at the top of all documents.
Evaluation
Revised:
• 3 marks: Your le A4_output.txt contains the required table, with correct Minimax values, and plausible times, clearly marked as a4q4.
• 1 mark: Your le a4q4.LANG contains a script/app that produces the output in A4_output.txt.
Page 8
Question 5 (4 points):
Purpose: To implement a depth-cuto and a heuristic evaluation function for Minimax Search, to allow
play in Variation 1a larger than N = 10.
Degree of Diculty: Easy. You have to modify your search algorithm, using the interface for imperfect
real-time decisions.
Textbook Chapter: AIMA 5.4
Implement a depth-cuto and heuristic evaluation function for Variation 1a. Apply your implementation
with a cut-o at depth 4, for game sizes N ∈ {1, · · · , 20}. Specically, write a loop to display the following
table:
Size Minimax Value Best Opening Move Time in Seconds
1 1 (’X’, 0) 3.60e-05
2 1 (’X’, 0) 8.92e-05
3 1 (’X’, 1) 0.000143
4 -1 (’X’, 0) 0.000280
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Since the cut-o is at depth 4, the rst 4 rows in your output should have correct minimax values; after
that, the minimax values will reect your evaluation function, and probably won’t be optimal. Your times
will vary, but reasonably you should expect your implementation to take less time than for Question 2,
especially for larger values of N. In particular, you should expect to run all examples in a few seconds at
most.
Additional functions for your interface. The textbook recommends that you
1. Replace your test for a terminal state with a function that determines whether to cut o search.
2. Replace the utility function with a function that estimates utility for any given state.
I recommend otherwise! Add two new methods/functions to your Variations, as follows:
• cutoff_test(state, depth): returns a Boolean, True if the search should be terminated at this state
and depth.
• eval(state): returns an estimate of the Minimax value of the given state.
By introducing these two new functions into the interface, your search algorithms need to be modied as
well. Use the cuto test and the evaluation function in combination, but only check for the cut-o after
you’ve determined that the state is not an actual terminal state. This arrangement adds a few lines to
the search algorithms, but helps keep your utility and estimated minimax functions independent, which is
good for development.
The heuristic evaluation function. Such a function might be dicult to invent for this game. You are
welcome to try. You should remember that your estimate should return a value in the range of your utility
function; a condent estimate should be close to the true minimax value, and you can express uncertainty
by producing estimates that are between the extremes, perhaps using fractional (oating point) estimates
within the range. Alternatively, your evaluation function can return a random utility value. This is easy
to start with, in any case.
Page 9
What to Hand In
• A le named a4q5.txt containing your table, as above.
• Revised: Your table, and any accompanying explanation, in your le A4_output.txt, which is a single
le that will contain your output for all questions. Be sure to mark clearly the question number as you
add information to this le.
• A le named a4q5.LANG containing a script/app which, if executed, would produce the output submitted in a4q5.txt (except the timing information which will dier). Use the le extension appropriate
for your choice of programming language, e.g., .py or .java.
• A le named a4q5_EXECUTION.txt containing execution instructions for markers to run your script/app
if they deem it necessary.
• Revised: Execution instructions for markers to run your script/app if they deem it necessary, clearly
presented in a the le A4_EXECUTION.txt, which is a single le that will contain your execution instructions for all questions. Be sure to mark clearly the question number as you add information to this
le.
Do not submit your entire codebase multiple times. Your script/app a4q5.LANG should run correctly, but it
should not contain code for Minimax search, and should not contain the code for your implementation of
Variation 1a (or any others).
Be sure to include your name, NSID, student number, and course number at the top of all documents.
Evaluation
Revised:
• 3 marks: Your le A4_output.txt contains the required table, with correct Minimax values, and plausible times, clearly marked as a4q5.
• 1 mark: Your le a4q5.LANG contains a script/app that produces the output in A4_output.txt.
Page 10
Question 6 (4 points):
Purpose: To implement a depth-cuto and a heuristic evaluation function for Minimax Search, to allow
play in Variation 1b larger than N = 10.
Degree of Diculty: Easy. You have to implement a cuto and evaluation function for Variation 1b. Your
changes to Minimax from Question 5 should already be nished.
Textbook Chapter: AIMA 5.4
Implement a depth-cuto and heuristic evaluation function for Variation 1b. Apply your implementation
with a cut-o at depth 4, for game sizes N ∈ {1, · · · , 20}. Specically, write a loop to display the following
table:
Size Minimax Value Best Opening Move Time in Seconds
1 1 (’X’, 0) 4.70e-05
2 1 (’X’, 0) 3.89e-05
3 1 (’X’, 1) 8.30e-05
4 -2 (’X’, 0) 0.000338
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.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Since the cut-o is at depth 4, the rst 4 rows in your output should have correct minimax values; after
that, the minimax values will reect your evaluation function, and probably won’t be optimal. Your times
will vary, but reasonably you should expect your implementation to take less time than for Question 2,
especially for larger values of N. In particular, you should expect to run all examples in a few seconds at
most.
The notes about the interface, and the evaluation function, from Question 5, apply here as well. If you’ve
adopted a good design, you may only need to over-ride the evaluation function from Question 5.
What to Hand In
• A le named a4q6.txt containing your table, as above.
• Revised: Your table, and any accompanying explanation, in your le A4_output.txt, which is a single
le that will contain your output for all questions. Be sure to mark clearly the question number as you
add information to this le.
• A le named a4q6.LANG containing a script/app which, if executed, would produce the output submitted in a4q6.txt (except the timing information which will dier). Use the le extension appropriate
for your choice of programming language, e.g., .py or .java.
• A le named a4q6_EXECUTION.txt containing execution instructions for markers to run your script/app
if they deem it necessary.
• Revised: Execution instructions for markers to run your script/app if they deem it necessary, clearly
presented in a the le A4_EXECUTION.txt, which is a single le that will contain your execution instructions for all questions. Be sure to mark clearly the question number as you add information to this
le.
Do not submit your entire codebase multiple times. Your script/app a4q6.LANG should run correctly, but it
should not contain code for Minimax search, and should not contain the code for your implementation of
Variation 1a (or any others).
Be sure to include your name, NSID, student number, and course number at the top of all documents.
Page 11
Evaluation
Revised:
• 3 marks: Your le A4_output.txt contains the required table, with correct Minimax values, and plausible times, clearly marked as a4q6.
• 1 mark: Your le a4q6.LANG contains a script/app that produces the output in A4_output.txt.
Page 12
Question 7 (4 points):
Purpose: To implement a depth-cuto and a heuristic evaluation function for Minimax Search with AlphaBeta pruning, to allow play in games larger than N = 10.
Degree of Diculty: Easy. You’ll need to adapt your Alpha-Beta search algorithm similar to the way you
adapted Minimax in Question 5.
Textbook Chapter: AIMA 5.4
Adapt your Alpha-Beta search algorithm from Q4 similar to the way you adapted Minimax in Question 5.
Apply your implementation with a cut-o at depth 4, for game sizes N ∈ {1, · · · , 20}. Specically, write a
loop to display the following tables:
Variation 1a
Size Minimax Value Best Opening Move Time in Seconds
1 1 (’X’, 0) 3.41e-05
2 1 (’X’, 0) 3.81e-05
3 1 (’X’, 1) 0.000106
4 -1 (’X’, 0) 0.000440
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Variation 1b
Size Minimax Value Best Opening Move Time in Seconds
1 1 (’X’, 0) 4.70e-05
2 1 (’X’, 0) 3.89e-05
3 1 (’X’, 1) 8.30e-05
4 -2 (’X’, 0) 0.000338
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Since the cut-o is at depth 4, the rst 4 rows in your output should have correct minimax values; after
that, the minimax values will reect your evaluation function, and probably won’t be optimal. Your times
will vary, but reasonably you should expect your implementation to take less time than for Question 2,
especially for larger values of N. In particular, you should expect to run all examples in a few seconds at
most.
The notes about the interface, and the evaluation function, from Question 5, apply here as well. If you’ve
adopted a good design, you may only need to over-ride the evaluation function from Question 5.
What to Hand In
• A le named a4q7.txt containing your table, as above.
• Revised: Your table, and any accompanying explanation, in your le A4_output.txt, which is a single
le that will contain your output for all questions. Be sure to mark clearly the question number as you
add information to this le.
• A le named a4q7.LANG containing a script/app which, if executed, would produce the output submitted in a4q7.txt (except the timing information which will dier). Use the le extension appropriate
for your choice of programming language, e.g., .py or .java.
• A le named a4q7_EXECUTION.txt containing execution instructions for markers to run your script/app
if they deem it necessary.
Page 13
• Revised: Execution instructions for markers to run your script/app if they deem it necessary, clearly
presented in a the le A4_EXECUTION.txt, which is a single le that will contain your execution instructions for all questions. Be sure to mark clearly the question number as you add information to this
le.
Do not submit your entire codebase multiple times. Your script/app a4q7.LANG should run correctly, but it
should not contain code for Minimax search, and should not contain the code for your implementation of
Variation 1a (or any others).
Be sure to include your name, NSID, student number, and course number at the top of all documents.
Evaluation
Revised:
• 3 marks: Your le A4_output.txt contains the required table, with correct Minimax values, and plausible times, clearly marked as a4q7.
• 1 mark: Your le a4q7.LANG contains a script/app that produces the output in A4_output.txt.
Page 14
Question 8 (10 points):
Purpose: To compare the output gathered in the previous questions.
Degree of Diculty: Easy. You’ll need to understand why the output is the way it is.
Textbook Chapter: AIMA 5.1-4
Answer the following questions with a brief comment for each.
1. Compare the Minimax values for A4Q1 and A4Q2. The minimax value used a dierent scale (-1,1) versus
a count of the number of queens, but did this change which player won the game?
2. Compare the runtimes for A4Q1 and A4Q2. Which variation seemed to be faster? Explain why.
3. Compare the Minimax values for A4Q1 and A4Q3. Were they the same?
4. Compare the runtimes for A4Q1 and A4Q3. How much faster was the search, for games with larger
N?
5. Compare the Minimax values for A4Q2 and A4Q4. Were they the same?
6. Compare the runtimes for A4Q2 and A4Q4. How much faster was the search, for games with larger
N?
7. Compare the Minimax values for A4Q1 and A4Q5. Were they the same? Explain.
8. Compare the runtimes for A4Q1 and A4Q5. How much faster was the search, for games with larger
N?
9. Compare the Minimax values for A4Q5 and A4Q6 (Minimax with cut-o, two variations) with the results
from A4Q7 (Alpha-Beta with cut-o, two variations). Were they the same? Explain.
10. Compare the runtimes for A4Q5 and A4Q6 (Minimax with cut-o, two variations) with the results from
A4Q7 (Alpha-Beta with cut-o, two variations). How much faster was the search, for games with larger
N?
None of these questions is dicult. This is more about requiring you to consider what you’ve done, than it
is about understanding anything deep or complex.
What to Hand In
• A le named a4q8.txt containing your comments to the above questions.
Be sure to include your name, NSID, student number, and course number at the top of all documents.
Evaluation
• 10 marks: Your le a4q8.txt contains plausible responses to the above questions.
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Question 9 (6 points):
Purpose: To implement an interactive script/application that plays N-Queens.
Degree of Diculty: Moderate. You’ll need to return actions, not just values, and you’ll need to distinguish
between the scripts that plan moves for a single player (Q1-6), and scripts that take turns making
moves in a real game.
Textbook Chapter: AIMA 5.1-4
This is the fun part. Implement an interactive script/application that plays N-Queens. Make use of your
implementations from the previous questions.
Make sure you understand the dierence between what the search algorithms are doing (planning a single
choice), and what you need to do here (allow two planning agents to take turns making moves). You might
start by implementing human vs. computer (or computer vs. human), so that you can gure things out,
then replace the human player with the computer.
You should allow each player to use its own search algorithm, so you could play (plain) Minimax against
Alpha-Beta, using equal depth cutos, or dierent depth cutos. You can model a weak player using a
shallower cuto, and a stronger player using a deeper cuto. Play around with the cutos, so that the
rst few moves of the game do not take longer than a minute or so (shorter is better for experimentation
though).
Try the following scenarios:
1. Try N = 10, equal cut-o value 4. Compare the outcome of your games with the known Minimax
values (as you determined in Q1-Q4).
2. Try N = 10, equal cut-o value 5. Compare the outcome of your games with the known Minimax
values (as you determined in Q1-Q4). Were these the same as when the cuto was 4?
3. Try N = 10, Player 1 cut-o 5, Player 2 cut-o 3. Compare the outcome of your games with the known
Minimax values (as you determined in Q1-Q4). Did the deeper cuto result in better decisions?
4. Try N = 10, Player 1 cut-o 3, Player 2 cut-o 5. Compare the outcome of your games with the known
Minimax values (as you determined in Q1-Q4). Did the deeper cuto result in better decisions?
5. Repeat the above scenarios with N = 20.
If you are using a random evaluation function, be sure to run each scenario a number of times (you don’t
want to draw a conclusion about random eects based on one example)! If you are using a deterministic
evaluation function, then there is no point to repeat the scenarios more than once.
Report your results in a tabular format, e.g.:
N Cut-o P1 Cut-o P2 Win/Loss P1
10 4 4 7W, 3L
10 3 5 2W, 8L
.
.
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What to Hand In
• A le named a4q9.txt containing your table, as above.
• Revised: Your table, and any accompanying explanation, in your le A4_output.txt, which is a single
le that will contain your output for all questions. Be sure to mark clearly the question number as you
add information to this le.
• A le named a4q9.LANG containing a script/app which, if executed, would produce the output submitted in a4q9.txt (except the timing information which will dier). Use the le extension appropriate
for your choice of programming language, e.g., .py or .java.
• A le named a4q9_EXECUTION.txt containing execution instructions for markers to run your script/app
if they deem it necessary.
• Revised: Execution instructions for markers to run your script/app if they deem it necessary, clearly
presented in a the le A4_EXECUTION.txt, which is a single le that will contain your execution instructions for all questions. Be sure to mark clearly the question number as you add information to this
le.
Do not submit your entire codebase multiple times. Your script/app a4q9.LANG should run correctly, but it
should not contain code for Minimax search, and should not contain the code for your implementation of
Variation 1a (or any others).
Be sure to include your name, NSID, student number, and course number at the top of all documents.
Evaluation
Revised:
• 3 marks: Your le A4_output.txt contains the required table, with correct Minimax values, and plausible times, clearly marked as a4q9.
• 1 mark: Your le a4q9.LANG contains a script/app that produces the output in A4_output.txt.
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Question 10 (16 points):
Purpose: To obtain grades for your implementations.
Degree of Diculty: Easy. Just make sure your code is well-documented, well-organized, and hand it in.
Nothing new here!
Textbook Chapter: AIMA 5.1-4
Hand in your code. All the scripts from the previous questions should be based on this code, by importing
or compiling as necessary. All the scripts from previous questions must run using these les.
Your code should be documented internally so that a reader can make sense of it.
What to Hand In
• Files named a4q10.LANG containing the code for your variations, and your search algorithms. If you
have more than one le to submit (a good idea), you can name them appropriately, using a4q10 as a
prex.
Do not submit your entire codebase multiple times. This is the only place where your variations and search
algorithms are submitted.
Be sure to include your name, NSID, student number, and course number at the top of all documents.
Evaluation
• 2 marks: Your implementation of Variation 1a includes functions/methods for the interfaces described
throughout this assignment.
• 2 marks: Your implementation of Variation 1a is well-documented.
• 2 marks: Your implementation of Variation 1b includes functions/methods for the interfaces described
throughout this assignment.
• 2 marks: Your implementation of Variation 1b is well-documented.
• 2 marks: Your implementation of Minimax Search makes use of the interface described through the
assignment.
• 2 marks: Your implementation of Minimax Search is well-documented.
• 2 marks: Your implementation of Minimax Search with Alpha-Beta Pruning makes use of the interface
described through the assignment.
• 2 marks: Your implementation of Minimax Search with Alpha-Beta Pruning is well-documented.
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Work for the ambitious
We worked with two variations of the N-Queens game. There is a third, which I removed from the assignment.
In Variation 2, the players are not restricted in their choice of column, but can play a queen in any rowcolumn position, so long as it is not currently attacked by any other queen already on the board. For
example, in the above diagram, it’s Player 1’s turn to move, and Player 1 can place a queen in either of the
two unoccupied columns. The winner is the last player to put a queen on the board. The utility function
would return 1 for a win for Player 1, or -1 for a win for Player 2. There are no draws.
Implement this variation, and try out your search algorithms on it. The branching factor is much higher,
and moves are more strategic. This variation is a good opportunity to employ a transposition table, which
stores board positions and utility values so that if the board position appears more than once in a search,
the full search is not repeated. Use a hash table!
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