Search Algorithm
In the mid-and end-game phases of Othello, minimax game-tree search with
Alpha-beta pruning is used. Alpha-beta pruning is especially significant in Othello as searching nine plies with minimax alone evaluates about a billion nodes. Using alpha-beta pruning, the number of nodes to evaluate reduces to a million nodes and sometimes less . The Logistello Othello player makes use of minimax with alpha-beta, among other specialized algorithms for Othello. be used effectively. Selective search is similar to iterative deepening.
In selective search, we search to a shallow depth, and then take paths that lead to the best moves, and search them to a much deeper depth. This allow us to search deeper into the game tree by focusing our search to moves that provide the greatest benefit. Using this method with statistics
To understand the relationship between the shallow search and the deeper search is called Multi-Prob-Cut, or MPC. This was created by Michael Buro and is formalized to cut-pairs (for example, the shallow search of four levels to the deep search of 12 levels is celled a cut pair of 4/12)