From: Harold Shore <shorem <at> FIU <dot> EDU>
Date: 16 may 1997
Subject: Re: Real chess computing

Riejer,
        You wrote:

> As for the branching factor, a larger branching factor does not make the game
> more difficult for human players, but does make it more difficult for
> computers. Old cognitive evidence shows that strong game players only look
> at a couple of candidate moves in each position. This means that in chess
> (branching factor 35), shogi (branching factor 80) and Go (branching facto
> 250) the computer needs to do increasingly more work to compensate for the
> fact that the human branching factor for all of these games is less than
> 3 (of course only for expert players).

        I have a 'feel' for the branching factor but do not know the proper
definition - nor do I know where to look it up.  Would you please
briefly tell me what it is.
        Now a second, related question - even before receiving your reply:
        If a human uses a branching factor of 3, how would he then decide WHICH
3 to use?  Obviously, this question is being asked even before I know
the proper definition.  Thus I wouldn't be surprised in the least were
the question make no sense - in this event I apologize in advance!
        Since I've been somewhat busy since returning, I have not had a chance
to reply to your letter, which I shall answer soon.
                Harold