[net.games.go] New book on Renju

bill@dual.UUCP (Bill Kanawyer) (02/09/84)

    The Ishi Press has just published a new english language book on the old
game of Go-moku or Renju as it is now known. The book is:

FIVE-IN-A-ROW
(RENJU)
by
Goro Sakata 8-dan
and
Wataru Ikawa 5-dan

    It gives the latest rules as worked out by the Nihon Renjusha and is
intended both as an introduction to the game and advanced theory of play. The
book is soft bound and is available for about $4.00 from your local Go club or
by writing:

The ISHI Press
CPO Box 2126
Toyko, Japan

    The 'new' rules make play much more fair than before (remember, black has
a large advantage by moving first) and the instructions give new insight into
this old game. Also several sample games are provided. 

    If there is any interest I can post the 'new' rules to the net.


Bill Kanawyer
{ucbvax,amd70,ihnp4,cbosgd,decwrl,fortune}!dual!bill

rlw@wxlvax.UUCP (Richard L. Wexelblat) (02/11/84)

Speaking of Renjyu, my MS thesis, written in 1961 was on a program
that learned to play Renjyu.  Except for allowing 3x3 wins, the
rules were as played today.  Since it was implemented on a Univac I
with 1000 10-digit words of memory (2000 instructions) with only
a primitive overlay ability, I never got it working very well or
very fast.

The learning algorithm was based on Arthur Samuels absolutely
super checker player.

--dick Wexelblat
(...decvax!ittvax!wxlvax!rlw)