On Wednesday 11th of May 2011 the first year module CS1006: Programming Projects finished with its traditional competition. The competition centres around a 2-player strategy game (Othello this year) for which the students have developed an Artificial Intelligence player as part of the last of the four projects on the module. These AI players are pitted against each other in order to determine the champion AI of the year.
Here are the competitors (plus a few hangers-on and referees):
CS1006 Othello Competitors
Competitors
The students had the option of working alone or in pairs. This year, there were seven competing programs from:
- Simone Conte & Ivars Zubkan
- Matthew Dooler & Antti Korpimaki
- Gordan Coupar
- Alex Field & Neil Hutchison
- August Almgren
- David Wolstenhome
- Gareth Munro
Competition Format
The competition was played in round-robin format (everyone plays everyone else) with 3 points awarded for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss. A coin toss decided who played black (black moves first).
Battle is Joined
The competition was very keenly fought, with lots of close games:
some not so close:
and even one draw:
The Final Game
In the end, however, it came down to a final game between Conte & Zubkans and Field & Hutchison. These two teams had swept all before them, beating all the other teams in the competition. The final game would decide the champion.
It was tense, and it was close:
But in the end Simone Conte and Ivars Zubkans (playing white) emerged as our champions. Well done to them and to all who took part!
