What happens if you give the human player a handicap? I wonder if the games are really as close as the commentators say, or if it's just a quirk of the MCST algorithm.
The great go champion Otake Hideo famously said that if he were to play go against God Himself, he would take only a three stone handicap, and if his life depended on it, he would take four. Alphago's not perfect, but it would still be very interesting to watch such a handicapped game.
Can it even play a handicapped game? I'm assuming the handicap means the other play can begin with several stones on the board. AlphaGo would have no training on such a configuration and would likely not know how to approach it.
Well the same thing was mentioned about Kos and game three showed that AlphaGo was very effective by both having few Ko threats and playing them when imperative. It also demonstrated effective gameplay as black with 4.4 & 4.3 opening.
Considering the large training data set, handicap games would certainly be included. It's a great way to test aggressiveness and the effectiveness to reduce the opponents' territory whilst building your own.
As an amateur, handicap games where you try to overcome 3 or 4 stones are some of the most educational experiences. It requires a lot more creative thinking and perseverance to come back from such a disadvantage.
