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Alpha beta

Alpha-beta pruning is an optimization technique for the minimax algorithm that reduces the number of game states examined by eliminating nodes that do not affect the final decision. It uses two parameters, alpha and beta, to determine the best choices for the maximizer and minimizer, respectively, allowing for faster decision-making by pruning entire sub-trees. The algorithm ultimately returns the same optimal move as the standard minimax algorithm while improving efficiency by avoiding unnecessary calculations.

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4 views

Alpha beta

Alpha-beta pruning is an optimization technique for the minimax algorithm that reduces the number of game states examined by eliminating nodes that do not affect the final decision. It uses two parameters, alpha and beta, to determine the best choices for the maximizer and minimizer, respectively, allowing for faster decision-making by pruning entire sub-trees. The algorithm ultimately returns the same optimal move as the standard minimax algorithm while improving efficiency by avoiding unnecessary calculations.

Uploaded by

SHIVANI TYAGI
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Alpha-Beta Pruning

o Alpha-beta pruning is a modified version of the minimax


algorithm. It is an optimization technique for the minimax
algorithm.
o As we have seen in the minimax search algorithm that the number
of game states it has to examine are exponential in depth of the
tree. Since we cannot eliminate the exponent, but we can cut it to
half. Hence there is a technique by which without checking each
node of the game tree we can compute the correct minimax
decision, and this technique is called pruning. This involves two
threshold parameter Alpha and beta for future expansion, so it is
called alpha-beta pruning. It is also called as Alpha-Beta
Algorithm.
o Alpha-beta pruning can be applied at any depth of a tree, and
sometimes it not only prune the tree leaves but also entire sub-tree.
o The two-parameter can be defined as:

o Alpha: The best (highest-value) choice we have found so far


at any point along the path of Maximizer. The initial value of
alpha is -∞.
o Beta: The best (lowest-value) choice we have found so far at
any point along the path of Minimizer. The initial value of
beta is +∞.
o The Alpha-beta pruning to a standard minimax algorithm returns
the same move as the standard algorithm does, but it removes all
the nodes which are not really affecting the final decision but
making algorithm slow. Hence by pruning these nodes, it makes
the algorithm fast.

Key points about alpha-beta pruning:

o The Max player will only update the value of alpha.


o The Min player will only update the value of beta.
o While backtracking the tree, the node values will be passed to
upper nodes instead of values of alpha and beta.
o We will only pass the alpha, beta values to the child nodes.

Working of Alpha-Beta Pruning:


Let's take an example of two-player search tree to understand the
working of Alpha-beta pruning

Step 1: At the first step the, Max player will start first move from node
A where α= -∞ and β= +∞, these value of alpha and beta passed down to
node B where again α= -∞ and β= +∞, and Node B passes the same
value to its child D.
Step 2: At Node D, the value of α will be calculated as its turn for Max.
The value of α is compared with firstly 2 and then 3, and the max (2, 3)
= 3 will be the value of α at node D and node value will also 3.

Step 3: Now algorithm backtrack to node B, where the value of β will


change as this is a turn of Min, Now β= +∞, will compare with the
available subsequent nodes value, i.e. min (∞, 3) = 3, hence at node B
now α= -∞, and β= 3.

In the next step, algorithm traverse the next successor of Node B which
is node E, and the values of α= -∞, and β= 3 will also be passed.
Step 4: At node E, Max will take its turn, and the value of alpha will
change. The current value of alpha will be compared with 5, so max (-∞,
5) = 5, hence at node E α= 5 and β= 3, where α>=β, so the right
successor of E will be pruned, and algorithm will not traverse it, and the
value at node E will be 5.

Step 5: At
next step, algorithm again backtrack the tree, from node B to node A. At
node A, the value of alpha will be changed the maximum available value
is 3 as max (-∞, 3)= 3, and β= +∞, these two values now passes to right
successor of A which is Node C.

At node C, α=3 and β= +∞, and the same values will be passed on to
node F.

Step 6: At node F, again the value of α will be compared with left child
which is 0, and max(3,0)= 3, and then compared with right child which
is 1, and max(3,1)= 3 still α remains 3, but the node value of F will
become 1.

Step 7: Node F
returns the node value 1 to node C, at C α= 3 and β= +∞, here the value of beta
will be changed, it will compare with 1 so min (∞, 1) = 1. Now at C, α=3 and β= 1,
and again it satisfies the condition α>=β, so the next child of C which is G will be
pruned, and the algorithm will not compute the entire sub-tree G.
Step 8: C now returns the value of 1 to A here the best value for A is max (3, 1) =
3. Following is the final game tree which is the showing the nodes which are
computed and nodes which has never computed. Hence the optimal value for the
maximizer is 3 for this example.

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