Scribd
Upload
105 views12 pages

Alpha Beta Pruning

Alpha-beta pruning is an optimization technique for the minimax algorithm that aims to reduce the number of nodes evaluated in a game tree search. It uses two thresholds, alpha and beta, to prune branches that cannot affect the outcome. The algorithm returns the same move as minimax but evaluates fewer nodes, making it faster. It works by comparing the alpha and beta values passed between nodes and pruning subtrees where alpha is greater than or equal to beta. The effectiveness depends on the move ordering, with ideal ordering placing the best moves on the left side of the tree for more pruning.

Uploaded by

Keerthika Angel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
105 views12 pages

Alpha Beta Pruning

Alpha-beta pruning is an optimization technique for the minimax algorithm that aims to reduce the number of nodes evaluated in a game tree search. It uses two thresholds, alpha and beta, to prune branches that cannot affect the outcome. The algorithm returns the same move as minimax but evaluates fewer nodes, making it faster. It works by comparing the alpha and beta values passed between nodes and pruning subtrees where alpha is greater than or equal to beta. The effectiveness depends on the move ordering, with ideal ordering placing the best moves on the left side of the tree for more pruning.

Uploaded by

Keerthika Angel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 12

Artificial Intelligence

Alpha-Beta Pruning
K. Sai Prasad
Assistant Professor
Department of CSE
MLR Institute of Technology
Alpha-Beta Pruning
• Alpha-beta pruning is a modified version of the minimax
algorithm.
• It is an optimization technique for the minimax algorithm.
• 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.
Alpha-Beta Pruning (contd..)
• 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.
The two-parameter can be defined as:
• 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 -∞.
• 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 +∞.
• 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.
Condition for Alpha-beta pruning:

• The main condition which required for alpha-beta pruning


is: α>=β 
Key points about alpha-beta pruning:
• The Max player will only update the value of
alpha.
• The Min player will only update the value of beta.
• While backtracking the tree, the node values will
be passed to upper nodes instead of values of alpha
and beta.
• 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 showing the nodes which are computed and
nodes which has never computed. Hence the optimal value for the maximizer is 3 for
this example.
Move Ordering in Alpha-Beta pruning:
The effectiveness of alpha-beta pruning is highly dependent on the
order in which each node is examined. Move order is an important
aspect of alpha-beta pruning.
It can be of two types:
Worst ordering: In some cases, alpha-beta pruning algorithm
does not prune any of the leaves of the tree, and works exactly as
minimax algorithm.
In this case, it also consumes more time because of alpha-beta
factors, such a move of pruning is called worst ordering. In this
case, the best move occurs on the right side of the tree.
The time complexity for such an order is O(bm).
Ideal ordering: The ideal ordering for alpha-beta pruning occurs
when lots of pruning happens in the tree, and best moves occur at
the left side of the tree. We apply DFS hence it first search left of
the tree and go deep twice as minimax algorithm in the same
amount of time. Complexity in ideal ordering is O(bm/2).

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy