The Games that Computers (and Humans) Play
A Non-Technical Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
1st Edition
Published on 9. April 2026
320 pages
978-1-040-55891-1 (ISBN)
Description
The Games that Computers (and Humans) Play is a non-technical introduction to AI using games to illustrate the concepts, written by an internationally known researcher in Artificial Intelligence.
Games and puzzles (one-person games) are a microcosm of the real world. In this book they are used to illustrate the underlying technologies behind popular commercial AI products. The secrets of the computer's successes are revealed, and they are often counter-intuitive. Many of the methods used sound dumb and no human would ever mimic the computer's approach, yet it is hard to argue with success. With your new-found understanding of how AI enables computers to achieve super-human performance at games, the book gives the reader intuitive insight into how this transformative technology is going to revolutionize our world.
With easily understandable descriptions, this book is an ideal introduction for the non-scientist and anyone interested in how games have shaped the history and development of Artificial Intelligence.
Games and puzzles (one-person games) are a microcosm of the real world. In this book they are used to illustrate the underlying technologies behind popular commercial AI products. The secrets of the computer's successes are revealed, and they are often counter-intuitive. Many of the methods used sound dumb and no human would ever mimic the computer's approach, yet it is hard to argue with success. With your new-found understanding of how AI enables computers to achieve super-human performance at games, the book gives the reader intuitive insight into how this transformative technology is going to revolutionize our world.
With easily understandable descriptions, this book is an ideal introduction for the non-scientist and anyone interested in how games have shaped the history and development of Artificial Intelligence.
More details
Series
Edition
1. Auflage
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
20 Tables, black and white; 32 Line drawings, color; 6 Line drawings, black and white; 43 Halftones, color; 16 Halftones, black and white; 75 Illustrations, color; 22 Illustrations, black and white
File size
200,42 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-040-55891-1 (9781040558911)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Jonathan Schaeffer
The Games that Computers (and Humans) Play
A Non-Technical Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Book
04/2026
1st Edition
Chapman & Hall/CRC
€193.13
Shipment within 10-20 days
Jonathan Schaeffer
The Games that Computers (and Humans) Play
A Non-Technical Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Book
04/2026
1st Edition
CRC Press
€73.80
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Jonathan Schaeffer is an internationally known researcher in artificial intelligence and a distinguished University Professor of Computing Science, University of Alberta. He is Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence and Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. Jonathan was lead author of CHINOOK, the first program to win a human world championship in any game (checkers), 1994, co-author of POLARIS, the first program to achieve world-class play in poker, and holder of two Guinness Book of World Records for Artificial Intelligence research (checkers- and poker-playing programs). He is author of One Jump Ahead (Springer-Verlag, 1997 and 2008) and Man Versus Machine: Challenging Human Supremacy at Chess (Russell Enterprises, 2018).
Content
1. Games: That Computers (and People) Play 2. Ask Interesting (AI) 3. Games: The Sandbox 4. Abilities Innate (AI) 5. Games: Tic-Tac-Toe 6. Anatomy Interpretation (AI) 7. Games: Checkers, Chess, and Go 8. 1997: The Longest Ongoing Experiment in Computer Science History 9. Analysis Insight (AI) 10. Games: Backgammon and Go 11. Anonymous Ingredient (AI) 12. Games: Rubik's Cube and the Sliding-Tile Puzzle 13. 1994: Didn't Samuel Solve that Game? 14. Avenue Intersections (AI) 15. Games: Slot Machines 16. Adaptive Introduction (AI) 17. Games: Rock-Paper-Scissors 18. 2008: Know When to Hold 'Em; Know When to Fold 'Em 19. Automaton Instruction (AI) 20. 2016: Gonna Gallantly Go Get Great Go Goal 21. Chatty Chatty Bang Bang: Anticipating Intelligence (AI) 22. Ahead Informed (AI) 23. Acquired Insight (AI) On Artificial Intelligence (AI)
