Alpha beta pruning

• Some branches will never be played by rational players since

they include sub-optimal decisions (for either player)

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

algorithm. It is an optimization technique for the minimax
algorithm. ... It is also called as Alpha-Beta Algorithm.

• Modified version of Minimax search

• Cut off search by exploring less number of nodes

Alpha beta pruning. Example

MAX

MIN

MAX

4 36 2219 5315475
 Alpha beta pruning. Example

MAX

MIN

MAX
4

4 36 2219 5315475

Alpha beta pruning. Example

MAX

MIN
4

MAX
4

4 36 2219 5315475
 Alpha beta pruning. Example

MAX

MIN
4

MAX
!!
4 6

4 36 2219 5315475

Alpha beta pruning. Example

MAX 4

MIN
4

MAX
4 6

4 36 2219 5315475
 Alpha beta pruning. Example

MAX 4

MIN
4

MAX
4 6 2

4 36 2219 5315475

Alpha beta pruning. Example

MAX 4

MIN
4 2

MAX
4 6 2

4 36 2219 5315475
 Alpha beta pruning. Example

MAX 4

MIN !!
4 2

MAX
4 6 2

4 36 2219 5315475

Alpha beta pruning. Example

MAX 4

MIN
4 2

MAX
4 6 2 5

4 36 2219 5315475
 Alpha beta pruning. Example

MAX 4

MIN 5
4 2

MAX
4 6 2 5

4 36 2219 5315475

Alpha beta pruning. Example

MAX 4

MIN 5
4 2

!!
MAX
4 6 2 5 7

4 36 2219 5315475
 Alpha beta pruning. Example

MAX 5

MIN 5
4 2

MAX
4 6 2 5 7

4 36 2219 5315475

Alpha beta pruning. Example

MAX 5

MIN 5
4 2

MAX
4 6 2 5 7

4 36 2219 5315475

nodes that were never explored !!!