Review: Invisible - The Games of AlphaGo
Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 7:45 am
Review: Invisible - The Games of AlphaGo
GENERAL SPECIFICATION
* Title: Invisible - The Games of AlphaGo
* Author: Antti Törmänen
* Publisher: Hebsacker Verlag
* Edition: 2017
* Language: English
* Price: EUR 34
* Contents: games
* ISBN: 978-3-937499-06-2
* Printing: almost good
* Layout: intermediate
* Editing: almost good
* Pages: 272
* Size: 176mm x 250mm
* Diagrams per Page on Average: 3
* Method of Teaching: examples
* Read when EGF: 10k - 7d
* Subjective Rank Improvement: -
* Subjective Topic Coverage: o
* Subjective Aims' Achievement: ++
**************************************************************************
INTRODUCTION
Invisible contains games of AlphaGo - 73 commented games (5 of the Lee Sedol match, 3 training games, 60 online games against human opponents, 5 of the Ke Jie event) and 5 uncommented games (against Fan Hui). Recent self-play games of AlphaGo did not make it into the book.
PRINTING, LAYOUT, EDITING
The digital printing of text and diagrams is very good, and the paper pleasant for reading. The binding is bit weak: after one reading, it begins to divide the pages into two blocks. The cover paper is too thin for the large size of the book, but the real problem is the coating, which comes unstuck on most edges, looking ugly. It would have been better to omit the coating with its too weak fixation or use a better coating. Blue is a risky colour for ordinary coating.
The layout is designed to be visually pleasing. This is achieved by generous paragraph spaces, bold font starting most parapgraphs with for example its first move number, a generous font size and layout lines accompanying headings. There is, however, a compromise between sufficient size of the game diagrams and a slightly narrow space between the two columns per page. The large book format is not used for more contents but enables the generous layout.
However, another aspect of the layout is weak: half of the commented games conclude with so much white space that there could have been 1, 2 or 3 additional game sequence diagrams per game. This is very unfortunate because it makes following the game sequence hard especially during the endgame. Just three hours of additional editing would have avoided this problem.
The editing has eliminated most accidental mistakes and just a few remain, as expected for every book. On the other hand, the proofreaders should have identified the circa three go terms, which are partly consistently, partly occasionally used instead of more appropriate terms. The consistent mistake is 'area counting' used with the meaning of 'area scoring'. These errors do not inhibit understanding of the contents though.
It may be amusing that a fight is often called a melee. I am more concerned about the frequent remarks that AlphaGo would have played something 'novel'. This is correct only half of the times. For the other half, Antti Törmänen appears not to have been aware of earlier occurrences in human play.
THE COMMENTARY
Studying AlphaGo's games from a book can be sufficient reason to buy it. However, the book also contains commentary so the question arises whether it creates additional value. By far most games are commented by Antti Törmänen. Some other games are commented by a few other professional players. Every game sequence diagram shows circa 50 moves.
The three major parts of the book have entertaining introductions with interesting background information. A few of the game commentaries contain sound speculation about how the AI might think, but we cannot know for sure and one can come up with alternative explanations. Nevertheless, these parts generate some enjoyable reading.
73 commented games etc. on 272 pages - you can easily do the maths: we have from 2 to 4, infrequently a few more pages of commentary per game. The emphasis has been put on including as many games rather than providing as detailed commentary as possible. Accordingly, there are also only a few (for example, 4) additional commentary diagrams per game.
The text contains relevant commentary for intermediate to stronger players (often for circa 5 kyu to 3 dan), elementary commentary useful for 7 to 10 kyu (such as pointing out moves building influence) as well as trivial comments and references (such as "the move starts the endgame" or "also appears in game x").
With few commenting diagrams and little space available or used for relevant commentary, necessarily the commentary has to be highly selective. A few aspects of the game are commented but most aspects and moves are left uncommented. That said, the diagrams and relevant commentary are chosen well for the purpose of creating the reader's illusion of understanding what was going on in every game. The diligent student of AlphaGo's play will be, however, disappointed and is left to his own study of its strategy and tactics.
As far as the relevant commentary is offered, it almost always shows correct moves and comments. Antti Törmänen shows his principle ability to teach. I found only a few suboptimal moves and pieces of advice throughout the book.
With the exception of positional judgement. AlphaGo's strategy heavily relies on accurate positional judgement. Most of its judgements are not discussed in the book. Most of the discussed positional judgement is weak: inaccurate (incorrect, rough statements or rounding to multiples of 10), partial (e.g., only territorial), speculative (reflecting what AlphaGo might have thought instead of analysing the position). Only some of the endgame or territory judgements of the other professional commentators are reasonable.
Antti Törmänen writes to have improved significantly from studying AlphaGo's games. Unfortunately, he does not convey related insight to the reader. The game commentaries read like your ordinary GoWorld commentary. Apart from a few special insights, such as those related to AlphaGo's 3-3 invasions, nothing points to a broad knowledge for improving one's playing strength due to understanding AlphaGo's play.
AlphaGo's games could have been analysed deeply and systematically for its strategies and tactics. With a few exceptions mostly related to its opening and joseki preferences, the book does not do it.
Did you expect this new book on AlphaGo's games to summarise, comment on and go beyond earlier books, video commentaries and online commentaries? Although some of the variations are chosen particularly well, you will be disappointed. The format of this book does not offer the space for an exhaustive analysis.
CONCLUSION
The price reflects the large format. Buy the book if you want to study AlphaGo's games in printing or the rough guidance through the games already makes you happy. Although the commentary is mostly correct (except for weak positional judgement), it adds less additional value than the short historical background information. The commentary might be good enough if you expect no more than GoWorld style. It is disappointing if you expect the promised significant improvement of playing strength or deep, systematic insight in AlphaGo's play.
GENERAL SPECIFICATION
* Title: Invisible - The Games of AlphaGo
* Author: Antti Törmänen
* Publisher: Hebsacker Verlag
* Edition: 2017
* Language: English
* Price: EUR 34
* Contents: games
* ISBN: 978-3-937499-06-2
* Printing: almost good
* Layout: intermediate
* Editing: almost good
* Pages: 272
* Size: 176mm x 250mm
* Diagrams per Page on Average: 3
* Method of Teaching: examples
* Read when EGF: 10k - 7d
* Subjective Rank Improvement: -
* Subjective Topic Coverage: o
* Subjective Aims' Achievement: ++
**************************************************************************
INTRODUCTION
Invisible contains games of AlphaGo - 73 commented games (5 of the Lee Sedol match, 3 training games, 60 online games against human opponents, 5 of the Ke Jie event) and 5 uncommented games (against Fan Hui). Recent self-play games of AlphaGo did not make it into the book.
PRINTING, LAYOUT, EDITING
The digital printing of text and diagrams is very good, and the paper pleasant for reading. The binding is bit weak: after one reading, it begins to divide the pages into two blocks. The cover paper is too thin for the large size of the book, but the real problem is the coating, which comes unstuck on most edges, looking ugly. It would have been better to omit the coating with its too weak fixation or use a better coating. Blue is a risky colour for ordinary coating.
The layout is designed to be visually pleasing. This is achieved by generous paragraph spaces, bold font starting most parapgraphs with for example its first move number, a generous font size and layout lines accompanying headings. There is, however, a compromise between sufficient size of the game diagrams and a slightly narrow space between the two columns per page. The large book format is not used for more contents but enables the generous layout.
However, another aspect of the layout is weak: half of the commented games conclude with so much white space that there could have been 1, 2 or 3 additional game sequence diagrams per game. This is very unfortunate because it makes following the game sequence hard especially during the endgame. Just three hours of additional editing would have avoided this problem.
The editing has eliminated most accidental mistakes and just a few remain, as expected for every book. On the other hand, the proofreaders should have identified the circa three go terms, which are partly consistently, partly occasionally used instead of more appropriate terms. The consistent mistake is 'area counting' used with the meaning of 'area scoring'. These errors do not inhibit understanding of the contents though.
It may be amusing that a fight is often called a melee. I am more concerned about the frequent remarks that AlphaGo would have played something 'novel'. This is correct only half of the times. For the other half, Antti Törmänen appears not to have been aware of earlier occurrences in human play.
THE COMMENTARY
Studying AlphaGo's games from a book can be sufficient reason to buy it. However, the book also contains commentary so the question arises whether it creates additional value. By far most games are commented by Antti Törmänen. Some other games are commented by a few other professional players. Every game sequence diagram shows circa 50 moves.
The three major parts of the book have entertaining introductions with interesting background information. A few of the game commentaries contain sound speculation about how the AI might think, but we cannot know for sure and one can come up with alternative explanations. Nevertheless, these parts generate some enjoyable reading.
73 commented games etc. on 272 pages - you can easily do the maths: we have from 2 to 4, infrequently a few more pages of commentary per game. The emphasis has been put on including as many games rather than providing as detailed commentary as possible. Accordingly, there are also only a few (for example, 4) additional commentary diagrams per game.
The text contains relevant commentary for intermediate to stronger players (often for circa 5 kyu to 3 dan), elementary commentary useful for 7 to 10 kyu (such as pointing out moves building influence) as well as trivial comments and references (such as "the move starts the endgame" or "also appears in game x").
With few commenting diagrams and little space available or used for relevant commentary, necessarily the commentary has to be highly selective. A few aspects of the game are commented but most aspects and moves are left uncommented. That said, the diagrams and relevant commentary are chosen well for the purpose of creating the reader's illusion of understanding what was going on in every game. The diligent student of AlphaGo's play will be, however, disappointed and is left to his own study of its strategy and tactics.
As far as the relevant commentary is offered, it almost always shows correct moves and comments. Antti Törmänen shows his principle ability to teach. I found only a few suboptimal moves and pieces of advice throughout the book.
With the exception of positional judgement. AlphaGo's strategy heavily relies on accurate positional judgement. Most of its judgements are not discussed in the book. Most of the discussed positional judgement is weak: inaccurate (incorrect, rough statements or rounding to multiples of 10), partial (e.g., only territorial), speculative (reflecting what AlphaGo might have thought instead of analysing the position). Only some of the endgame or territory judgements of the other professional commentators are reasonable.
Antti Törmänen writes to have improved significantly from studying AlphaGo's games. Unfortunately, he does not convey related insight to the reader. The game commentaries read like your ordinary GoWorld commentary. Apart from a few special insights, such as those related to AlphaGo's 3-3 invasions, nothing points to a broad knowledge for improving one's playing strength due to understanding AlphaGo's play.
AlphaGo's games could have been analysed deeply and systematically for its strategies and tactics. With a few exceptions mostly related to its opening and joseki preferences, the book does not do it.
Did you expect this new book on AlphaGo's games to summarise, comment on and go beyond earlier books, video commentaries and online commentaries? Although some of the variations are chosen particularly well, you will be disappointed. The format of this book does not offer the space for an exhaustive analysis.
CONCLUSION
The price reflects the large format. Buy the book if you want to study AlphaGo's games in printing or the rough guidance through the games already makes you happy. Although the commentary is mostly correct (except for weak positional judgement), it adds less additional value than the short historical background information. The commentary might be good enough if you expect no more than GoWorld style. It is disappointing if you expect the promised significant improvement of playing strength or deep, systematic insight in AlphaGo's play.
