Static Board Evaluator (Evaluation Function)

Because we can't look all the way to the end of the game, look ahead ply moves, evaluate the nodes there using a "static board evaluator".

Example for Tic Tac Toe: Number of unblocked lines with Xs minus
Number of unblocked lines with Os

SAMUEL's Checker Program

There is a tradeoff between:

	Stupid, fast SBE; Massive Search
	   These are Type "A" systems


		vs.



	Smart, slow SBE; Very Little Search
	   These are Type "B" systems

Humans are type ``B'' systems

Computer chess systems have been much more successful using type ``A'' approach

They get better by searching more ply