The SIKS/IKAT colloquium is organized by the Institute for Knowledge and Agent Technology in cooperation with SIKS Participation is free for all SIKS-members Title: Heuristic Depth-t-Search in Single Player Games Speaker: Susanne Heuser Location: Kapoenstraat 23, Maastricht (map: http://um0023.unimaas.nl/plattegrond/) Date: 18 March 2003 Time: 14.00u - 15.30u ___________ Abstract: Depth-t-Search on gametrees is a common method to collect information about the possible moves in a given game position. It computes all positions which can be reached in t moves and evaluates them according to an evaluation function. On this basis the next move is determined. "SlideThree", a sliding puzzle similar to the well known 15-Puzzle, is used to analyze the behaviour of Depth-t-Search with respect to different evaluation functions. This is done by theoretical analysis of the puzzle as well as by conducting experiments on the computer. Of special interest is the question, whether evaluation functions can be improved by introducing randomization.