Three things:

• AlphaGo to Zero volume 3 released.

• Analysis of game 55 on Friday 12/12 at 7PM ET.

• And a 10% discount on all books.

AlphaGo to Zero, vol. 3: Masterpieces – AlphaGo vs. AlphaGo

by Michael Redmond 9P and Chris Garlock

From the first AlphaGo–Lee Sedol shockwaves in 2016 through the emergence of AlphaGo Zero in 2017, Michael Redmond 9P and Chris Garlock have chronicled the transformation of Go in real time, producing a growing archive of commentaries, conversations, and analyses that document how AI reshaped the game at every level. This four-volume series brings that record together, offering a detailed look at the games, ideas, and breakthroughs that defined the AlphaGo era.

Volume 3 turns to the fifty official AlphaGo vs. AlphaGo self-play games released by DeepMind — the curated set of masterpieces that revealed, for the first time, how AlphaGo understood Go when freed from human opponents. Returning to these games years later with new tools and far deeper insight, Redmond re-examines openings, direction, timing, invasions, and endgame choices through the lens of what we now know about AI play. The result is a newly coherent view of these once-mysterious battles, presented through focused commentary, key-position diagrams, and explanations that illuminate how the moves function rather than who is “ahead.” This is where the conversation with AlphaGo finally begins to make sense — and where the path to AlphaGo Zero becomes unmistakably clear.

Check out the sample chapter as EPUB at gobooks.com or in the SmartGo One app.

Analysis of game 55

Each game includes a link to the video of Redmond and Garlock analyzing that game, for all 50 official games as well as 4 of the 5 bonus games. However, game 55 never had a video; Redmond and Garlock will analyze that game on Friday December 12, at 7 PM ET, on the AGA’s YouTube and Twitch channels.

Discount

To celebrate the release of the third volume in the AlphaGo to Zero series, use coupon ALPHAGO to get 10% off. The important clue: it works on all books at gobooks.com. So if there’s some book you’ve been thinking of getting, now’s a good time. Valid until December 15.

Staying connected

Any questions or suggestions, please reach out with an email to support@smartgo.com. And you can follow me on Mastodon: @smartgo@mastodon.social

Enjoy!

Anders Kierulf