Would a quantum computer have done it faster?

Apparently, a computer has “solved” the game of checkers (I didn’t realize it was “solvable”). Apparently, a perfect game by both sides results in a draw. Could a quantum computer have figured this out faster? OK, that was a rhetorical question. It all depends upon the type of algorithm use to solve it. Quantum computers are supposed to be faster at some tasks, but not all. In particular they are supposed to improve upon such things as the ability to factor large numbers and perhaps primes, etc., etc. Anyway, the “checkers problem” seems to be one of symmetry at first glance, though after a second’s thought, after a certain number of moves I wonder if a perfect game wouldn’t start to resemble Conway’s Game of Life. The rules appear to be somewhat similar, particularly if you rule out jumping (which, if I recall, is not in the original rules for checkers). It seems to me that the extreme unliklihood of a perfect game being played by two human players says quite a bit about human thought processes.

~ by quantummoxie on July 19, 2007.