Our conclusions are twofold: (1) in Bao, PrOM search performs better than OM search and sometimes also better than Minimax search even when no perfect information of the opponent is available, and (2) for an adequate performance of PrOM search, emphasis on the own evaluation function in the opponent model should be higher than assumed so far. In this paper we investigate two questions: (1) to which extent is PrOM search better than OM search and Minimax search in the game of Bao? and (2) which opponent type is most advantageous to use? To answer the second question we constructed Five evaluation functions which we applied in a tournament consisting of 352,000 games.

We hypothesize that PrOM search is a better search mechanism than Opponent-Model search (OM search) and Minimax search. The opponent is assumed to adopt at every move one of the opponent types ω i according to the probability Pr(ω i ). In Probabilistic Opponent-Model search (PrOM search) the opponent is modelled by a mixed strategy of N opponent types ω 0. Is the difference between Bao and Chess players related to the differences in playing context or are the experiments designed for Chess not comparable or not applicable to Bao? Also included in this article is a discussion of these cultural factors in International Draughts. In this instance, the role of 'culture' became an issue in two ways.

However, recent research on Bao experts-a board game played in East Africa-contradicted some of the results in Chess (A. As long as the results of the experiments do not upset the results of Chess research, one could claim that this cultural background is irrelevant and that cognitive experiments on experts concern a level of thinking which is universal in humans. The Basics of Mancala The objective is to sow the seeds given to a player so that the winning player sows the most at the conclusion of the game. You will see two rows of six holes, with a long mancala on. Despite the presence of Japanese, Russian, Dutch and recently African players or games, the results of the experiments have been compared as if there is one 'board game culture'. 1.Before the game begins, place the board between you and your opponent, long side facing you.

In board games research the effect of 'cultural' variables has not been studied or even considered.

Mancala games