Re: [gnugo-devel] avoid .sgf problem

[Gunnar Farnebäck]

Arend wrote:
> Handicap stones should be set up with AB[]. If gnugo detects a game with
> handicap, but no AB[]'s, it adds them (after the first move).
> 
> KGS uses B[] instead of AB[] in case of free handicap placement. This may
> not be according to the letter of the sgf-specification, but I think it is
> correct according to its spirit -- AB[] is for preset stones (starting 
> position
> of a problem, handicap stones), B[] is for moves that are an actual decision
> by one of the players.

I don't agree, I think it's more appropriate to use AB[] also for free
handicap placement.

> In fact, it seems to me that the text in the description of the HA[]
> property was only thinking about fixed handicap.

Really?

> I suggest to avoid this issue by only manually adding the handicap stones
> if we detect a _white_ move on the empty board in a handicap game.

Well, the manual addition is really only a workaround to handle old
sgf files, in particular ones written by ancient versions of GNU Go,
where the handicap stones are not explicitly listed. I don't think
this is much needed any longer. On the other hand your workaround to
the workaround looks quite solid, so it would be fine with me.

/Gunnar