12 Kalah on Atlas A. G. Bell I INTRODUCTION This is a report on work done with the

The original intention was to demonstrate the on-line typewriter to visitors via a simple system which reacted to the user, in this case by refusing to be beaten twice in the same way at the game of Kalah. The mechanism to achieve this is a memory, built up from information obtained in previous games, which is stored on magnetic tape. The program was designed to keep the size of this memory to small proportions by implementing two mechanisms the author believes to be commonly used by humans when solving problems. The two mechanisms are: 1. ignoring irrelevant information in the sense that, although it exists, it is highly probable that its precise structure or properties cannot alter the relevant information or characteristics of the problem being considered, and 2. accepting positions close to a solution or win, providing the opponent is further from a win. Some of the difficulties of testing these ideas in practice are discussed and suggestions are made on how to overcome them, in particular with the game of solo whist.