Samuel: machine learning through checkers play

What changed

A program could improve its checkers decisions through recorded experience and adjustment.

Scientific scope

Samuel's 1959 paper and experiments; not general RL theory, human-champion performance or modern self-play systems.

Evidence

The linked sources identify this contribution and its scope. WRS has not independently reconstructed the scientific claims. The record is limited to Samuel’s 1959 sole-authored study and its reported experiments; it does not claim modern reinforcement-learning theory or human-champion performance.

Contributors

• Arthur L. Samuel · SCIENCE: Named source author of the scoped work; individual effort shares are not measured.

• Samuel, Some Studies in Machine Learning Using the Game of Checkers

Provisional WRS assessment, edition 2026-10-16.1. Independent expert calibration is pending. This grade does not certify correctness or assign ownership.

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