Champion Go -Crazy Stone- app for iPhone and iPad

4.8 ( 4848 ratings )

Games Entertainment Board Strategy
Developer: UNBALANCE Corporation

4.99 USD

Current version: 1.1.3, last update: 7 years ago
First release : 24 Jul 2011
App size: 15.58 Mb

Champion Go is a Go (also called as Igo, Baduk or Weiqi) game, powered by Crazy Stone.
(June 21) Upgraded our Engine Server Game to the Deep Learning version !
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Crazy Stone is a popularly known Go engine, based on the Monte-Carlo evaluation technique,
combined with tree search, and has achieved 6d at KGS rating.
We have optimized this particular version for the iPhone and the strength is from beginner level
to around 1d.

(*)KGS・・・Internet Go game site played by Go fans all over the world

Champion Go is a Go application from beginner to expert!

We have also provided Engine Server Game mode (playing tickets are required).
In this mode, you can play games against the latest Deep Learning version of Crazy Stone
which is installed in our computer server. Therefore you can enjoy online games against a very strong computer program.

■ Medal challenge mode
Champion Go has 2 game modes, Normal game & Medal challenge.
In Medal challenge, there are 150 different levels of play
set by combination of COM level, handicap & board size.

You can win medals by defeating computer under the specified conditions.
Why dont you challenge to collect all the medals!

■ Engine Server Game
(Playing tickets are required for these games)
There are 10 levels of play for each 9x9,13x13,19x19 board size.
If you want to play against the one of the stongest computer programs,
please enjoy online games against our Go Server Engine.

*June 21 New version of Crazy Stone employing Deep Learning technology for Engine Server Games!
(Playing tickets are required for these games)

Crazy Stone has made a huge step forward by combining Deep Neural Networks with Monte Carlo Tree Search.
The new program has scored a winning rate of over 90% against the previous version!

We have upgraded our Go Engine Server to this latest version, and now you can play games against Crazy Stone
that has achieved 7d on kgs rating.
(We have provided a 8 core engine server for these games)

・Prices for playing tickets are:
30 days ticket $2.99
90 days ticket $6.99
180 days ticket $11.99

■ Friendly 3 input methods
There are 3 options of input methods (Zoom, Cursor & Touch).

■ Helpful Game record features
You can view full game history in the game record and restart game from the selected move,
which should help reviewing your game.
Various Game record features should be practical for improving your Go.

■ Other Features
・Human vs Computer, Human vs Human(sharing a single device)
・3 types of board size (9x9,13x13,19x19)
・Handicap games, variable options of komi
・Hint (suggest)
・Instant Undo (available even when the computer is thinking)
・Automatic territory calculation
・Suspend/Re-start (in game)
・Save/Load game record
・Send game record (sgf-file) by e-mail
・Automatic and manual replay of a game record
・Byoyomi(time limit) settings (only for human)
・Atari warning
・Highlight the last move
・COM resign feature

※In medal challenge mode, some features related with game record and hints are not available.
Also Undo is limited to the recent move you made (2 consecutive Undos can not be made).

■Results of participated tournamnets since 2013

UEC Cup Go Tournament

2013　Champion
2014　Runner-up
2015　Champion　　

Densei-sen

2013 CS won 4 Stones Ishida Yoshio 9p
2014 CS won 4 Stones　Norimoto Yoda 9p
2015 CS lost 3 Stones　Cho Chikun 9p

Pros and cons of Champion Go -Crazy Stone- app for iPhone and iPad

Champion Go -Crazy Stone- app good for

Excellent application, excepted for one feature: I use it also as a goban to play against another human player (this option is proposed) BUT the time, etc. IS NOT INVERTED for the white player, which does not enable nice face to face game. Thanks for correcting this feature, Excellent moteur de go, développé par un chercheur de lUniversite de Lille, Remi Coulom (moteur "crazy stones" basé sur un algorithme de MonteCarlo). La realisation du logiciel est excellente, avec de nombreuses options (mode apprentissage avec difficulté croissante, niveau reglable, évaluation en cours de jeu des territoires: très utile pour le débutant). Du niveau des meilleurs jeux de lApp store (igowin, smartgo), que jai tous. Le prix en promo est une affaire pour ce niveau de qualité. Une version HD pour lIpad serait un plus. Top level go engine developed by Remi Coulom, AI researcher from Lille university (Monte Carlo method). Very good software package with many options. At the best level, better AI than the other best soft in the App store (smartgo, igowin). Highly recommandable at a good price. See also the excellent free little go app.

It seems to be about 3k in the Normal Game mode. I dont doubt it will be around 6d in the Engine Sever Game mode (at KGS rating). After I surpass the AI in the Normal Game mode, I will try the Engine Server. But, 3k is sufficient for an intermediate level player like me. I am happy with the app.

It seems to be about 3k in the Normal Game mode. I dont doubt it will be around 6d in the Engine Server game mode (at KGS rating). After I surpass the AI in the Normal Game mode, I am going to try the engine server. But, 3k is sufficient for an intermediate level player like me. I am happy with the app.

Some bad moments

I love this app, especially for the low low price of $1.99. The only thing missing is life and death problems and a nice tutorial would be great;).

The bot is quite great for learning players and allows players to scale the bots strength or handicap for challenging games. Hardest level with no handicap on the 9x9 has yet to lose to my 1 dan friend. Controls are great and customizable, but on the full board, it can be a bit much on an iPhone. The iPad version is more doable. Great to have available on my phone for downtime. Wish list: Universal app Puzzles Jouseki tutor

It may never play the exquisite tesuji but this AI fights like a demon in close combat. Ive played them all, this is the best in performance, with several unique features. Minus. Not my favorite board design, the stones seem smaller than in Smartgo and other implementations. Internet play isnt offered in this version, which is fine with me, thats really a different direction and there are good client players out there. (Panda is my favorite). But it would be a niche breaker if the authors added Internet server access. Plus. The handicapping and strength tables, however, add a clever method allowing the player to select different approaches of machine play. Computer go gets better every year. This is the current best in performance and near-best in looks.

I dont care about problems or tutorials... there are other apps you can get for that. I downloaded this specifically for the promise of battling "one of the strongest bots around," specifically CrazyStone, a KGS 4d. I was pretty disappointed on that front. I estimate the strongest level 10 is about kgs 4 kyu in strength (Japanese 1kyu-1dan). As a kgs 1-2kyu, I crushed the computer pretty handily in our first even game (which was after getting a shocking 90+ moku win after initially giving myself a 3 stone handicap). Looking at the other reviews, the bot is probably a lot stronger on 9x9. But really-- who cares? Any number of bots can do well on 9x9, and frankly 9x9 is not "real go," and one cant help but feel cramped. You havent built a great bot unless it can play well on 19x19. Now I get that the processing power of an ipod/iphone is a different scale from a computer, but the 4d title is touted in the product description, and as far as I can see, no where is there a disclaimer about its actual strength. A 4kyu opponent is plenty impressive on an ipod, and itll definitely be fun to use this to kill time but... I really feel that this should have been properly disclaimed, and that the product description is false advertising. Im looking forward to having fun playing with this app to kill time but-- I cant expect to learn much from playing it like I thought I would. Too bad.

The gameplay is challenging at every level and the moves of this app are in every way superb. The result is a real go game, without errors and fluke moves. At the weaker levels the engine is a bit more conservative and chooses defensive moves at times. At higher levels the engine shows proficiency in life and death struggles, attack and defense and moyo development. It can also win a ko battle. - Medals can be won in a separate mode, in which taking back is restricted to the last move (this is necessary to correct misplacement). - As a wish, Id like the game records to include not just the engines level and number of moves, but also the (estimated) end score. This would make looking up older games easier. - Also, it would be a service to beginners to include the rank ( in kyu or dan) of the engines strength. I estimate level 4 to be around 1 dan on 13x13, which I can occasionally beat without handicap or komi. - Kudos for this marvel of modern computer power. Awesome to play against. - I havent tried online games, because it requires in-game purchases. A pity, because there are enough free alternatives.

This is a great app for the iPhone for playing go. The game functions very similarly to the desktop version of crazy stone. The desktop version is quite strong heading up to one or two Kyu. This version is weaker, but still quite a fun game. It is about 14 Kyu at level five or six. The zoom feature functions very well and is quite easy to play with. Overall, the very best go playing app on the iPhone!

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