<p>Assuming that 'non-depth-limited minimax' is minimax with iterative deepening, it does not have to result in the same output as depth-limited minimax. It can traverse the tree deeper and thus find different optimal answers for a 'deeper' layer.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-03T16:18:59.403Z
2022-05-03T16:18:59.403Z
Robin van Hoorn
<p>I have read about a question that says the following:</p>
<p>Why is depth-limited minimax preferable to minimax?</p>
<p>One of the wrong answers was:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The depth-limited minimax will achieve the same output as minimax without depth-limited, but can sometimes use less memory.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Why is the above answer is wrong? I mean, don't both of these algorithms always achieve the same output, and because the depth-limited minimax doesn't always explore all the states this makes it use less memory?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-30T05:09:40.127Z
Can you please provide a reference that describes this "depth-limited minimax"? I think you're not talking about alpha-beta pruning, but some other variation. Wikipedia provides the pseudocode for the depth-limited minimax [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimax), but if you have a more reliable reference that you're using that describes it, feel free to share it with us. It might also be a good idea to provide the link to the original source of the question.
nbro
<search><minimax>
Why is depth-limited is preferable to minimax without depth limited
Ahmed
# Why is depth-limited is preferable to minimax without depth limited

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-04-29)

I have read about a question that says the following:

Why is depth-limited minimax preferable to minimax?

One of the wrong answers was:

> The depth-limited minimax will achieve the same output as minimax without depth-limited, but can sometimes use less memory.

Why is the above answer is wrong? I mean, don't both of these algorithms always achieve the same output, and because the depth-limited minimax doesn't always explore all the states this makes it use less memory?

**Tags:** search, minimax

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Can you please provide a reference that describes this "depth-limited minimax"? I think you're not talking about alpha-beta pruning, but some other variation. Wikipedia provides the pseudocode for the depth-limited minimax [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimax), but if you have a more reliable reference that you're using that describes it, feel free to share it with us. It might also be a good idea to provide the link to the original source of the question.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2022-05-03. Score: 1

Assuming that 'non-depth-limited minimax' is minimax with iterative deepening, it does not have to result in the same output as depth-limited minimax. It can traverse the tree deeper and thus find different optimal answers for a 'deeper' layer.


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