# Jonathan Schaeffer

> Canadian computer scientist

**Wikidata**: [Q93012](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q93012)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Schaeffer)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/jonathan-schaeffer

## Summary
Jonathan Schaeffer is a Canadian computer scientist and artificial intelligence researcher born in 1957. He is best known for developing Chinook, the first computer program to win a human world championship in a non-trivial game of skill. He serves as a university teacher at the University of Alberta.

## Biography
- **Born:** 1957, Toronto
- **Nationality:** Canada
- **Education:** University of Toronto; University of Waterloo
- **Known for:** Designing the checker-playing system Chinook
- **Employer(s):** University of Alberta
- **Field(s):** Computer science; Artificial intelligence

## Contributions
Jonathan Schaeffer’s primary contribution to computer science lies in the field of artificial intelligence, specifically regarding search algorithms and game-playing software. His most notable work is **Chinook**, a checkers-playing program. According to the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), Schaeffer was recognized for "significant contributions to search and game-playing, including the design and implementation of the checker-playing system Chinook, the first program to win a human world championship in any non-trivial game of skill."

In addition to his software developments, Schaeffer has made significant contributions to academia through teaching and mentorship at the University of Alberta. He has supervised at least eight doctoral students, including Aske Plaat, Diego Alejandro Novillo, and Ehud Sharlin. His research interests extend to poker, which is listed among his sports and occupations. His academic lineage traces back to his doctoral advisors, Maarten Herman van Emden and Randy G. Goebel.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Jonathan Schaeffer’s most famous creation?
A: Jonathan Schaeffer is best known for creating Chinook, a checkers-playing computer program that became the first software to win a human world championship in a non-trivial game.

### Q: Where does Jonathan Schaeffer work?
A: He is employed by the University of Alberta as a university teacher and researcher in the field of computer science.

### Q: What awards has Jonathan Schaeffer received?
A: He was named a Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) in 2000 for his contributions to search and game-playing.

### Q: What is Jonathan Schaeffer's educational background?
A: He attended the University of Toronto and the University of Waterloo.

## Why They Matter
Jonathan Schaeffer matters significantly to the history of artificial intelligence and game theory. By creating Chinook, he achieved a major milestone in computing: proving that a machine could conquer a game of skill at a world-championship level. This achievement provided a foundation for future research into game-playing AI and complex search algorithms. His work has influenced a generation of computer scientists; as a professor at the University of Alberta, he has mentored numerous doctoral students who have gone on to their own academic careers. His dual involvement in checkers (via Chinook) and poker positions him as a key figure in the development of AI capable of handling imperfect information and strategic reasoning.

## Notable For
- **Chinook:** Designed the first program to win a human world championship in a non-trivial game.
- **AAAI Fellow:** Received the fellowship in 2000 for his work in AI and game-playing.
- **Academic Leadership:** Served as a doctoral advisor to at least eight PhD candidates.
- **Poker AI:** Recognized for contributions to poker-related artificial intelligence research.
- **Authorship:** Holds an extensive list of academic author IDs (DBLP, ACM, etc.), indicating a robust publication record.

## Body

### Early Life and Education
Jonathan Herbert Schaeffer was born in 1957 in Toronto, Canada. He pursued his higher education in Canada, attending the University of Toronto and later the University of Waterloo.

### Academic Career
Schaeffer has spent a significant portion of his career at the **University of Alberta**. His roles include:
- **University Teacher:** Lecturing in computer science.
- **Researcher:** Focusing on artificial intelligence models and search capabilities.
- **Advisor:** Mentoring doctoral candidates including:
    - Aske Plaat
    - Diego Alejandro Novillo
    - Andreas Junghanns
    - Mark Gordon Brockington
    - Ian Scott Parsons
    - Ajit Singh
    - Richard Valenzano
    - Ehud Sharlin

His own doctoral advisors were Maarten Herman van Emden and Randy G. Goebel.

### Research and Achievements
Schaeffer's work focuses on **artificial intelligence**, particularly in "search and game-playing."
- **Chinook:** A landmark project in computer science history. The AAAI cited this work as the reason for his fellowship, noting it was the "first program to win a human world championship."
- **Poker:** Beyond checkers, Schaeffer is also listed as a poker player, indicating his interest and expertise in games of imperfect information.
- **Publications:** He is tracked by multiple bibliographic identifiers, including a DBLP author ID (`s/JonathanSchaeffer`) and a Mathematics Genealogy Project ID (`67064`).

### Professional Recognition
- **Fellowship:** Elected a Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) in 2000.
- **Member:** Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence.

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## References

1. Mathematics Genealogy Project
2. [Source](https://aaai.org/about-aaai/aaai-awards/the-aaai-fellows-program/elected-aaai-fellows/)
3. International Standard Name Identifier
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. CiNii Research
6. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
7. IdRef
8. CONOR.SI
9. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File