self-play

noun

A technique for improving the performance of reinforcement learning agents by having them play against themselves.

“Self-play was used by the AlphaZero program to improve its performance in the games of chess, shogi and go.”

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Meanings

nounself-play (uncountable)
  1. uncountablemachine learningA technique for improving the performance of reinforcement learning agents by having them play against themselves.

    Self-play was used by the AlphaZero program to improve its performance in the games of chess, shogi and go.

Origin

From self- + play.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

self-play. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/self-play

MLA

“self-play.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/self-play. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “self-play,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/self-play.

Source: self-play on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.