Horizon Effect

The Horizon Effect is a limitation in computer chess and other game-playing algorithms where the program can only look a certain number of moves ahead due to computational constraints. This causes the program to miss potential future consequences beyond its "horizon," potentially leading to suboptimal decisions. For example, it might not foresee a threat or opportunity that occurs several moves later, affecting the quality of its choice. Improving the horizon involves refining algorithms or using heuristics to better evaluate positions beyond the immediate search depth, reducing the chance of overlooking important long-term implications.