Smart game format
The smart game format is a file format in which game histories of board games for two players can be recorded. It has established itself as the de facto standard for recording and distributing games, especially in the implementation of the game Go , which is why its abbreviation (“SGF”) is also interpreted as “Smart Go format”. However, it is also suitable for other games such as backgammon . It is text-based and contains a tree structure that enables various game courses to be recorded. The filename extension is sgf .
development
The format was invented by Anders Kierulf. The syntax can be described with the extended Backus-Naur form . The specification of the current version FF [4] was last extended in 2006. There are various projects that aim or had the goal of further developing the smart game format. For example, a version FF [5] of the format is planned, but is not currently being actively worked on. With XGF it was planned to introduce an XML-based syntax, there has not been any development since 2002 either.
software
There are numerous programs that can be used to create and edit SGF files. Many of them also serve as clients for one or more of the available Go servers, which can be used to play against human and programmed opponents, so-called bots , over the Internet. For example, with CGoban, the client software for the KGS Go-Server, all games played by yourself or others can be exported as SGF so that they can be analyzed and commented on afterwards. Tournaments are also often broadcast on Go servers or even played on them.
Some programs can also use pattern recognition algorithms that can be used to search for similarities between game situations. For example, EidoGo offers a web-based SGF editor that can be used to search a library of games for similarities to your own game situations uploaded to the server via SGF.