Theory

The min max algorithm in AI, popularly known as the minimax, is a backtracking algorithm used in decision making, game theory and artificial intelligence (AI). It is used to find the optimal move for a player, assuming that the opponent is also playing optimally. Popular two-player computer or online games like Chess, Tic-Tac-Toe, Checkers, Go, etc. use this algorithm.

A backtracking algorithm is used to find a solution to computational problems in such a way that a candidate is incrementally built towards a solution, one step at a time. And the candidate that fails to complete a solution is immediately abandoned.