The major programs here are Arthur Samuel's, the rote learning method which is a lot like a memory based method, generalization learning which is a lot like backprop and a signature table approach that also provides you a feed-forward type network. One of Samuel's programs did beat a checkers champion and the AI community has often make a fuss over that saying that this AI program played a "championship-level" game though that expert beat the program in the next 6 games. Note too, what Samuels says: "the program is fairly capable of beating any amateur player and can give better players a good contest".