In a minimax search algorithm optimizing chess move selection within limited computational resources, which mechanism enables the algorithm to disregard game tree branches that are demonstrably suboptimal?

💡 Explanation

Alpha-beta pruning allows the minimax algorithm to avoid evaluating subtrees that will not influence the final decision, because the algorithm recognizes that those branches are outside the current alpha-beta window; therefore, alpha-beta pruning improves search efficiency, rather than other search enhancements.

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