alphabeta_full_search_max_value

[unhandyandy]

I have a couple questions about the alphabeta_full_search_max_value function in games.jl.

1. Suppose that the state is terminal, and the utility function returns a value that is < beta but > alpha. Shouldn't that still change the value of alpha?
2. My understanding is that in Julia numeric arguments to a function are passed by value. Since this function doesn't return the new value of alpha, I don't see how that value changes over the course of the search.

function alphabeta_full_search_max_value(game::T, player::String, state::String, alpha::Number, beta::Number) where {T <: AbstractGame}
	if (terminal_test(game, state))
		return utility(game, state, player)
	end
	local v::Float64 = -Inf64;
	for action in actions(game, state)
		v = max(v, alphabeta_full_search_min_value(game, player, result(game, state, action), alpha, beta));
        if (v >= beta)
            return v;
        end
        ### ! changes external variable alpha  ?
        alpha = max(alpha, v);
	end
	return v;
end