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Topic: Which do you prefer- the win in seven or the win in five?
Replies: 2   Views: 45,523   Pages: 1   Last Post: Sep 25, 2008, 2:13 AM by: watsu

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watsu

Posts: 1,487
Registered: Dec 16, 2001
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Which do you prefer- the win in seven or the win in five?
Posted: Sep 20, 2008, 3:06 AM

If you don't have a preference because "in Pente a win is a win" please humor me and don't reply here. You can post to that effect in this tournament proposal thread, though.
http://pente.org/gameServer/forums/thread.jspa?forumID=2&threadID=3820&tstart=0

Anyway, if you do have a preference of which win seems "better" between these two below, please let me know what it is and why. From the following position I spotted two different ways to win (though likely there are others):




One way wins in 7 moves, as follows:
M12-M11 K12-L12 N10-M11 K9-M11 O16-L16 J14 (and p2 loses on the fifth capture next move, but can make the caps stand at 10-8 with L8...)

The second way I saw was two moves quicker, but P1 ends the game with 3 fewer pairs:
M12-M11 L12-J14 L12-K12 K10 (and P1 makes five on next move, but p2 can make the caps stand at 8-4 with K13)

Any preferences out there?

Here are the moves which occurred to set up the initial position:
1.) K10 L10
2.) K13 L12
3.) L11 M12
4.) K12 J9
5.) N12 K11
6.) J12 L12
7.) L14 H12
8.) J12 H11
9.) M13 K15
10.) M15 N16
11.) M14 M16
12.) J10 H13

(edited to correct board position)


Message was edited by: watsu at Sep 19, 2008 9:07 PM


Retired from TB Pente, but still playing live games & exploring variants like D, poof and boat

dweebo

Posts: 1,032
Registered: Dec 16, 2001
From: Powell, OH
Age: 37
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Re: Which do you prefer- the win in seven or the win in five?
Posted: Sep 24, 2008, 8:54 PM

I prefer to win in as few moves as possible. If the game ends with me winning and I have had 4 pairs captured, I don't care at all!

Making a bunch of extra moves to avoid captures is sometimes a smart thing to do if you can't see all the way to the end, but that says to me that if you CAN see the win from afar despite the captures its a slightly better win than if you defend the caps.

Also as a practical matter if you are playing turn-based, saving a few moves can equal WEEKS of time if you and your opponent are slow movers like myself.

-dweebo

Pente Rocks!
watsu

Posts: 1,487
Registered: Dec 16, 2001
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Re: Which do you prefer- the win in seven or the win in five?
Posted: Sep 25, 2008, 2:13 AM

Yeah, this was a turn based game and I went for the quicker win despite the fact that my opponent and I both play several moves per day on average.

Retired from TB Pente, but still playing live games & exploring variants like D, poof and boat
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