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Topic: Winning games more quickly
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watsu

Posts: 1,468
Registered: Dec 16, 2001
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Winning games more quickly
Posted: Apr 20, 2019, 7:37 AM

Sometimes, one may desire to win a game a move or more faster than might be possible in other different ways. This could be because one is trying to create a puzzle which has only a single unique shortest winning sequence, because one wants to gain rating points more quickly in order to improve one's seed in a tournament or because one is going on a vacation and doesn't want to have to log in to make moves, or for other reasons. Here are a few tips for winning games more quickly:

Renju fukumi formations (generally a blocked three and a two which can turn into a four and an open three) can sometimes win a game more quickly than it could be won by making a four first and then two open threes:
Playing J4 before H5 will win the game at least a move more quickly than playing those two moves in the opposite order in the board below because of the potential for prolonging the game with a capture. In this illustration black could lose on pairs with the H5 J4 move order if not careful.




However, these same formations can also prolong a game if captures aren't a factor, since Pente players will often play a game out further while losing to a 4/3 combo by blocking the four, but the same player may well resign the game immediately when faced with two open threes and no prospects. Let's call this one the make your win obvious so they'll resign type move.

Making split threes will sometimes win a game more quickly than it could be won by forming conventional threes.

Also, making moves which create double threats can win more quickly - if one can create two distinct double twos with a move, then the next move is able to make two double threes regardless of where one's opponent plays. Without revealing the secrets of certain puzzles, I don't currently have a good illustration of this, but hopefully will come up with one soon.


Message was edited by: watsu at Apr 11, 2020, 11:55 PM

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

watsu

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Registered: Dec 16, 2001
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Re: Winning games more quickly
Posted: Apr 11, 2020, 10:55 PM

Find a faster way to win this game after the opening, assuming no resignation by P2:



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

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Re: Winning games more quickly
Posted: Apr 11, 2020, 11:16 PM

After the opening, find a quicker win for P2, assuming no resignation by P1:



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

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Re: Winning games more quickly
Posted: Apr 11, 2020, 11:46 PM

Find quicker ways to win this game by P2 after the opening, assume no resignation by P1:




Message was edited by: watsu at Apr 11, 2020, 11:52 PM


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

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Re: Winning games more quickly
Posted: Apr 12, 2020, 12:07 AM

Find the fastest sure win after move four for P2 assuming no P1 resignation: (Pente_gon, Karlw and Zoeyk sit this one out). Extra credit points to anyone at all who finds one or more sure wins for P1 in between P2 sure win positions and posts the shortest.




Message was edited by: watsu at Apr 12, 2020, 12:08 AM

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

Posts: 16
Registered: Dec 18, 2019
From: Colorado
Re: Winning games more quickly
Posted: Apr 12, 2020, 4:14 AM

On the third board, black could have gone G11 followed by G8 and saved several moves.

watsu

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Re: Winning games more quickly
Posted: Apr 12, 2020, 6:07 AM

3rd board, P2's extension to a four is unnecessary and making a split three after the cap will win more quickly in a couple of different lines, so no F9 and then G11 instead of H10 with a couple of options after that move get the win down to 11 moves.


Message was edited by: watsu at Apr 12, 2020, 6:09 AM


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

Posts: 16
Registered: Dec 18, 2019
From: Colorado
Re: Winning games more quickly
Posted: Apr 12, 2020, 5:47 PM

Board one, starting at move 14. White L7 followed by M7?

Go back further to move 11. White plays L7 . Even with a P2 cap, 4 moves are shaved off the game.


Message was edited by: madhippo at Apr 12, 2020, 10:07 am


watsu

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Re: Winning games more quickly
Posted: Apr 12, 2020, 6:18 PM

11. L7 was indeed Karl's prediction on my move. I haven't played out all the lines myself, but I think P2 has 3 legit capture opportunities after this move, so Pente at move 17 seems likely to me. 5 caps at move 21 seems like my result here. Could I have won any more quickly after my 11th? IDK


Message was edited by: watsu at Apr 12, 2020, 6:18 PM

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

Posts: 437
Registered: Jan 23, 2009
From: north carolina
Age: 48
Re: Winning games more quickly
Posted: Apr 16, 2020, 4:42 AM

not so long ago live game players took pride in winning a game in the fewest moves possible.
i dunno if that is still a thing.
but i always admired it.
and have wondered if maybe some kind of table could be generated in db as to number of moves to win.
like a db category of games with less than 20 moves, for instance.

bloodied but unbowed
invictus

Posts: 437
Registered: Jan 23, 2009
From: north carolina
Age: 48
Re: Winning games more quickly
Posted: Apr 16, 2020, 4:43 AM

possibly a filter option?

bloodied but unbowed
watsu

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Registered: Dec 16, 2001
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Re: Winning games more quickly
Posted: Apr 16, 2020, 5:20 AM

I think I might have asked about that:
https://www.pente.org/gameServer/forums/thread.jspa?forumID=27&threadID=231791&tstart=45

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