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Little GolemMake your next move.

Anyone up for trying a game of nim-string?

Public forum discussion.

#1 · Christian K

10 Jun 2014

Rules are the same as dots and boxes but there are no points, the player to capture the last box wins.

This means that it will be all about the chainwar and sacrafices will not cost you anything.

Anyone up for trying a game? I will probably be horrible at it :)

#2 · 7ics

10 Jun 2014

i'd like to play

#3 · diego44

10 Jun 2014

I'm curious as well. Invite me vor a game, Christian.

#4 · Carroll

11 Jun 2014

Count me in!

I would also like to test misere nimstring ( the one who takes last box loses).

#5 · Christian K

11 Jun 2014

I cannot find the button. Anyone knows where it is?

#8 · 7ics

11 Jun 2014

wow, i broke the forum. no clue why

#12 · William Fraser

11 Jun 2014

Giving up.  Realizing that it just won't work.

As to what 7ics did, it looks lie there was an error in the link.  Perhaps due to a misplaced quote?

It sounds like a good bug for Richard to know about.  If 7ics could remember approximately what he was trying to do and send it to Richard, perhaps he could find time to look into it?

In any case, another observation that I wish to make is that misere nimstring is not that different from regular.

Under most circumstances, the winner is the same as regular nimstring.  For example, if there is a chain at the end and your opponent is forced to open it, you can choose to take the whole string (and win misere) or take all but two (and win regular).

#14 · Carroll

11 Jun 2014

@William, but what if there are 0 long chains and just small chains ;) ?

#15 · Carroll

11 Jun 2014

Does someone has more information on Winning Ways strange animal with a moon symbol, which happens when someone makes a suicide move on a 2-chain?

moon+*0=moon+*=moon+*2=...=moon+moon=moon<>*0

#16 · William Fraser

12 Jun 2014

The moon symbol, which is called "Loony" refers to a position with an opened long chain (or the silly move of a 2-chain).

As indicated in the formula you gave, it is always a win for whoever is to move, regardless of the rest of the board.

As to positions with no long chains, you are correct that it is more complicated.  And, of course, when you are not penalized for giving away boxes, long chains can be destroyed quite early.

I withdraw my objection.

#17 · Carroll

12 Jun 2014

Thanks Bill !

Will you register at the user tournament?

Only two people registered as for now, start date at 2014-06-15, tell me if you need more time.

#18 · diego44

12 Jun 2014

I would gladly join if it only be unrated.

#19 · Christian K

12 Jun 2014

I would register but I get an error each time :/

#22 · diego44

12 Jun 2014

I actually get logged off when clicking on your first link.

Entered the tournament and hope many others will join.

#24 · oehpsk

12 Jun 2014

Oops. I meant to say that I'd love to play as well.

#25 · Christian K

15 Jun 2014

Sadly I was not able to join :/ will look forward to watch the game though. Who do you think has the advantage?

#26 · diego44

15 Jun 2014

Dryad and I played a bit around and came to the conclusion that it's very likely to be a second player win.

Of course, as always, no one knows.

#27 · Dryad

21 Jun 2014

Okay, I guess we should clarify this again. According to the discription of the tournament the winning condition is following:

"The one who takes last box wins. The other player should resign if he has more boxes."

This means to my understanding that giving up the control when theres no chains left is the correct thing to do. In game #1643500 i have given up on staying in control in order to get the last box and I'm now asked to resign while I think I won. Did I understand something wrong? "http://littlegolem.net/jsp/game/game.jsp?gid=1643500":The game

#29 · William Fraser

22 Jun 2014

Dang.  Sorry about that.  That was me in both games.

I was too hasty in my reading of the rules, and expected it to be the other way around.  (I was expecting "The player required by the rules to move, but unable to do so, loses." because that is the opposite of "misere" in my experience).

Please feel free to ignore my in-game comments and claim your rightful victory.

#30 · diego44

22 Jun 2014

I admit it's confusing as I expected the same wrong rules as you did at first.

As for future nim tournaments I suggest changing the rules so that the winner is the player who does not capture the last box. Because in case of zero chains p1 technically won the nim game but loses the game nevertheless.