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Arimaa >> Bot Development >> Forced reversable moves
(Message started by: RonWeasley on May 26th, 2008, 5:19pm)

Title: Forced reversable moves
Post by RonWeasley on May 26th, 2008, 5:19pm
Developers,

My position after 29w against bot_OpFor in the Owl Mixer (me Gold, OpFor Silver) is interesting in that OpFor is forced to make a four step move that I can reverse in two steps.  Otherwise, I will goal.  Because of my two free steps every turn, I will get goal in four.  (Assuming I analyze correctly.)

The issue is that an ideal bot should not let this position arise unless the opponent can't make use of the two free steps, which would be very rare.  I think some bots don't allow reversable moves.  In this position, such a bot would allow silver to goal right away.  But prohibiting an opponent from forcing a reversable move is one ply removed from that.

This says that during the search if a reversable move using all four steps is forced, and the reverse requires less than four steps, that position should be penalized.  If there's only one free step, meaning the reverse happens in three steps, pieces can't be pulled for free and maybe all is not lost.  But if there are two or three free steps, pieces can be pulled and pushed and a goal is likely.

Anybody have this in their bots?  It might make it harder to bash if you put this in.

Title: Re: Forced reversable moves
Post by chessandgo on May 27th, 2008, 12:31am
(this is a bit off topic) I have seen another occurrence of this kind of situation in my postal game with petitprince last year. In the opening he kept making a 3-step move (+ 1 free step) that I could reverse in only 1 step ; but his plan seemed very interesting as he could deviate when he wanted to. It yielded a very interesting game.


Title: Re: Forced reversable moves
Post by 99of9 on May 27th, 2008, 4:12am
Nothing in Gnobby, but I plan something along those lines in the long term.



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