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Arimaa >> Game Analysis >> game 164771 ginrunner vs bot_Bomb2005Fast
(Message started by: ginrunner on Dec 17th, 2010, 4:17pm)

Title: game 164771 ginrunner vs bot_Bomb2005Fast
Post by ginrunner on Dec 17th, 2010, 4:17pm
As per suggestion from Fritz in another thread I have been paying more attention to my middle game and trying to figure out where I can improve. I just beat the final bot on the ladder and after reviewing the game saw a few points where the bot could have (in my opinion) taken back any advantage that I had gained.

For example. from 9s to 13s I think the board sort of worked itself out in my favor. I think that with a camel and horse on the g and h column the bot could have maybe freed the dog from the frame but at the cost of possibly a camel hostage and being overextended from that point ( I am not sure which is why I am asking).  Everything worked out because it led to me pushing the horse to the other side of the board giving me a clear piece advantage on the fgh columns and allowing me to work with my elephant as the strongest free piece on the other side. Would there have been a better way to get to this end or did I play this as well as I could have?

28g I think the bot miscalculated. Eb3e Ec3c Mb2n Hc2w would have put it in a much better position in the long run I think and I am not exactly sure what I would have done after. Maybe a better move for me on 27s would have been db6e rb7s rb6s dc6s? This move doesnt allow my camel to be trapped quite as easily while still allowing me the swarm to trap the enemy elephant which was my plan. I think if I had done the other move it would have been a safer path to the the position I had after 29s.

From 30 on I feel that the game was in the bag. 34g put me on my toes somewhat because with a free horse gold may have been able to free his elephant and still have my camel trapped and so I dealt with that problem as fast as possible ending on 36s.

38s I finally saw that my dog could be the strongest free piece and acted accordingly.

My last question in on 43s. I was trying to make a goal threat of sorts. My thinking was with the rabbit there gold had to leave all of its units where they were for at least 2 more turns until it could rotate the camel or horse out and defend with just one of them and have a rabbit instead of camel keeping my camel from pushing out via the rabbits. It took a completely different line that I think was not beneficial. Is there a line I don't see that makes this a bad move? I don't think so but leaving rabbits on traps like this in the past has hurt me. Did this work because I had such an advantage or would it still work if the game was more even?

There is no need to watch really anything after that as I knew I had the game and was amusing myself by making gold commit suicide.

http://arimaa.com/arimaa/games/jsShowGame.cgi?gid=164771&s=b

Title: Re: game 164771 ginrunner vs bot_Bomb2005Fast
Post by omar on Dec 20th, 2010, 11:17am

Quote:
For example. from 9s to 13s I think the board sort of worked itself out in my favor. .... Would there have been a better way to get to this end or did I play this as well as I could have?


I think you played this pretty well. The main problem for the bot here was having a dog on the g file and not retreating it on 5g.


Quote:
28g I think the bot miscalculated. Eb3e Ec3c Mb2n Hc2w would have put it in a much better position in the long run ...


Yes, freeing the elephant  and replacing it with the camel would have been good strategic move for Bomb. But most bots will want to keep the elephant close to the camel, so even allowing it to think longer would probably not change the move.

On 33s placing your rabbit on c5 allowed the gold horse to come out and start disturbing your swarm. You want to put a rabbit (either the bots or your own on c3 and block c4 with your rabbit to complete the swarm. You did do it eventually on 43s.


Quote:
.... leaving rabbits on traps like this in the past has hurt me ....

It depends on the overall position. Here you have such a strong position it can't hurt.

You played really well and made the game look like a cake walk; your rating needs to be much higher :-)


Title: Re: game 164771 ginrunner vs bot_Bomb2005Fast
Post by ginrunner on Dec 20th, 2010, 2:38pm
Thank you for the comments. I wanted to finish the whole ladder before I worked on my rating  ;D. Im working on it now ;)



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