Arimaa Forum - Print Page


    
      
        Arimaa Forum
        (http://arimaa.com/arimaa/forum/cgi/YaBB.cgi)
      

        Arimaa >> Game Analysis >> Manuel vs ginrunner game 167220
        
(Message started by: ginrunner on Jan 7^th, 2011, 5:23pm)

Title: Manuel vs ginrunner game 167220
Post by ginrunner on Jan 7^th, 2011, 5:23pm

http://arimaa.com/arimaa/games/jsShowGame.cgi?gid=167220&s=b

I asked his permission before I posted this so no worries on that front.

Ok so my game plan was to go one of a few different option. I play the EHH in hopes of 1) trapping the enemy horse and capturing it eventually on my own trap, or 2) taking control over the enemy trap, or 3) getting an elephant deadlock and using my camel on the opposite wing. As soon as he set I knew he was going to be offensive so that blows option 2 out of the water (we would clash in the middle way before I could gain control of the trap I think). so my first move was more or less a "what are you planning" hoping that he would expose his plans by forcing him to go to either one side or the other. his first move made me think that option 1 was looking pretty good. At about move 5 I see he isnt falling for it so I switch to option 3 and it all goes downhill from there because I am still trying to figure out how he dominated me so badly on my horse wing.

10g I trapped his horse for a moment only to realize that my elephant was in danger of being hostaged (was I wrong here?). I think I lost the game between 10 and 17.

27 g I decided to try and race because 1) if the game would have continued the way it was going it would have been a slow and assured death for me and 2) If i raced it might free up C3 for me to start doing some work on his material. on move 34 the trap finally opened up but it was too little too late I think. His rabbits were too far advanced. After the fact I see I could have maybe prolonged it a bit by putting my dog on G2 and pulled the rabbit in to G2 on my next move but other than that I am lost.

Please help! :-D

oh and The_Jeh ... ignore everything I just said about my plans ... looking forward to the game in 2 days :-)

Title: Re: Manuel vs ginrunner game 167220
Post by ginrunner on Jan 8^th, 2011, 1:19am

After the fact on 11g I am thinking Hb3e hb4s Eb5s Ha4s leading him to most likely ec4e Hc3n Hc4n ed4w and then me going Eb4n Hc5e Cd2n Eb5s may have saved me?

Title: Re: Manuel vs ginrunner game 167220
Post by DonEsteban on Jan 8^th, 2011, 9:38am

I'm completely newbie, so take this with a sack of salt. I'd love to see my mistakes pointed out.

I think you've actually lost this around move 6 or 7. After 8s silver's camel is completely free to harass your horses on the west wing. You do not threaten any important pieces on his east wing and your elephant is blocked from reaching the west wing. I would've tried something like
7g Ed4n Ed5e (or Ed5s?) mc5e Mg4n
and now
7s ec4e md5w mc5w mb5s
8g Ee5w Ed5w Ec5s Mg5s
is likely to give you a camel hostage and
7s ec4e ed4e ee4e ef4e
8g md5s Ee5w md4w Ed5s
should give you strong play on the west wing after a camel trade. So he probably has to play something like 7s ec4e md5n and gold is okay.

I suppose you're right about 10g. Even if you could trap his horse with something like 11g Hb3s hb4s Eb5s Cd2n the decentralization of your elephant and the threats to your Ha4 is not worth it. I'm not so sure about your line, but 12s ma5ee Hd5e mc5e looks strong to me.

After you've lost the horse it's really only a matter of time whatever you do. I might have tried rh1nnnn in 25g already, but it's not going to save you either way if silver plays correctly.

Title: Re: Manuel vs ginrunner game 167220
Post by Manuel on Jan 8^th, 2011, 11:15am

On 10s I was indeed preparing to blockade your elephant. You saw that correctly.
However, by running away with the elephant you completely handed over both of your horses to my camel, so that was clearly not the right response. The correct strategy would probably have been (as you suggested yourself as well) to retreat both your horses and take my horse towards your trap, not necessarily in one turn.

More in general, it was a very good plan to use your camel after deadlocking the elephants. But in practice you did it a bit half. The camel did not do much harm, but was in danger all the time. It would have been stronger to do a camel-dog attack or so.

Even more in general I think you played quite well.

P.S. needless to say that my moves 17s to 20s were no good to learn anything from...