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        Arimaa >> Say Hello >> hello from a newbie
        
(Message started by: vitamancy on Jul 28^th, 2013, 12:05am)

Title: hello from a newbie
Post by vitamancy on Jul 28^th, 2013, 12:05am

Stopping in to say hello. I learned about the game via the xkcd comic and have had some fun working my way up the bot ladder. Interesting tactics in this game.

Title: Re: hello from a newbie
Post by Fritzlein on Jul 28^th, 2013, 3:05am

Welcome, vitamancy. I love your handle!

My experience with Arimaa tactics is that learning more only makes the puzzles deeper and more complex. In my ongoing Postal Mixer game with Boo, for example, I played move 16s thinking that it forced material gain. I simply hadn't seen Boo's reply on 17g, which left me unable to capture, but again I played 17s thinking that now he would not be able to wriggle free. Alas, 18g was another unexpected move which prevented me from capturing, but again I played 18s in full confidence of material gain. And so it continued for five more moves until (finally!) I gained a material lead on 24s, but even so my position has been tactically tenuous ever since, leaving it unclear after seven further moves whether or not I can hold on to what I gained.

I expect that a perfect player would point out tactical blunders that both Boo and I made in that sequence, but being less than perfect, I can only pick a reasonable move and hope for the best. The tactics are just too overwhelming to calculate out exactly.

Title: Re: hello from a newbie
Post by Boo on Jul 28^th, 2013, 6:50am

I am glad both of you are enjoying the game.

Title: Re: hello from a newbie
Post by vitamancy on Jul 28^th, 2013, 12:29pm

Fritzlein,

That is an interesting game. I'll be interested to see how it plays out. I don't have any sense yet of relative worth of non-equal trades. Would I give up my camel to capture a horse and a dog? I'm really not sure.

Title: Re: hello from a newbie
Post by dht on Jul 31^st, 2013, 8:57am

on 07/28/13 at 12:29:59, vitamancy wrote:

I'd give up a horse, dog, and cat or rabbit to capture a camel.

Depending on position of course. I wouldn't give up my last rabbit for example.

Title: Re: hello from a newbie
Post by robinz on Jul 31^st, 2013, 10:40am

I'd happily give up my camel for a horse and a dog (as a first trade, that is - if some pieces have already been exchanged then it becomes an even better trade). Probably not for a horse and cat, but I also wouldn't feel too badly off if I was forced into the trade - and again, with several pieces already gone I'd probably gladly take the trade.

Title: Re: hello from a newbie
Post by browni3141 on Jul 31^st, 2013, 10:12pm

It depends a lot on the type of position. Sometimes the camels power isn't very usable and only a horse and rabbit could be better. I think on average the camel is very close to horse and cat. I would rarely be willing to give up a horse and dog to win the opponent's camel.