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        Arimaa >> Site Discussion >> Handicap game proposals
        
(Message started by: pago on Jul 18^th, 2010, 2:29am)

Title: Handicap game proposals
Post by pago on Jul 18^th, 2010, 2:29am

Hello,

All little rabbits like me would dream to beat big elephants as Fritzlein or chessandgo ::)

One of the interest of go game is that rules allow a handicap without changing the spirit of the game (for chess, it is less obvious, a rook removal changing the game to much).

A fair handicap would allow an interesting game for rabbits who would not lose every time and for elephants who would have to play powerfully to hope a win.

I would like to propose three kind of handicap game.

1) Shogi-like handicap
It is the most obvious. The idea would be to remove pieces according to ELO differences.
For example the ladder could be :
a) rabbit removal
b) cat removal
c) dog removal
d) horse removal
e) camel removal
f) elephant removal
g) two pieces removal
h) three pieces removal
...
m) eight pieces removal
Maybe could I hope to resist against the elephants at the last handicap

2) Go-like handicap.
In Go there are an handicap system with additional stones to the weaker player. It is equivalent to let the weaker player play x moves (in the french rules it is written like this).
I Arimaa we could imagine to give Gold to the weakest player and allow him to play x additional steps at the beginning.
Note that even 12 steps would only allow o directly trap only one piece (using this handicap in such a way would probably far to be optimal)

3) Arimaa-like handicap
In think that this handicap would be more funny and more in the spirit of Arimaa.
The idea would be to allow to the weaker player to choose the initial place of some pieces of other side.
a) 1 rabbit place
b) 1 cat place
c) 1 dog place
d) 1 horse place
e) camel place
f) horse place
g) two pieces place
h) three pieces place
...
m) eight pieces place

The additional interest is that handicap game would allow the exploration of some odd placement.

Imagine that you could play a game against the Elephants letting them a position like this one :
RRRRHHME
CCDDRRRR

They would have some hard work to egalize the position... (even if I am sure that I would lose against them.

Finally we could mix two kind of handicaps (2+3 for example)

Title: Re: Handicap game proposals
Post by hanzack on Jul 18^th, 2010, 5:42am

Bonjour, pago!
I agree with your ideas, but even at present ,everyone
can play the shougi-like handicap and the arimaa-like
handicap if you want to,and I used to play in such ways.
I mean you can throw away some pieces or select disadvantagerous set-up at your will.

But the Go-like handicap looks like very interesting :o

And Your proposals are only related to the beginning,
so I want handicaps which have been suffering from disasvantages during playing to be exited.

I belive there is nothing boring other than one-sided
games.

I also posted about handicaps. So please take a look at them.

http://arimaa.com/arimaa/forum/cgi/YaBB.cgi?board=siteIssues;action=display;num=1279421720

http://arimaa.com/arimaa/forum/cgi/YaBB.cgi?board=siteIssues;action=display;num=1279418701

:)

Title: Re: Handicap game proposals
Post by RonWeasley on Jul 18^th, 2010, 3:49pm

Against Fritzlein or chessandgo, I recommend n) the eight rabbit handicap. That's the only way you have a chance. If you're FyzixST, you still might lose.

Title: Re: Handicap game proposals
Post by pago on Jul 19^th, 2010, 12:53am

8 rabbits handicap is a good mean to grip a draw against Fritzlein and Chessandgo... but no more :o

A "less" unbalanced 8 piece handicap (for beginners) could be 4 rabbits + 2 cats + 2 dogs. I am aware that it is an extremly huge handicap but those guys shouldn't be so strong ! :P

I really feel that an handicap system could add some interest to the gameroom. They would allow balanced game between players of different strenght and could be used as a kind of teaching games.

Title: Re: Handicap game proposals
Post by Arimabuff on Jul 19^th, 2010, 1:12pm

on 07/19/10 at 00:53:59, pago wrote:

8 rabbits handicap is a good means to grip a draw against Fritzlein and Chessandgo... but no more :o

Actually it'd be an immediate win, since a player loses the game as soon as he loses his last rabbit.

Title: Re: Handicap game proposals
Post by Hippo on Jul 19^th, 2010, 1:23pm

on 07/19/10 at 13:12:47, Arimabuff wrote:

Actually it'd be an immediate win, since a player loses the game as soon as he loses his last rabbit.

In that wording it would not be win, but simulation by current rules would not be possible.

But the rule ... "If a player has no rabbit, the game is over and the player with a rabbit wins. If there is no player with rabbits the player to move loses." ... would immediately apply.

In the first wording the game may be interesting, allowing either immobilisation or elimination win to stronger player.

So stronger player loses goal win condition while weaker player loses elimination win condition.

7RC would be bigger handicap in that case.