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        Arimaa >> General Discussion >> Inquiring mind wants to know.
        
(Message started by: Arimanator on Apr 8^th, 2006, 5:48am)

Title: Inquiring mind wants to know.
Post by Arimanator on Apr 8^th, 2006, 5:48am

What exactly does represent a rigged game as evoked in the player of the month contest rules? I've never heard of a rigged game of Arimaa. ???

Title: Re: Inquiring mind wants to know.
Post by Fritzlein on Apr 8^th, 2006, 10:51am

I believe a rigged game is one in which one player loses intentionally. Perhaps if I am only a few points behind in Player of the Month, I would pay you five dollars to lose twice to me, so that I can win thirty dollars.

The term probably comes from sports betting. If a good boxer intentionally loses a big fight, the gambler who paid him to lose could win millions by betting against him.

Title: Re: Inquiring mind wants to know.
Post by Swynndla on Apr 8^th, 2006, 4:24pm

Also, in this case, it could be possible that four friends decided to compete for the PotM, but to give them each a head start ... they could play each other without trying to win, but just moving to get to 60 moves so both players at a time would get 3 points. Then they'd get 18 points each without trying, when if it wasn't rigged then not all of them may get 18 points (if some games were less than 60 or 40 moves). (Also those 6 games wouldn't be draining for them so they would be fresh to play some other people straight away)

Or perhaps a player would lose on purpose to someone who was their friend. Omar has tried to encourage a good fight, right to the end, and that's why he discourages resigning, and doesn't allow agreed draws (nor quick "Grandmaster draws")

Or perhaps in a race to the PotM, someone was 10 points behind the leader with one day to go ... that player could be very naughty and ring up serveral friends to register with arimaa (friends who aren't interested in playing arimaa, and wouldn't play again after the rigged games), just so the player can play them and get several points, and win the PotM.

Even worse would be for a user to create several user accounts pretending to be different people, and play themselves to get free points. The users IP would be logged, but I think there are ways around that if the user was unscrupulous and skilful enough.

I haven't seen any evidence of the above, and in fact the arimaa community seems the complete opposite ... filled with people who are kind and generous (both with money and time ... Omar especially has given so much of his personal time and money, and we all get to play this great game for play for free) ... and since I've been playing arimaa, I've only come across nice people on this site who aren't arrogant, and will talk to me and freely give me advise. This is true even with the highest rated player! (who has also freely written excellent articles). Then I find out that there are free example bot source codes to download, and that the arimaa pieces and sounds are on the public domain etc etc ... 99of9's community mind map etc ... janzert's free hosting of FAME etc ... (and all the other things I've missed out). I've never come across another community quite like this (except for the Linux open source community :) :) )