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        Arimaa >> General Discussion >> train me
        
(Message started by: rexh17 on Feb 9^th, 2016, 6:01pm)

Title: train me
Post by rexh17 on Feb 9^th, 2016, 6:01pm

I need someone to train me at arimaa I am a newbie and I want to train

Title: Re: train me
Post by deep_blue on Feb 10^th, 2016, 6:54am

Hi, welcome to arimaa. :)
The easiest way to train really is by simply playing. Though right now the World Championship is going on so you might want to watch the games that are played there (often with commentary) and try to learn from them.
Also feel free to come to the chatroom if you have any questions. ;)

Title: Re: train me
Post by kzb52 on Feb 10^th, 2016, 12:09pm

I don't know if any players will volunteer here to mentor you, but here is a fairly complete list of arimaa resources which can help get you started:

As deep mentioned, the world championship is happening right now! You can see upcoming games on the main page of the gameroom. Watching them is lots of fun. You can also go into the chatroom (the link is in the upper right corner of the gameroom) to talk about the game with spectators. Some games also get live commentary, again go to the chatroom and ask around.
There is a wikibook which is a nice (free) introduction to a lot of the strategy and terminology: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Arimaa
Two time world champion Karl Junke (Fritzlein) wrote a phenomenal introduction to the game called "Beginning Arimaa". It's on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Arimaa-Reborn-Computer-Comprehension/dp/0982427409/
Six time (!) world champion Jean Daligault (chessandgo) wrote an equally phenomenal book for more advanced players called "Arimaa Strategies and Tactics". It too is on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Arimaa-Strategies-Tactics-Jean-Daligault/dp/145288417X/ref=pd_sim_14_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=41XQDeWqMqL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR107%2C160_&refRID=0DHCKTS0J9SP6JEE29BA
For more free online stuff we have a bunch of old audio commentary and videos of players talking through their games. A lot of it is here: http://arimaa.com/arimaa/mwiki/index.php/Videos. The link for the 2014 and 2015 world championship commentary is the most recent (and so often the best) stuff.
We also have an absolutely enormous database of "Unique win in 2" puzzles set up by user aaaa. You can test yourself on those here: http://arimaa.com/arimaa/mwiki/index.php/Category:Unique_wins_in_2
The website has a lot of computer opponents of all strengths. If you're looking to play humans, just try inviting them (click on their username and then the "Invite" button), or go to the chatroom and ask around. It can be difficult to get games sometimes but you'll still find plenty of opponents that way.
I also want to give a brief shoutout to David Wu's (lightvector) Android App, which is just called "Arimaa". It's the best mobile arimaa app I'm aware of, look for it in the google play store.
If you have a specific game you want feedback on, you can also ask in the chatroom or drop a link to it in the "Game Analysis" thread of this forum.

And of course, there isn't a substitute for playing!

Hopefully this is helpful, good luck in your journey toward Arimaa mastery!

Title: Re: train me
Post by mattj256 on Feb 12^th, 2016, 10:21pm

Hi Rex!
I looked at your game history.

First I want to acknowledge your persistence. It's great that you're playing! That's really the most important thing. As long as you keep playing you'll be fine.

These are my observations based on your games. These are really recommendations for beginners. The list below is guidelines and rules of thumb, not dogma. Strong players can and do break every rule I list here.

1. If you're playing as silver, don't place your elephant directly opposite the enemy elephant. I've seen you do this in a couple of games and then you lose. I don't want you to lose. For example, here's a game where you do this:
http://www.arimaa.com/arimaa/gameroom/comments.cgi?gid=457630

2. Be very reluctant to put one of your pieces on d3, e3, d6, or e6 unless that piece is an elephant. If a nonelephant piece is on d3, e3, d6, or e6 the opponent could bring a stronger piece nearby and threaten to capture it in two different traps. This is often hard or impossible to defend.

2. A trap is "safe" if your elephant is next to it, or if two of your non-elephant pieces are next to it. (*) If a trap is safe then the opponent can't capture anything in the trap next turn. Within the first two moves of the game make both home traps safe by putting horses on b3 and g3 (if you're gold) or b6 and g6 (if you're silver.)

One reasonable opening: on the first move of the game, move your elephant forward three steps and move a horse one horse next to a trap. On the second move of the game move your other horse next to the other trap, and use the other three steps for whatever you want. (Just don't leave either home trap unsafe!)

3. Safety first. At the beginning of each turn do a quick scan and see what will happen if you do nothing. Can the enemy goal a rabbit? Can the enemy capture one of your pieces or push one of your pieces to an uncomfortable square? Are any of your home traps not safe? If any of these things are true, either counterattack or defend.

3b. One reasonable strategy is to always maintain control of both of your home traps at all costs. Another reasonable strategy is to maintain control of one home trap at all costs and also attack an enemy trap. If you don't control either of your home traps you might be in big trouble.

4. When launching an attack, first bring your elephant to c4, c5, d3, d6, e3, e6, f4, or f5. Then bring a non-elephant piece to b6, g6, b3, or g3. Then try to push your way into c2, c7, f2, or f7. Be very very reluctant to put a non-elephant piece on d3, d6, e3, or e6.

5. Your elephant should normally be spending most of its time on c4, c5, d3, d4, d5, d6, e3, e4, e5, e6, f4, or f5. It's also often (though not always) good to have your elephant next to the enemy camel. Be very reluctant to put your elephant on the edge of the board because it's too easy for the opponent to surrounding the elephant with lots of pieces and prevent it from escaping.

7. After every game you play, do a quick replay. Look for any captures that happened that you weren't expecting, and any other place where the opponent made a good move that you didn't anticipate. Spend a few minutes trying to figure out what you could have done to prevent it. If you can't quickly figure it out, ask in chat or on the message boards. Be specific: which game, which move.

8. Do the one-move puzzles here. (One puzzle per day if you can, or whatever feels comfortable.) http://arimaa.com/arimaa/puzzles/list.cgi

9. Have fun! Arimaa is a game. Don't worry if you lose, only worry if you don't learn.

(*) There's an exception to this called false protection.

Title: Re: train me
Post by PerkofBR on Feb 16^th, 2016, 4:34pm

Hello rexh17 and welcome to arimaa!

I am usually online at the gameroom and chat at night (21:00 to 01:00 UTC)

If you see me online, feel free to ask me for a game. Then we can analize it and I can give you tips on what you are doing right and wrong.

Cheers, PerkofBR