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Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: Start in corners?

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On 2016-12-15, Tom Del Rosso <fizzbintuesday@that-google-mail-domain.com> wrote:
> George Herold wrote:
>> On Sunday, December 11, 2016 at 9:08:01 PM UTC-5, Tom Del Rosso wrote:
>>> Ben Bacarisse wrote:
>>>> "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> writes:
>>>>
>>>>> On 10/12/2016 11:29 PM, Tom Del Rosso wrote:
>>>>>> You should start in the corner, not the center.
>>>>>
>>>>> BTW, do you wanna to prove your claim? :)
>>>>
>>>> If I remember correctly, there are more ways of winning if you start
>>>> in the corner (the proof is simply by counting games) and, since you
>>>> can't be forced to lose if you start there, you could argue that you
>>>> might as well do that.
>>>>
>>>> If you start in the middle there are fewer games that you can win,
>>>> but it's also easier to see that you can't be forced to loose and I
>>>> suspect it's that which leads people to chose the middle.
>>>
>>> I worked out every possible move when I was a kid.
>>>
>>> If your first move is in the center, the other player can force a
>>> draw no matter where his second move is.
>>>
>>> If your first move is in the corner, the other player can force a
>>> draw if his second move is in the center, but if his second move is
>>> anywhere else you can force a win.
>>
>> There is this neat mapping of a tic-tac toe, with the a magic square
>> (rows/ columns/ diagonals add to 15) and a row of numbers from one to
>> nine.
>> The goal of the number line is to pick numbers alternatively and be
>> the first to have three number that add to 15.
>> I think it was in a Martin Gardener book.
>
> I just tried to play against myself a few times.  I don't see how it can 
> work.  To win you have to place the third number of a set, but you can 
> only do that if your opponent places the second number of that set.  You 
> both have to try to place numbers that can form a set, so you must place 
> a second number with the intention of adding a third, but then you 
> enable your opponent to place the third number.  Am I misunderstanding 
> how the game is played?

Each player compiles their own set which cannot contain numbers chosen
by the other player. the winner is the first who has a set which has a
subset with three elements that add to 15.  By numbering a
tic-tac-toe board as a magic square this game translates directly to
tic-tac-toe

  6 7 2  
  1 5 9 
  8 3 4







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[OT] Play tic-tac-toe using e-Letters or i-Letters! "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2016-12-02 19:08 +0800
  Re: [OT] Play tic-tac-toe using e-Letters or i-Letters! "Tom Del Rosso" <fizzbintuesday@that-google-mail-domain.com> - 2016-12-10 10:29 -0500
    Re: [OT] Play tic-tac-toe using e-Letters or i-Letters! "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2016-12-11 11:49 +0800
    Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: Start in corners? "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2016-12-11 12:31 +0800
      Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: Start in corners? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-12-11 16:06 +0000
        Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: Winning? "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2016-12-12 00:11 +0800
          Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: Winning? Ralph Mowery <rmowery28146@earthlink.net> - 2016-12-11 11:35 -0500
        Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: Start in corners? Jim Thompson <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> - 2016-12-11 09:32 -0700
          Re: [OT] Games must have winner? "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2016-12-12 12:10 +0800
        Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: Start in corners? Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-11 17:26 +0000
          Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: computers vs humans "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2016-12-12 12:12 +0800
        Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: Start in corners? "Tom Del Rosso" <fizzbintuesday@that-google-mail-domain.com> - 2016-12-11 20:23 -0500
          Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: Start in corners? "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2016-12-12 12:14 +0800
            Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: Start in corners? Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-12 08:41 +0000
              Tic-tac-toe as an 100% electronic game? "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2016-12-12 18:44 +0800
          Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: Start in corners? George Herold <gherold@teachspin.com> - 2016-12-13 12:22 -0800
            Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: Start in corners? "Tom Del Rosso" <fizzbintuesday@that-google-mail-domain.com> - 2016-12-15 01:45 -0500
              Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: Start in corners? "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2016-12-15 19:46 +0800
              Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: Start in corners? George Herold <gherold@teachspin.com> - 2016-12-15 06:47 -0800
                Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: Start in corners? "Tom Del Rosso" <fizzbintuesday@that-google-mail-domain.com> - 2016-12-15 18:25 -0500
              Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe strategy: Start in corners? Jasen Betts <jasen@xnet.co.nz> - 2016-12-16 03:36 +0000
                Re: [OT] Tic-tac-toe? Sodoku? "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2016-12-16 12:52 +0800

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