The role of simulation in developing game playing strategies

  • Authors:
  • Rhys Price Jones;David J. Thuente

  • Affiliations:
  • Computer Science Program, Oberlin College, Oberlin Ohio;Departments of Computer Science and Mathematics, Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne Indiana

  • Venue:
  • ANSS '90 Proceedings of the 23rd annual symposium on Simulation
  • Year:
  • 1990

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Abstract

This paper presents results concerning the use of simulation in the analysis of finite games and the development of strategies for their solution. Programs were developed in the Scheme programming language [Rees and Clinger 1986] to play large numbers of games pitting various strategies against each other. The games discussed here range from the well-known Tic-tac-toe, through versions of ConnectThree for various sized boards, to the commercial ConnectFour game. The ConnectThree game is based on ConnectFour, but was developed as a simplification amenable to play within reasonable time by perfect strategies that look ahead to the end of the game. The game is played on a vertical array with players alternately dropping disks of their color into the array. The first player to create a row, column or diagonal of three disks of their own color wins. The ConnectFour game is similar, but requires completion of a line of four disks of one's own color to win.