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Weekly Challenge 108: Biggest Is Best

#1

Weekly Challenge 108: Biggest Is Best

Win a game of Bestemshe vs @PS-Greedy-Two-Move which has a move that moves the largest number of stones from one pit

Adjudication Criteria:
1. Most stones moved in one turn
2. Number of stones captured in this turn
3. Fewest moves (plies) in whole game
4. Fewest moves (plies) at the point of the 'most stones' move
5. Earliest Entry

Closing Date: Monday 5th May 1200 UTC+0

#2

I tried to get a win as I happened to be online when this was posted, but I couldn't win against Two-Move-Tom! Bummer!

#3

It took me a few goes to get a win to post an example for this challenge:
17 stones moved in one turn
4 stones captured on this turn
49 moves (97 plies) in whole game
28 moves (55 plies) at the point of the 'most stones' move:
playstrategy.org/5VRqc9Z4PHOG

#9

The thing I now realize is that Mancala games, like Chess, have something like opening, mid game and endgame, but their character is somewhat different; first is predictably unpredictable (i. e. not worth to spend much mental energy on it); second comes relatively quickly and is very important as it decides who has the advantage; and third is more about struggle for exhaustion than about hunting for low-cost victims, but latter also has place (unlike Chess endgame where you should prevail over and then outplay your opponent).

Other games have less similarities with them. Draughts don’t do it so strong, but they more let a single miscalculation to completely change evaluation several times per game, and aims are quite different — outplay starts already in the mid game if not earlier; Shogi hasn’t an endgame; Go, Amazons and Othello are about gaining the territory; LoA and (unobviously) Backgammon is about reuniting and accomplishing the mission (though latter has more common aims with Mancalas — mid game is also about an advantage, but advantage is tempo rather than score which directly depends on how far are you gone from start); Abalone is type of bouncers. Xiangqi, though, is considered as Chess so it is also somewhat nearby Mancalas.

#10

That's an interesting analysis @Rechefiltr_is_Fire
My limited understanding of Bestemshe is that it is certainly all about winning via exhaustion (as you put it) in the end game. Whilst the opening to Mancala may feel unpredictable I expect that an expert player can know how an opening shapes the mid game and so can adjust their play as early as possible to give themselves an advantage.

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