Glass Bead Game
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Strategy
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The Endgame
1
We're approaching the endgame. North has just moved c000 and attacks pit A with both
pit e and pit d. A counter attack by moving pit D doesn't fix the problem because
there's no symmerty: north would take 5 points from south's cup, while south would
only capture the last 1 point gem in play. Press PLAY to see it happen.
In the final position we're in the formal endgame: player's now may leave the opponent
without a move. South appears to have tempo under control, but what's the use?
North has 17 points and is in no danger of being 'emptied', since this would mean a win for him!
There's another catch: in order to employ his tempo at all, south would have to sow pit B first,
leaving it empty. North can use his tempo to wait till south is forced to sow pit A.
If he adds another stone to pit e before that, south faces a double indirect capture,
otherwise at least a single one, reducing him to 8 points. What are the alternatives for a
counter capture?
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