World
Game
Of
Sprouts
Association

Unsettled Theory in N = 8

April 8, 2006

AuntBeast's exacting tactics have unsettled the theory of N = 8. Previously it was thought that Right wins easily after 8+ 1(9)2 1(10)1[3,4] 3(11)10 2(12)9. The idea was that spots 5 - 8 should yield three survivors. The equivalent of a fourth survivor is latent in the switch S(3), and this total even number should favor Right in the battle of double switches.

Well, nice idea, but how to play after AuntBeast's waiting move, 3(13)4? AuntBeast has cleanly refuted 5(14)5[6], 5(14)5[6,7], and 5(14)5[6-8]. The complicated looking 5(14)6 needs to be tried.

On another front, 5(12)6, instead of 2(12)9, looked promising in the opinion of Danny Purvis, although AuntBeast won that game too.

8+ (AuntBeast* - Purvis) 1(9)2 1(10)1[3,4] 3(11)10 5(12)6 2(13)2 3(14)4 4(15)4 9(16)13[7,8] 5(17)5[6] I

Purvis's attempt to improve later that day also lost:

8+ (AuntBeast* - Purvis) 1(9)2 1(10)1[3,4] 3(11)10 5(12)6 2(13)2 3(14)4 4(15)4 11(16)14 8(17)9 3(18)15 8(19)8[5] I



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