World
Game
Of
Sprouts
Association

Peltier Wins Quirky – Futuristic? - Final Game

Some of our instant commentary (below) has proved naïve. We will keep the original article intact, however, except for this note and the insertion of “- Futuristic? –" into the title, leaving definitive analysis for other articles. But the misere side of sprouts is perhaps deepening. The surprise expressed below when “Peltier proffers a switch” does not take into account a subtle balancing factor. We will use a new (or previously subterranean) term to describe this factor. A “quasiswitch” is a biosphere of stable parity that can be adjusted in one move to either contain or not contain a hidden trap. Quasiswitches seem to have no special significance in normal sprouts, but in misere play a quasiswitch can offset a switch. A player toggling a switch for a normal win can be thwarted by a quasiswitch suddenly losing its trap. Likewise, a switch toggle for direct misere victory can be countered by a quasiswitch toggle to full trappiness.

It should be noted that AuntBeast (affectionately known as “AB”), despite choosing the wrong side to defend, made an uncannily troublesome first move. Also, the emerging appreciation of the special difficulties of misere sprouts should be credited almost entirely to Jeff Peltier, our misere master.

October 6, 2006

The tournament ended on a note of exuberant experimentalism. Jeff Peltier got the win, clinching the match and also undivided second place in the tournament. Jeff, whose scholarly approach has so deepened sprouts theory, is much to be congratulated. Josh Purinton is to be congratulated also. While his wonderful robot failed to win in this tournament, she contributed immeasurably to the richness of the event, and she showed immense promise for future contests.

17- (Peltier* - AuntBeast) 1(18)1[2-9] 1(19)18[2-4] 10(20)10[11-13] 16(21)17 16(22)16 21(23)22[14-15] 10(24@11)20 2(25)2[19] 2(26)25[3] I

Once again AuntBeast opts to play the putative losing side. Peltier’s first move lays the framework for the total even parity that he needs to take control. AuntBeast’s response proposes to explore the subtleties of three spots separated from five spots with a pivot (3P5). With his unorthodox second move Peltier surprisingly proffers a switch, giving AuntBeast the choice of overall even or odd parity. Just as surprisingly, the beast declines to make this choice, instead diving, as is her wont, into a briar patch of complexity. Upon disentanglement, Jeff has acquired total even parity and a UT to boot. AuntBeast resigns a move later.

Back to World Game of Sprouts Association Home Page