Friday, August 1, 2014

A simple maximum die skill puzzle

I don't have much experience with "Maximum" dice -- dice that always show their maximum value. I sort of think I don't like them very much. But I have to admit they make this decision a little more interesting. I think there's only one attack I can make with any hope of leading to a winning situation (and even that hope is slender)

Game #764  •  ElihuRoot (Jose) vs. glassonion (Randarch)  •  Round #1
Your turn to attack


M(3) M(4) M(6) M(8) M(T)
Button: Jose
Player: ElihuRoot
W/L/T: 0/0/0 (3)  •  Score: 20.5 (-2.7 sides)
Dice captured: (10), M(6)
M(3)
3
M(4)
4
M(T=2)
2
M(6)
 6 
6
M(6)
7
(10)
5
(X=5)
Dice captured: M(8), M(6)
W/L/T: 0/0/0 (3)  •  Score: 24.5 (+2.7 sides)
Player: glassonion
Button: Randarch
M(6) M(6) (10) (10) (X)

2 comments:

jimmosk said...

There's exactly one way you could attack each of the three dice, and it's known what you will reroll -- making analysis nice and simple. If you capture the [(10):7], glassonion can take your 3 with her 6, and since her 6 is also Maximum, you'll be unable to make any attack, your remaining dice picked off. Likewise if you take her [(5):5], she can take your 4 and run the table.

The only option is to take her M(6), and then hope that when she attacks her (non-Maximum) dice reroll low. You'd need her (10) to win, and so she'd keep it protected by attacking with her (X=5). You'll have an 80% chance of capturing that (X=5), and if you do, a 20% chance that her next attack will reroll low enough for you to win. A 16% overall chance isn't bad -- about a 1 in 6 shot.

Jota said...

"If you capture the [(10):7], glassonion can take your 3 with her 6, and since her 6 is also Maximum, you'll be unable to make any attack, your remaining dice picked off."

Do you mean that she could take his 2 with her 6? Because otherwise, he could capture the 6 with his 4 and 2.