Azul Weekly Puzzle #009

[Effgee]

Hi all,

Different week, but similar problem: just a few plays to go and you're down 10, can you still win?

puzzle009_censored copy.png (487.21 KiB) Viewed 1930 times

Have fun!
Effgee

[rpm002]

Could be wrong as I didn't study it as closely as I should have, but my initial impression is if it is their turn, I think you can win by making them fill up their floor line. If it is your turn, I think you can make it close but will still lose by a couple of points assuming they play optimally.

[euklid314]

I think we win by taking 3 blue from the middle and placing them in row 3.

The only way for our opponent to force us to have the last move is by taking 3 blue right away (and put them in bottom row). But then we take 3 red (and place them in row 5). We end up with 4 stones in the discard pile and our opponent has 6 stones there.

If he takes 2 red or 1 red, we take the other red(s) and force our opponent to have the last move and discard 6 stones.

Final remark: I would find it easier if the initial problem statement did not say "Losing by 10, can you win this?" but "Trailing by 3 points, can you win this?". Since there have been several moves done in the 5th round, we are only behind 3 points (we have finished a column more, the two rows finished in round 5 give the same points to both players).

[birds915]

Looks like theres a few ways to force the 6 blues together and have the other player get stuck with last pick... I believe they'd have to have the next pick in order to make that work though.

[euklid314]

Looks like theres a few ways to force the 6 blues together and have the other player get stuck with last pick... I believe they'd have to have the next pick in order to make that work though.

Since it is our move and we have the next pick it is impossible to bring the 6 blues together and force our opponent to take them.

Therefore the (only?) winning move seems to be to take 3 blue right away (otherwise we will be forced to take 6 blue later). We must not allow our opponent to get 3 red which would give our opponent 6 points in row 3.

Thus the first move seems forced: 3 blue from the center...

[Effgee]

Hi! Also agree middle 3 Blue to our line 3 is best move, but don't think it's the only winning one.
The reds from second factory to our floor can also work.
Opponent will take red (probably row 5 but might also be 3), and we take blacks to row 5.
Whatever they do next we have flexibility on row 3. Might end up with lots of negatives on both ends but I think we come out ahead...

[euklid314]

Hi! Also agree middle 3 Blue to our line 3 is best move, but don't think it's the only winning one.
The reds from second factory to our floor can also work.
Opponent will take red (probably row 5 but might also be 3), and we take blacks to row 5.
Whatever they do next we have flexibility on row 3. Might end up with lots of negatives on both ends but I think we come out ahead...

Taking 1 red from 2nd factory and putting it on bottom line is a losing move.
As you wrote opponent will obviously take 2 red and put them in 5th row (earning a point), the start tile will go to his bottom line.
We can take 3 blacks and put them in row 5 (earning no points).
Our opponent will take 3 white and put them on bottom line.
We have to take 6 blue and put them in row 3 (earning 3 points) and putting 3 blues on bottom line.

So we both have 4 tiles on the bottom line (for -6 points each) but we only scored 2 points difference (3 vs 1 point). Since we were trailing by 3 points we lose the game by 1 point.