Solving NoGo on small board sizes

3x3

3x3 is a first player win. All three possible starting moves win.

4x4

4x4 is a second player win. All three possible starting moves lose. The program (BobNoGo) thinks that 1. B1 is the strongest opening, but D3 is a winning reply. I did not check other replies.

Against 1. A1, D4 wins for White.

Against 1. B2, again the symmetrical move C3 wins for White.

5x5

Not proven yet. The program likes to play in the corners first, as on larger boards. I proved that the "four corner opening" 1. A1 2. A5 3. E1 4. E5 is a win for Black with an alphabeta search.

Created: Nov 29, 2011 Last modified: Dec 6, 2011

Martin Müller