PUSS IN THE CORNER.
(
Puzzle Games.)
This variation of the last puzzle is also played by two persons. One
puts a counter on No. 6, and the other puts one on No. 55, and they play
alternately by removing the counter to any other number in a line. If
your opponent moves at any time on to one of the lines you occupy, or
even crosses one of your lines, you immediately capture him and win. We
will take an illustrative game.
A moves from 55 to 52; B moves from 6 to 13; A advances to 23; B goes to
15; A retreats to 26; B retreats to 13; A advances to 21; B retreats to
2; A advances to 7; B goes to 3; A moves to 6; B must now go to 4; A
establishes himself at 11, and B must be captured next move because he
is compelled to cross a line on which A stands. Play this over and you
will understand the game directly. Now, the puzzle part of the game is
this: Which player should win, and how many moves are necessary?
Answer:
No matter whether he plays first or second, the player A, who starts the
game at 55, must win. Assuming that B adopts the very best lines of play
in order to prolong as much as possible his existence, A, if he has
first move, can always on his 12th move capture B; and if he has the
second move, A can always on his 14th move make the capture. His point
is always to get diagonally in line with his opponent, and by going to
33, if he has first move, he prevents B getting diagonally in line with
himself. Here are two good games. The number in front of the hyphen is
always A's move; that after the hyphen is B's:--
33-8, 32-15, 31-22, 30-21, 29-14, 22-7, 15-6, 14-2, 7-3, 6-4, 11-, and A
must capture on his next (12th) move, -13, 54-20, 53-27, 52-34, 51-41,
50-34, 42-27, 35-20, 28-13, 21-6, 14-2, 7-3, 6-4, 11-, and A must
capture on his next (14th) move.
