Diplomatic Go

Go Variants
6

Just a couple of comments on the design of the collision resolution mechanics, and some of the potential strategic options.

  1. A player can submit placements that collide with already existing stones (those that were already there at the beginning of the round). However, that will automatically collide.
  2. A collision of first choices, does not prevent someone else’s second choice from playing at that location.
  3. The contingency placements should be unique (within each player’s list), and duplicates are simply removed from the list.

An example

Alice submits the move:

  1. E4
  2. B3
  3. C3

Bob submits the move:

  1. E4
  2. E4
  3. B3

Charlie submits the move:

  1. F1
  2. E4
  3. C3

Suppose all of the points named above are empty at the beginning of this round, except for F1

Here is how it gets resolved:

  1. Since Bob’s list contains a duplicate, it gets simplified to 1. E4 2. B3 (and no third choice contingency).
  2. Alice and Bob collide at E4 for their first choice, while Charlie’s first choice collides with a preexisting stone at F1. Thus, none of the first choices are placed.
  3. Moving to the second choice, Alice and Bob collide at B3, so neither of them gets to play that stone. However, Charlie’s second choice of E4 is placed.
  4. Bob does not have a third choice, so he ends up not placing a stone this round.
  5. Alice gets her third choice at C3, since Charlie has already gotten his second choice (and thus does not cause a collision with his third choice, which does not need to be executed).

Analysis of why these moves might have occurred:

  • Charlie may have learned (from discussion) that Alice wanted to play at E4 as her first choice. Charlie would like to play at that point instead, and does not want to simply block her with collision, but actually get a stone there.
  • Charlie may have colluded with Bob to set up that first choice collision, in order to then sneak into that spot via his second choice.
  • Bob submitting E4 for both his first and second choice may have been an error. His move is effectively 1. E4 2. B3. I just added this as an example to explain that submitting duplicates is not a strategic option.
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