Dear Organizers and Participants,

The „Gomocup” 2000-2005 (http://gomocup.wz.cz/en/index.htm) was very good idea, 
but I think it is the time to develop something in rules. More than ten years ago 
„Free Go-Moku” was solved: first player has a sure win [1]. In 1992 was the last 
official Computer Gomoku World Championship, because there was no sense to continue
competing programs in a solved game. Five years ago a harder Go-Moku variant called 
„Free-Renju” was also solved, where first player also has a sure win, but this win 
is much harder than in „Free Go-Moku”[2]. Both games were solved on 15x15 board. 
On bigger boards like 19x19 the victory of the first player is easier. Nowadays 
computers’ speed is thousand fold faster than ten years ago. Our program can win 
as a first player within 10 seconds, so it does not need the 3 min thinking time.

I think it is totally pointless to organize a „Free Go-Moku” championship. 
„Free Go-Moku” is no longer suitable for being a good subject of AI 
(artificial intelligence) research. For the better programmes there 
should be a competition organized with special opening rules (see above), 
which give more equal chance for both players. Another comment: it is a much 
better concept if 2 programmes play 2 20-minute games than 10 3-minute. Of course 
for weaker programmes there can still be a „Free Go-Moku” competition organized, 
as I mentioned before, I think the whole idea is very good.

J. Wágner will hold a competition for Hungarian programmes on 5th June and if the 
organizers and the programmers agree, he will enter the best programmes 
(Goro and Swine) from the Czech competition, which would not be part of the 
Hungarian competition. There will be special rules in Wágner’s competition, 19x19 board, 
overline counts as win. The organizers put up the opening of 5 stones (balanced opening) 
and the two programmes play 2 matches from the same opening, one with each colour.

With these rules there could be a much better competition organized, which help AI research.

István Virág, Hungary


[1]
Allis, L.V., Herik, H.J. van den, and Huntjens, M.P.H. (1996). 
Go-Moku Solved by New Search Techniques. 
Computational Intelligence: An International Journal. Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 7-24. 
Special Issue on Games. Blackwell Publishers. ISSN 0824-7935.

[2]
Wágner and Virág (2001). Solving Renju. ICGA Journal, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 30-34.


POSSIBLE RULES:

„Pro Go-Moku” rule:
Played on a 15 by 15 board, and unbroken line (vertically, horizontally or diagonally) 
of exactly five stones achieve a winning pattern, overline (six or more stones in a row) 
is not considered as a win (or loss) for both sides. There are restrictions on the first 
few moves to reduce the advantage Black has by going first:
Black's very first move must be in the center of the game board.
White's first move can be anywhere.
Black's second move must be outside the 5x5 area around the center of the board.
White's second move, and all moves after that, can be anywhere.

Disadvantage of this rule:
First player has a big advantage.

„Long-Pro Go-Moku” rule:
Same than “Pro Go-Moku”, but the difference is:
Black's second move must be outside the 7x7 area around the center of the board.

Disadvantage of this rule:
Second player has a initiative in the opening phase of the game but first player has 
little advantage, both players need special tactics and strategies at the opening stage.

„Swap Go-Moku” rule:

Played on a 15 by 15 board, and unbroken line (vertically, horizontally or diagonally) of 
exactly five stones achieve a winning pattern, overline (six or more stones in a row) is not 
considered as a win (or loss) for either side. First player (tentative black) puts three stones 
(two black and one white) anywhere on he board. After that second player (tentative white) has 
the right to change the colour of the stones (swap option).

Disadvantage of this rule:
First player (tentative black) has big preparation advantage because of he/she can prepare 
very subtle opening pattern including many tricky positions. First player (tentative black) 
can play from database at beginning of the game. Another problem is that first player can 
place first three stones near edge or corner of the board, then both players need to use 
special positional playing style, strategy is more dominant here than tactics.

„Tarannikov” rule:

Played on a 15 by 15 board, and unbroken line (vertically, horizontally or diagonally) of 
exactly five stones achieve a winning pattern, overline (six or more stones in a row) is not 
considered as a win (or loss) for either side.
1. The first Player plays a black stone at the center of the board. 
2. The second player can choose to swap side or put the 2nd stone. If he chooses to swap, 
   the first player puts the 2nd stone. The 2nd stone must be put in 3x3 area around the center of the board. 
3. The player next to play can choose to swap side or put the 3rd stone. 
   The 3rd stone must be put in 5x5 area around the center of the board. 
4. The player next to play can choose to swap side or put the 4th stone. 
   The 4th stone must be put in 7x7 area around the center of the board. 
5. The player next to play can choose to swap side or put the 5th stone. 
   The 5th stone must be put in 9x9 area around the center of the board. 
6. The player next to play can choose to swap side or put the 6th stone. 
No more swapping after the 6th stone. The game continues as standard Go-Moku rule.

Disadvantage of this rule:
Beginners can become frightened about this complex rule. Implementation of this rule is not easy in computer programmes.

„N-Rule”:

Played on a 19 by 19 board, and unbroken line (vertically, horizontally or diagonally) of 
exactly five stones achieve a winning pattern, overline (six or more stones in a row) is not 
considered as a win (or loss) for both sides.

1. Tentative Black's very first move must be in the center of the game board.
2. Tentative White must be put second stone in 5x5 area around the center of the board.
3. Tentative Black can be place 3rd stone anywhere.
4. Tentative White has the right to change the colour of the stones (swap option).
4.a. If Tentative White didn't swap, then there are no special opening rules anymore. 
     It means that no swaping at the game at all.
4 b. If Tentative White swaped sides, the other side have to make 4-th move as White.
5. Tentative White (now Black) have to make 5th move anywhere.
6. Now, Tentative Black (now White) is able to swap sides.
After that the game is played without any restrictions.

Disadvantage of this rule:
Beginners can become frightened about this complex rule. 
Implementation of this rule is not easy in computer programmes.

„Shape rule”

The organizers prepare several balanced 5 stones (3 black, 2 white) opening patterns. 
5 stones (3 black, 2 white) in 5x5 area around the center of the board, and another 
restriction is that 3 stones (2 black, 1 white) in 3x3 area around the center of the board. 
The organizers announce these patterns for participants some weeks before contest, so all 
participants can prepare for the competition. The organizers randomly select a balanced 5 stones 
opening pattern by a draw, and the two players play 2 matches from this same opening, one 
with each colour. Any participants has a right to propose a balanced 5 stones opening shape, 
or any participants has a right to reject a proposed 5 stones opening shape because 
he/she proved that is not balanced pattern.

 
Some variations:

#1:

First player (tentative black) puts three stones (two black and one white) in 3x3 area 
around the center of the board. After that second player (tentative white) puts two stones 
(one black and one white) in 5x5 area around the center of the board. After that first player 
(tentative black) has the right to change the colour of the stones (swap option). 
After that the game is played without any restrictions.

#2:

First player (tentative black) puts three stones (two black and one white) in 7x7 area around 
the center of the board. After that second player (tentative white) has three options, he/she 
need to choose one of these options:
1. Don’t swap sides, he/she have to make 4-th move as White.
2. Swap sides, the other side have to make 4-th move as White.
3. Put two stones (one black and one white) in 7x7 area around the center of the board, 
   and first player (tentative black) has the right to change the colour of the stones (swap option).
After that the game is played without any restrictions.

Other rules (mostly used for Renju):

„Sakata” rule
„Yamaguchi” rule