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Yoshiaki Yamaguchi,
a Japanese computer scientist affiliated with the University of Tokyo. His research interests includes solving Connect Four 1 on infinite 2 and cylinder-infinite boards.
Photos
Advances in Computer Games 14: Ryan Hayward announcing Yoshiaki Yamaguchi 3
Infinite Connect Four
Abstract of the Advances in Computer Games 13 paper 4:
In this paper, we present the newly obtained solution for variants of Connect-Four played on an infinite board. We proved this result by introducing never-losing strategies for both players. The strategies consist of a combination of paving patterns, which are follow-up, follow-in-CUP, and a few others. By employing the strategies, both players can block their opponents to achieve the winning condition. This means that optimal play by both players leads to a draw in these games.
By rearrangement of the same paving patterns, the solution for a semi-infinite board, where either the height or the width is finite, are also presented. Moreover, it is confirmed that these results are effective under various placement restrictions.
Selected Publications
- Yoshiaki Yamaguchi, Kazunori Yamaguchi, Tetsuro Tanaka, Tomoyuki Kaneko (2011). Infinite Connect-Four Is Solved: Draw. Advances in Computer Games 13
- Yoshiaki Yamaguchi, Tetsuro Tanaka, Kazunori Yamaguchi (2013). Cylinder-Infinite-Connect-Four except for Widths 2, 6, and 11 is Solved: Drawn. CG 2013
- Yoshiaki Yamaguchi, Todd W. Neller (2015). First Player’s Cannot-Lose Strategy in Cylinder-Infinite-Connect-Four for Widths 2 and 6. Advances in Computer Games 14