Notakto

Notakto

A completed game of Notakto.
Genre(s) paper-and-pencil game
Playing time 1-15 minutes
This shows the boot trap in which the first player is guaranteed a win.

Notakto is a game which is also known as neutral or impartial tic-tac-toe to mathematicians.[1][2] It is a variant of the games Tac-Tac-Toe and the mathematical game, Nim.[1][3] The game is a misere game which means the way to win Notakto is to lose in normal play.[4] In this game, both of the players play the same piece (a X or cross), and the game ends when all the boards contain a three-in-a-row of Xs.[5][6]

Play

This image shows the blue player using the knight's move strategy(indicated with arrows) to win 1-board Notakto.

Notakto is played on a finite number of empty 3-by-3 boards.[5] Then, each player takes turns placing an X on the board(s) in a vacant space (a space not occupied by a X already on the board).[7] If a board has a three-in-a-row, the board is dead and it cannot be played on anymore in the game.[2][4] When one player creates a three-in-a-row and there are no more boards to play on, that player looses the game.[2][7]

Optimal strategy

Odd number of boards

The first player (the odd numbered player) can win a game of Notakto with an odd number of boards.[7]

1 Board

The optimal strategy for 1-board Notakto allows the first player to force a win. It is for the first player to play the center and then play a knight's move which is 2 squares vertically and 1 square horizontally or 2 squares horizontally and 1 square vertically away from the opponent's play.[7]

Even number of boards

The second player (the even numbered player) can win a game of Notakto with an even number of boards.[7]

2 Boards

The second player on their first move plays in the center square of the empty board (the one with no Xs in it). Then, the second player sacrifices one of the boards (by creating a three-in-a-row) if it is possible. Now, the game is a 1-board game of Notakto so the second player uses the knight's move or boot trap strategies to win.[7]

App

Notakto

Logo of Notakto app
Developer(s) Counterwave Inc.
Platform(s) iOS, Android
Release date(s) IOS : December 2010, Android: February 25, 2016

Notakto(the app) allows you to play 1 to 6 board Notakto with a computer in difficulty modes ranging from Easy to Insane.[8] In Insane mode, the computer plays perfectly.[9] There is also a rated play mode.[10] This is based on the Elo chess rating system.[11]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Cram, Scott. "Secrets of Nim (Notakto)". Retrieved 2016-11-25.
  2. 1 2 3 Plambeck, Thane; Whitehead, Greg (November 24, 2016). "The Secrets of Notakto: Winning at X-only Tic-Tac-Toe" (PDF).
  3. ↑ Cram, Scott. "FREE iOS Nim Games". Retrieved 2016-11-25.
  4. 1 2 "These Three Tweaks Make Tic-Tac-Toe Not Suck". Inverse. Retrieved 2016-11-25.
  5. 1 2 "Notakto | Board Game | BoardGameGeek". boardgamegeek.com. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
  6. ↑ "Notakto". thewessens.net. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cram, Scott. "How to Play and Win Notakto". Retrieved 2016-11-26.
  8. ↑ Phillips, Cynthia. "Notakto".
  9. ↑ Phillips, Cynthia (2016-05-06). "Notakto". Children's Book and Media Review. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
  10. ↑ "Notakto". www.counterwavegames.com. Retrieved 2016-11-29.
  11. ↑ "Notakto Ratings". labs.counterwave.com. Retrieved 2016-12-02.

External links

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