Join Hexversi tourney #3 by Jan 11th Win up to 2000 pts. SPECIAL section for Newbies.

**Ian** · 01-22-21, 03:49 PM

Originally posted by JohnGalt2341

The Hexversi rookie is really holding his own so far in this tourney:

SBRIan	4	3	1.33
§StevenJ	2	2	1.00
§maitreg	0	0	0.00
DanielEspinosa	0	1	0.00

Daniel may have to sweep maitreg to advance. This will not be an easy task.

In this tourney I plan on giving out 100 point bonuses for various reasons. So far... some that I have in mind include...

Biggest Single Game Upset(Ian is the frontrunner)
Most Impressive Sweep(total point victory)
Most Impressive Sweep(because the opponent is so good)
Best Comeback(positioning comeback, not piece count)
Biggest Point Victory(resignations or timeouts will not qualify)
Most Impressive Move
Fastest Tap Out

If there are any others you guys would like to see, let me know!

Thanks for the kind words, not to mention the points, Galt.

For our section (10) I think Daniel is still the favorite. He's got me in bad shape in our other game and it looks like he'll sweep StevenJ. We both seem to be doing okay against maitreg, but I've been fooled before.

How are your games going, Galt?

**JohnGalt2341** · 01-22-21, 05:19 PM

Originally posted by Ian

Thanks for the kind words, not to mention the points, Galt.

For our section (10) I think Daniel is still the favorite. He's got me in bad shape in our other game and it looks like he'll sweep StevenJ. We both seem to be doing okay against maitreg, but I've been fooled before.

How are your games going, Galt?

Well, I think I have the easiest Section in the tourney so I'll be fairly surprised if I don't go 6-0 or 5-1 at worst.

**blankoblanco** · 01-22-21, 08:17 PM

Wow, Ian is killing it! Amazing stuff for a first-timer. We might have a prodigy on our hands

**Daniel Espinosa** · 01-22-21, 09:40 PM

Originally posted by blankoblanco

Wow, Ian is killing it! Amazing stuff for a first-timer. We might have a prodigy on our hands

Yeah thats what I was thinking. He played really good one game against me. I hope he can pull at least a win against maitreg too and make my life easier

.

**JohnGalt2341** · 01-24-21, 01:53 PM

Gulin and sarok got a couple good ones going in the battle to win that 7th Section.

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**JohnGalt2341** · 01-25-21, 08:04 PM

Originally posted by JohnGalt2341

Gulin and sarok got a couple good ones going in the battle to win that 7th Section.

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https://www.itsyourturn.com/iyt.dll?...0002461646&t=3

Looks like they will split, with Green winning both games. Both will go 5-1 and will advance to round 2. We all picked it correctly.

**JohnGalt2341** · 01-28-21, 10:52 AM

I see Ian lost a squeaker in his first Hexversi Ladder game.

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Speaking of Ladders, I joined a couple of Reversi 6x6 Ladders a couple of months back. I currently have the trifecta going, at least for now.

1	22	Open 28-hour ladder	Reversi 6x6	2	2
1	35	Open 28-hour ladder	Hexversi	2	1
1	15	Open 48-hour ladder	Reversi 6x6	2	0

**Ian** · 01-28-21, 07:34 PM

Originally posted by JohnGalt2341

I see Ian lost a squeaker in his first Hexversi Ladder game.

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That was a frustrating end because A) I thought I was totally in control the whole game, and B) I miscounted the pieces and thought I was going to win by 4 until I realized my mistake on the 2nd to last move of the game. He didn't take the lead until the last move of the game.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong to continually allow my opponents to come back from (varying degrees of) big piece and real estate disadvantages.

I checked and you, blanko, and Daniel are all killing it. SBR is having a good showing this tournament.

**blankoblanco** · 01-29-21, 02:10 AM

Scott's got me on the ropes a bit in both games in the battle for 1st in our group, could be tough

**JohnGalt2341** · 01-29-21, 12:19 PM

Originally posted by blankoblanco

Scott's got me on the ropes a bit in both games in the battle for 1st in our group, could be tough

Looks like Scott Sitar is really stepping up his game in this tourney.

Sections #3, 9, and 10 are likely going to come down to the wire.

**stil370** · 01-29-21, 01:04 PM

Nice John.

**JohnGalt2341** · 01-29-21, 02:39 PM

Originally posted by Ian

That was a frustrating end because A) I thought I was totally in control the whole game, and B) I miscounted the pieces and thought I was going to win by 4 until I realized my mistake on the 2nd to last move of the game. He didn't take the lead until the last move of the game.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong to continually allow my opponents to come back from (varying degrees of) big piece and real estate disadvantages.

I checked and you, blanko, and Daniel are all killing it. SBR is having a good showing this tournament.

The bloom on the rose is oft not wet. Things aren't always what they seem. I recommend going through any of my Ladder games and try to figure out what it looks like I am doing.

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What I am doing in every game is, I'm trying to run my opponent down to Zero legal moves(tap out). Once you can do that, then YOU get to dictate where the game goes. YOU get to decide what moves you give your opponent for the remainder of the game. Getting 46 or more is usually pretty easy after you run your opponent down to zero legal moves.

The score is fairly meaningless for the majority of most games. At any given time in nearly every game a far better indicator to who is actually winning is whomever has more Options Available(OA or AO).

Look through a couple of my games and if you can mimic my style of play you should do fairly well vs most of the players in the Ladder.

Also, if Daniel or blanko could name some things that they wish I would have told them when they were new to the game, that would be great.

**Ian** · 01-29-21, 07:22 PM

Originally posted by JohnGalt2341

The bloom on the rose is oft not wet. Things aren't always what they seem. I recommend going through any of my Ladder games and try to figure out what it looks like I am doing.

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What I am doing in every game is, I'm trying to run my opponent down to Zero legal moves(tap out). Once you can do that, then YOU get to dictate where the game goes. YOU get to decide what moves you give your opponent for the remainder of the game. Getting 46 or more is usually pretty easy after you run your opponent down to zero legal moves.

The score is fairly meaningless for the majority of most games. At any given time in nearly every game a far better indicator to who is actually winning is whomever has more Options Available(OA or AO).

Look through a couple of my games and if you can mimic my style of play you should do fairly well vs most of the players in the Ladder.

Also, if Daniel or blanko could name some things that they wish I would have told them when they were new to the game, that would be great.

Thanks for the tips. I'll take a look at your games when I have time this weekend.

FWIW, my strategy so far is to first: try to control as many spaces 2 in from the edges as possible and force my opponent to give up an edge. Next phase I try to build out along the edges and grab corners if possible, while preventing my opponent from doing the same. I'm also trying to control the center pieces here. After this phase I try to limit my opponent's moves. It sounds like I need to shift my priorities around.

GL!

**JohnGalt2341** · 01-30-21, 11:13 AM

Tourney update:

Barring any timeouts... it looks as if the following Sections will finish with the winners as follows, with the *'s being extremely likely projections.

1. §Holden2341 6-0*

2. §Bernard 5-1* and §Hugolin 5-1*

3. Toptal or §urantian

4. §turtlecrossing 6-0 (winner)

5. SnazzyD 6-0*

6. §joook 6-0* (winner)

7. Gulin 5-1* and §sarok 5-1*

8. WHUFC 6-0*

9. blankoblanco or §Scott Sitar

10. DanielEspinosa or §maitreg

We've got some great games going in the yet undecided Sections 3, 9, and 10.

**blankoblanco** · 02-02-21, 06:09 PM

Originally posted by JohnGalt2341

I'll give a 100 point instant bonus to anyone that goes 6-0 in this round.

Mission accomplished... somehow!

**JohnGalt2341** · 02-02-21, 06:24 PM

Originally posted by blankoblanco

Mission accomplished... somehow!

Nice!!

blankoblanco (winner)	12	6	2.00
§Scott Sitar	6	6	1.00
§Joshua	4	6	0.67
§Britt	2	6	0.33

You're also the frontrunner for single biggest victory with your 55 point win over Britt.

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Scott played about as well as I have ever seen him play in this round. Your endgame was particularly impressive in your games vs Scott. Well done!!

**blankoblanco** · 02-03-21, 02:31 AM

Thanks for the congrats and of course the points John! I really thought Scott might 2-0 me for a bit there

Originally posted by JohnGalt2341

You're also the frontrunner for single biggest victory with your 55 point win over Britt.

Oh crap, I didn't think about that one. Was focusing more on my battles with Scott, I'm sure I could have gotten more pieces lol

**JohnGalt2341** · 02-04-21, 03:33 PM

I was looking through section 10 and I came across this game:

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https://www.itsyourturn.com/pp?gm&g=15300069073842&m=51&u=4200000010558&t=3&gn=97

Move #26 Purple to move.

There's only one move currently available on the entire board. This is very rare when there are still so many open spots (21, including all 6 corners) left on the board. If Green would have had a piece in that spot he would have won the game 57-3. I don't think Green will be able to stop Purple now. This will be fun to see how it plays out. I think Ian has his work cutout for him here. I'll be very surprised if can hold maitreg to under 50 in this game.

**JohnGalt2341** · 02-04-21, 08:36 PM

Daniel has a great game going vs maitreg:

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The other game is a lock. Daniel's side-play has been fantastic in this game so far. I like his chances here.

**JohnGalt2341** · 02-04-21, 08:57 PM

Pick the exact final score for both colors in the game below and win 500 points.

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Predictions must be in by February 5th.

**Daniel Espinosa** · 02-04-21, 11:37 PM

Yes! I need that game!

80-10 purple is my guess

**blankoblanco** · 02-05-21, 04:28 AM

84-6 purple

**Ian** · 02-05-21, 10:30 AM

78-12 Toptal/Purple

**JohnGalt2341** · 02-05-21, 11:24 AM

Originally posted by JohnGalt2341

Pick the exact final score for both colors in the game below and win 500 points.

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Predictions must be in by February 5th.

I'm going to say 77-0 as I think he's going to skunk him. He might even be able to do it before he reaches 70 and possibly even before 60.

**Ian** · 02-06-21, 04:32 PM

Originally posted by JohnGalt2341

I was looking through section 10 and I came across this game:

ItsYourTurn.com - Play online games: chess, checkers, backgammon, Battleship, Othello, Connect4, and more! FREE turn-based multiplayer Internet board games

https://www.itsyourturn.com/pp?gm&g=15300069073842&m=51&u=4200000010558&t=3&gn=97

Move #26 Purple to move.

There's only one move currently available on the entire board. This is very rare when there are still so many open spots (21, including all 6 corners) left on the board. If Green would have had a piece in that spot he would have won the game 57-3. I don't think Green will be able to stop Purple now. This will be fun to see how it plays out. I think Ian has his work cutout for him here. I'll be very surprised if can hold maitreg to under 50 in this game.

I just saw this post.

Kind of a typical game for me. I feel like I have my opponent in bad shape, and then the tide turns in one move. Since then my options have been limited and I've been forced to give up corners. Fortunately I'm doing better in my purple game. I'm trying to apply your advice, but I need to do a better job of looking several moves ahead... still having fun with the games. I'm glad to see everyone in the thread doing so well.

I just beat Freddo in our ladder game... after winning I feel the same way I feel after beating this guy.

**JohnGalt2341** · 02-06-21, 05:32 PM

Originally posted by Ian

I just saw this post.

Kind of a typical game for me. I feel like I have my opponent in bad shape, and then the tide turns in one move. Since then my options have been limited and I've been forced to give up corners. Fortunately I'm doing better in my purple game. I'm trying to apply your advice, but I need to do a better job of looking several moves ahead... still having fun with the games. I'm glad to see everyone in the thread doing so well.

I just beat Freddo in our ladder game... after winning I feel the same way I feel after beating this guy.

Congrats on your first Ladder win!! I like your chances in your game vs robert sawyers as well.

I usually don't think too far ahead myself. I mostly just ask myself "Is this a good position?" To me, a good position is one where I keep my pieces inside of my opponents, preferably in a tight ball if possible.

The game in the link below is a fairly common game although I don't usually run my opponents out of moves so quickly. As you can see in the game below I am taking only one or two pieces in every single one of my moves for the first 14 moves or so, and the majority of those I am taking only one piece. By move #11 Purple is already down to only one move and that one move is garbage. By move #15 Purple is completely out of moves, and winning the game after that is easy because now I get to dictate where the game goes.

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This is pretty much how I try to play every game. It usually works very well. I don't advise players to play aggressively, especially when they are new because it rarely works vs stronger players.

**JohnGalt2341** · 02-10-21, 11:26 AM

I just noticed that blanko beat Toptal in a very close recent Ladder game. AND, he did it with only 1 corner!! Well done!!

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What a game!!

This could be a preview to the next round of the tourney.

**blankoblanco** · 02-10-21, 03:52 PM

Thank you sir! Didn't want to toot my own horn but since you brought it up, I challenged Toptal and Ryan at the same time a few weeks ago and ended up winning both! The Toptal game was interesting for sure. I felt like he outplayed me through most of it but somehow I was able to get enough pieces in the middle of the board to win. Probably not a strategy I could replicate

**blankoblanco** · 02-13-21, 12:02 AM

I see Daniel schooled maitreg in both games to win his group, nice work!

**Daniel Espinosa** · 02-13-21, 06:09 PM

Thanks!

Wow just one corner? Toptal is probably tilted right now.

**JohnGalt2341** · 02-24-21, 01:06 PM

Tourney update:

Toptal and §urantian are going to split their games. §urantian will advance but Toptal still has to sweep Jon. Toptal is playing terribly in one of the games.

Here's some of the moves I think he could have played better. Toptal is Green.

#10? https://www.itsyourturn.com/pp?gm&g=...0849&t=3&gn=97

#15? https://www.itsyourturn.com/pp?gm&g=...0849&t=3&gn=97

#25?? https://www.itsyourturn.com/pp?gm&g=...0849&t=3&gn=97

#29? https://www.itsyourturn.com/pp?gm&g=...0849&t=3&gn=97

I'm hoping he can still win this game. I think Daniel may be right, that he's probably on tilt. He played sloppy in a couple of other games as well. I really want him to advance though because I know he can play so much better than this.

**JohnGalt2341** · 02-25-21, 07:07 PM

Originally posted by blankoblanco

84-6 purple

Very close:

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I thought he was going to wipe him out in the game above, but he did it in the other game vs robert instead.

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**JohnGalt2341** · 02-28-21, 11:05 AM

Toptal and Jon are dragging along here but I think Toptal is going to sweep him. But Jon might be able to make this game interesting because he's got that lower left wall.

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Hopefully this game will be done by the end of the week.

I just noticed Ian gave robertsawyers a beating in a Ladder game:

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Nice board!

**JohnGalt2341** · 03-04-21, 02:08 PM

Round 2 is going to start any day now. The Round 1 Section Winners are as follows:

1. §Holden2341 6-0

2. §Bernard 5-1 and §Hugolin 5-1

3. Toptal 5-1 and §urantian 5-1

4. §turtlecrossing 6-0

5. SnazzyD 6-0

6. §joook 6-0

7. Gulin 5-1 and §sarok 5-1

8. WHUFC 6-0

9. blankoblanco 6-0

10. DanielEspinosa 5-1

Prediction Point Standings

1. Daniel 9
2. blanko 8
3. JohnGalt 8
4. Ian 6

**JohnGalt2341** · 03-04-21, 02:26 PM

Aside from FGYTPeti timing out his games, I'm really happy about the way the First Round turned out. Most of my favorite players advanced. But I will admit... you guys had me worried there for a minute...

So, obviously for the next Round I am hoping that we will all be in separate Sections. I'm going to try to use the Law of Attraction to see if I can make this happen.

Players I am hoping to see in my Section in Round 2, in no particular order.

Bernard
Hugolin
turtlecrossing
joook
Gulin
sarok

Players I am hoping NOT to see in my Section in Round 2, in no particular order.

Toptal
urantian
SnazzyD
WHUFC
blankoblanco
DanielEspinosa