The 2nd 21- of June

21- (Khorkov* - Jordan+Aunt Beast, 2010-06-02) 1(22)2 1(23)1[2,3] 4(24)23 4(25)4[5-8] 2(26)2 24(27)25 9(28)9[10-21] 9(29@27)28 27(30)29 10(31)11 5(32)6 5(33)32[7] 12(34)12[10] 13(35)13 12(36)13 34(37)36[14-16] 35(38)37[17] 18(39)19 ...

Roman decided to revisit move 36 of the previous game.



The position is [0.1AB;0.AB] + A2 + 3 + A4P1, which simplifies, with a little Sprouts algebra, to *3 + *2 + A4P1. By examining LV6, we can simplify the last component, and the game becomes X + *3 + *2, where X is restive with G⁺(R) = 1 and G^-(R) = 2. From ONAG, p 146, we know the following:

If R is Restive, then

o^-(R + *m + *n + ...) = o⁺(*r + *m + *n + ...)

where r =

{

G-(R), if {m, n...} ⊆ {0, 1, G-(R), G-(R) ⊕ 1}, G+(R) otherwise.

Now {1, 1 ⊕ 1, 2, 2 ⊕ 1} = {0,1,2,3}, and clearly {3,2} ⊆ {0,1,2,3}, thus we have o^-(X + *3 + *2) = o⁺(*2 + *3 + *2). This is a next-player-winning position, so Aunt Beast has made a mistake here. Can Roman capitalize on it? The game continues with 20(40)21 33(41)5[6].

This is A2 + 3 + [1<1>.1<1>.A;0.A]. From LV6 we see that the latter is just *3, so the position is *2 + *1 + *3.

After 10(42)10 21(43)20:

Usually when a game gets this far into the endgame, one party or the other will realize that they have lost and resign, but for some reason that hasn't happened here.

39(44)40 18(45)43[20] 18(46@19)45 19(47)21[46] II

This time it is Roman who realizes he has lost. And so it ends, not with a bang, but with a whimper.