An Examination of Tic-Tac-Toe Like Games.

Robert C. Gammill

Expert InsightsPublished 1974

A class of games characterized as K-dimensional tic-tac-toe, with paths of length [n], is examined. Best known of these are Tic-Tac-Toe and QUBIC. Some little known results are presented. The results demonstrate a pivotal role for the game of QUBIC, the smallest nontrivial member of the class. An investigation aimed at a solution to the game of QUBIC is then described and some facts and methods are presented. The methods deal primarily with techniques for reducing the opening and end-game to manageable proportions. The mid-game remains as a difficult problem. A program has been written to play QUBIC using the methods discovered. It is able to find extremely long forcing sequences (31 half moves observed). Improvements to the program are planned to allow a human QUBIC player to work with the program in developing mid-game strategies. 25 pp. Ref.

Document Details

  • Copyright: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Web Only
  • Year: 1974
  • Pages: 25
  • Document Number: P-5122-1

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Gammill, Robert C., An Examination of Tic-Tac-Toe Like Games. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1974. https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P5122-1.html.
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