GoKawiilWeakC4, or Distilling an Emergent Object
2swap
WeakC4 is a search-free, low-knowledge solution to 7x6 Connect 4, constructed by identifying a language which describes perfect play for a small subset of nodes, and then identifying a small opening tree which contains only those nodes as leaves.
This website provides a formal strategy for optimal first-player Connect Four play, which is fundamentally different from existing strong and weak solutions such as Fhourstones:
It depends on so little information that it fits in about 150 kilobytes as shown, even before de-duplicating symmetric pairs.
It uses no search during runtime, running at O(wh) time complexity to select a move.
time complexity to select a move. It can be visualized in its entirety and rendered in realtime.
It visually illustrates and confirms the existence of particularly challenging openings, lines, and variations already known to connect 4 players.
Weak and Strong Solutions
This website shows a weak solution to the game of Connect Four. In short, this means that it provides sufficient information to guarantee a win for the first player if the first player plays in accordance with the weak solution's suggestions, but makes no comment on arbitrary positions. (If it did, that would make it a strong solution).
... continue reading