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From: stassen@spp2.UUCP (Chris Stassen)
Newsgroups: net.puzzle
Subject: Inverse Tic-Tac-Toe
Message-ID: <873@spp2.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 26-Feb-86 12:28:41 EST
Article-I.D.: spp2.873
Posted: Wed Feb 26 12:28:41 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Mar-86 00:49:09 EST
Reply-To: stassen@spp2.UUCP (Chris Stassen)
Organization: TRW, Redondo Beach  CA
Lines: 19


	All good net.puzzlers know that a good tic-tac-toe player will
always either win or tie a game regardless of whether or not he makes
the first move.  Two perfect tic-tac-toe players will always end the
game in a draw.

	Suppose we keep the same rules of playing (3x3 board, alternating
turns, etc.), but change the requirements for winning.  The winner of
the game is the player who forces his OPPONENT to occupy three squares
in a row.

	Is there any strategy which will always permit a player to win?
If so, which one (first or second)?  Or, will two perfect "toe-tac-tic"
players always end the game in a draw?

				-- Chris

PS - My thanks to math whiz Alan Murray, who co-invented this puzzle with
me.  (It may have been done before, but I haven't heard about it).