Newsgroups: rec.games.abstract, rec.puzzles
From: hoey@AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil (Dan Hoey)
Date: 1996/12/10
Subject: Re: Toe-Tac-Tic problem?

pcis...@nyx10.cs.du.edu (Paul Ciszek) writes:

> I seem to remember something about the 3x3x3 version of tic tac toe being
> unsolved if the players play to "lose", i.e. force the other into a row
> of 3.  Is this the case?  If so, we have a remarkably simple game that
> could still be a intellectual challange.

The first player has an easy win: Play the center, then play opposite
the second player.  Draw is impossible, and the first player won't
make three in a row before the second player does.

I don't know the outcome if two-in-a row is considered a "check" that
must be blocked, and the object is checkmate.

Dan Hoey
Hoey@AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil