In the diagram below, north has just moved c000 and attacks pit A with both e and d. A counter attack by moving pit D doesn't fix the problem because north would take 5 points from south's cup, while south would capture the last gem in play, worth 1 point.
 |
| 1 | D0 | e0 | Capturing 5 from south's cup. |
| 2 | E0 | | Capturing 1 from north's b-pit. |
See next diagram.
Alternatively:
| 1 | A0 | | Attacking pit e. |
| d00 | |
| 2 | B0000 | | Capturing 1 from north's b-pit. |
See next to next diagram. |
 | From south's point of view the problem is that he has 13 points and that he will lose if north succeeds in leaving him without a move.
This danger however is not immediate: tempo conditions are heavily in south's favour. But he faces the task of feeding north in such a way that the latter cannot avoid a capture, tipping the scales, and making sure north cannot recapture, and making sure he can next leave north without a move.
This might prove problematic. |
 | The alternative to the above is moving pit A, simultaneously attacking pit e.
From north's point of view this attack is no big deal: a one point gem doesn't tip the scales, so he must make an indirect capture anyway. He might decide to allow it, to prepare a little trap with d00. If south now captures with B0000, we're in the diagram shown.
Tempoconditions now are in north's favour so eventually south will have to move pit A and allow a capture that will tip the scales. |
Endgames can be very complicated and a writing a good program, despite the obvious affinity between mancala's and computers, may prove more difficult than one would anticipate.
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The ArenA