Connect Four

Problem #183

Tags: interactive games c-1 c-0 special

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Gameplay of Connect Four, animated
Animated example of gameplay (from wiki)

This game is similar to Tic-Tac-Toe, however the board is larger, but amount of possible moves is limited.

Imagine that the board is set vertically (rather than laying flat), and each player at his turn can put his mark only on the top of any columns. In "physical" version color discs are simply dropped from the top.

The goal is to make the line of 4 or more marks - horizontal, vertical or diagonal. Original game field is 7x6 (with 7 columns). We will use larger field of 9x8.

Now you will try to beat me in this game!
Since we all are programmers, your goal is to write a program which can win against my program. Read the instruction on interactive-problems if necessary.

GAME-NAME is connect4 - use it in the server url mentioned by instruction above.

At each turn except the initial you need to send your move represented by the number of column to which you drop your mark (from 0 to 8). Server will respond with its move in the same manner.

Besides this current state of the board is shown to you in the following format:

For example the line 0 0 1 0 22 1121 0 0 2 describes the following field:

- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - 1 - - -
- - - - - 2 - - -
- - - - 2 1 - - -
- - 1 - 2 1 - - 2

To randomize the game, we start it not from empty field, but with two marks (one for each player) already dropped randomly. You are always the player who makes the first move. You should make each next move in no more than 5 seconds.

You may watch this visualization kindly created for us by our colleague Bloggermark to understand the game better.

Input data gives you a token to play and answer should contain victory token returned to you by server.

Example:

YOU                                 SERVER
------------------------            ------------------------

token: <your-token>                 state: 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1            // request-response # 1

token: <your-token>                 move: 7                             // request-response # 2
move: 1                             state: 0 21 0 0 0 0 0 2 1

token: <your-token>                 move: 8                             // request-response # 3
move: 2                             state: 0 21 1 0 0 0 0 2 12

etc...
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