Lord Matt's Win at Cellblock

This guide is aimed at players of Cellblock who wish to overcome the more challenging levels or just generally improve thier game play. At least enough to win the bronze.

The screen shot (to the right) shows the final position that should be your aim in every game you play. The player can choose between two possible locations and no matter where the computer blocks the player is going to win.

This didn't happen by chance but by planning, cunning and playing to win (not to mention knowing your opponant (a very dumb AI)).

If you have read the playing tips section on the Cellblock page you will have a general idea what we are going to do. (Set up a win-win-win situation that the computer can not block)

In this guide you will see how to apply those ideas into a playing plan and thrash your way to a (small) fortune.

The game is still not going to be "easy" but it will be simpler to get at those all elusive victories (especially later when the AI stops throwing the game).

You will be able to learn, for example, that victory is often gained in the first three or four moves of a game.

You will see the very game that got me this screen shot and for the main part you should be able to repeat the game as the AI can be astoundingly thick at times and easily predictable.

The rule is simple: get him on the ropes and keep him there. Force his move so you are playing both sides in your favour.

The opening nine moves are shown here but what I will explain is not the where (you can see that) but the why so that you will (hopefully) understand the reasoning and be able to apply it for yourself.

The first big hint is that the computers second move is always the same and always very very weak. (so we get two of the three moves needed to set up a win to start with)

You go first and create a row of three from your two (at higher levels you will not get this start so practice now).

The computer blocks (Duh!). Sometimes the computer will move somewhere else and give you the game...

You do not extend your "dead three" into a four but make a rather strange move (you block the iother guy to creat a 1-gap-gap-1). A strong move would be to attempt a three back at you but the computer (robbed of it's only obviouse three making) makes a weak move and blocks the three again (at the other end. It always does this...).

From there we are able to convert our strange move into a row of four with a stone missing. 2-gap-1. We do this not to get the four (although a quick game would be nice) but to mis-direct the computer into blocking while we set up a new two-diagnle that we can make into a three... in making it a three we set the same up again...)

The computer rightly blocks our potential four (or next go the game would be over).

However we have no interest in the potential four as we move on to that three diagnal down and left. In my game the computer blocked me at the top (it usually does) and so I extended three to a four and force the computer to place a stone at the very bottom of the screen. This gives me a foundation to build new threes on and is effectivly a "free move" as control passes back to me without the computer having a say in the direction of the game.

From here I make another 3 and this sets up another three nicely. What we are doing is the same thing as the bad cowboy when he shoots the at the other guys feet - making him dance. Each time we make him play block the human he can't do anything to further his win potential. We use this to build our win whipping him along like a bad doggy.

Move eight is another three (that places a stone for later). Move nine places another stone for later and forces the computer to again place a useless stone as a block.

What we have done is prep the game for our win. If you play the same moves as this almost always you should end up in the same situation but it is the idea behind the moves that makes them so good.

Now the first danger opens up - (Indicated by the red line) the only chance at a win the computer gets. Always be careful not to get the order wrong or instead of thrashing the computer you will force it to win.

Move three of this next set (see picture) will set up the win-win-win and insult the other guy by giving false hope.

First we make a diaginal 3 which the computer will block with a stone on the red line. Then we extend it to make another four (forces the computer to play below the red line). That force gave us another effective free move.

This is when we place the stone on the square marked "3". We have a top to bottom 3 a diaginal 3 and a 2-space-1 which is just as good if not better. win-win-win

From here on it is win or loose as the computer will make a four and threaten to force you to give up the advantage. If he does that you have no hope of winning. However keep your cool and win the day.

Now we close in for the kill. Notice we have a three that forms a possible five (winning row) that overlaps with the danger line. We set this up quite deliberatly. We block and make a four.

(I go there, in the same set-up so should you.)

Now you have done something very clever You killed the threat and set up a four that the computer must block or lose the game to you. While he's blocking the four he can't be stopping that 2-gap-1

So you can then place a stone in the gap of your 2-gap-1 and bingo - four unblocked in a row. Now two squares can be used to convert that to a winning five and the computer has only one move - where-ever he goes you go the other and win.

The game is yours. Well done.

This was achieved with a little insight and a little forward planning. Every game you play can be this sexy and easy. Remember what we did was to play in such a way that we forced the computer to make moves we wanted it to. Thus setting ourselves up for new three's and fours every turn while building a critical mass to make a winning set-up.