The easiest way to lose is to use the reverse of some of the generally-accepted good strategies and tactics. 1. Start by using your smalls to cap. 2. Get your pieces in as many towers as possible. i.e. when you cap towers try to go for ones that don't already have your color. This will limit your ability to mine later. 3. If you DO have to cap a tower you're already in, try to go for one where your color is second-to-top. That way, the other player can mine out the intervening piece later and then have the option to split you (which is often disadvantageous for the splittee). 4. Try to cap to make mining opportunities for the other person. I'll let you know if I think of more. I think Eeyore should add his two cents since he, ya know, won the tournament. :-) Ryan -----Original Message----- From: icehouse-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:icehouse-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Kristin Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 4:12 PM To: Icehouse Discussion List Cc: becca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [Icehouse] Throwing a game of IceTowers? Does anyone have suggestions on how to throw a game of IceTowers? Becca asks this question in an article she just posted... "Now, in general I'm not the sort of adult who lets a kid win just because he's a kid, but when he asks politely after losing several times in a row, I'm willing. The trouble is, I can't figure out how to throw a game of IceTowers! I've tried dialing down my strategies in several ways, but none of them seems able to guarantee an advantage to an inexperienced opponent. If anybody knows how to do this, please tell me!" you can read the full article here... My kid can play IceTowers!!! by 'Becca Stallings http://blog.earthlingshandbook.org/2010/06/30/my-kid-can-play-icetowers.aspx anyone have any suggestions? _______________________________________________ Icehouse mailing list Icehouse@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx http://lists.looneylabs.com/mailman/listinfo/icehouse