07-09-2017
, 11:33 AM
07-15-2017
, 04:37 PM
07-17-2017
, 12:42 PM
08-01-2017
, 01:13 AM
08-01-2017
, 12:56 PM
08-01-2017
, 03:24 PM
08-10-2017
, 10:04 PM
NOTE. This is a repost of post 5629 in this thread. It seems that photobucket would like $400 a year from me to have any pics shown on 3rd party sites, and that is not happening. As such, I am remaking this and 2 other posts so that the pics are visible.
A few newbs have told me that these posts are/were helpful, so I thought I would get the pics back in....
----------------------
It has been awhile since anyone posted an inventory of common TripleChain openings. In post 33 of this thread Gabe has a page depicting the common "Charmer" openings and the "Dynasty" opening. He also had some excellent analysis on strategy with respect to the Dynasty.
In order to help any new players we may get, I wanted to post some of the common Dynasty, Advanced, and Quasi-Advanced Openings. This post will focus only on the Dynasty opening. The next post will address the Advanced and Quasi-Advanced Openings.
There is little strategy discussion in this post.
But, a little happy face might signal a basic and well known tip.
The Dynasty opening was created by an excellent TripleChain player of the same name. It has similarities to one of the "Charmer" openings. A review of post 33 in this thread will show the commonalities and differences between the "Charmer" and the "Dynasty."
Above is a picture of a 654 Dynasty. The picture shows what the middle of the opening would look like after the first four racks of numbers (4 racks of 5 numbers).
This opening is normally referred to as a 654 Dynasty because the 6s make up the outer chain, the 5s make up the inner major chain, and the 4s make up the inner minor chain.
The picture above only shows the 8 inner numbers on the TripleChain board. These 8 numbers generally form the core of any opening. However, for a full view of the same 654 Dynasty opening, below is a picture of the whole board. This picture shows all 20 numbers used in racks 1 through 4 in a TripleChain game. (NOTE: some of the outer numbers are not in the optimal positions).
There are several combinations that can form the Dynasty, but the structure in all of them is the same. Below, for example, is a 563 Dynasty. Note how the structure does not change, but the numbers used for each chain have. As expected, the numbers coming at you will dictate where best to position each of the numbers if your plan is to try for a Dynasty opening.
You generally try to have your largest available numbers in the outer chain and inner major chain positions.
In the opening above it would still be a Dynasty if the middle 5 on the left and the middle 4 on the right exchanged places. However, some numbers on the outer zones would be in poor positions. The point is that a mirror of a Dynasty is still a Dynasty and that the inner chain can go up the inner right side or inner left side.
There is one variant of the Dynasty, and it is the Dynasty Sub-Optimal or Sub-Opt. In the Sub-Opt below the top number in the middle zone (in this case a 3) is not the same as the number underneath and to the right of it. In other words, the 4 inner chain is incomplete.
As you play the game you will come to learn why this is important, and what limitations and challenges the Sub-Opt presents when compared to the full and complete Dynasty.
But, I can share that if the 3 below was a 4, you would have two possible ways to get your 4s in 5 zones should they come in sufficient numbers. However, because the 3 is in a "blocking" position, you now only have one viable path for your 4s if you are trying to get them in all 5 zones (and you will need an extra 4!). Thus, this is why the opening is called the Dynasty Sub-Opt.
A few newbs have told me that these posts are/were helpful, so I thought I would get the pics back in....
----------------------
It has been awhile since anyone posted an inventory of common TripleChain openings. In post 33 of this thread Gabe has a page depicting the common "Charmer" openings and the "Dynasty" opening. He also had some excellent analysis on strategy with respect to the Dynasty.
In order to help any new players we may get, I wanted to post some of the common Dynasty, Advanced, and Quasi-Advanced Openings. This post will focus only on the Dynasty opening. The next post will address the Advanced and Quasi-Advanced Openings.
There is little strategy discussion in this post.
But, a little happy face might signal a basic and well known tip.
The Dynasty opening was created by an excellent TripleChain player of the same name. It has similarities to one of the "Charmer" openings. A review of post 33 in this thread will show the commonalities and differences between the "Charmer" and the "Dynasty."
Above is a picture of a 654 Dynasty. The picture shows what the middle of the opening would look like after the first four racks of numbers (4 racks of 5 numbers).
This opening is normally referred to as a 654 Dynasty because the 6s make up the outer chain, the 5s make up the inner major chain, and the 4s make up the inner minor chain.
The picture above only shows the 8 inner numbers on the TripleChain board. These 8 numbers generally form the core of any opening. However, for a full view of the same 654 Dynasty opening, below is a picture of the whole board. This picture shows all 20 numbers used in racks 1 through 4 in a TripleChain game. (NOTE: some of the outer numbers are not in the optimal positions).
There are several combinations that can form the Dynasty, but the structure in all of them is the same. Below, for example, is a 563 Dynasty. Note how the structure does not change, but the numbers used for each chain have. As expected, the numbers coming at you will dictate where best to position each of the numbers if your plan is to try for a Dynasty opening.
You generally try to have your largest available numbers in the outer chain and inner major chain positions.In the opening above it would still be a Dynasty if the middle 5 on the left and the middle 4 on the right exchanged places. However, some numbers on the outer zones would be in poor positions. The point is that a mirror of a Dynasty is still a Dynasty and that the inner chain can go up the inner right side or inner left side.There is one variant of the Dynasty, and it is the Dynasty Sub-Optimal or Sub-Opt. In the Sub-Opt below the top number in the middle zone (in this case a 3) is not the same as the number underneath and to the right of it. In other words, the 4 inner chain is incomplete.
As you play the game you will come to learn why this is important, and what limitations and challenges the Sub-Opt presents when compared to the full and complete Dynasty.
But, I can share that if the 3 below was a 4, you would have two possible ways to get your 4s in 5 zones should they come in sufficient numbers. However, because the 3 is in a "blocking" position, you now only have one viable path for your 4s if you are trying to get them in all 5 zones (and you will need an extra 4!). Thus, this is why the opening is called the Dynasty Sub-Opt.
08-10-2017
, 10:22 PM
As a follow-up to post 5844 in this thread (above), and to help new or beginner players, I wanted to post some of the common Dynasty, Advanced, and Quasi-Advanced Openings. Post 5844 focussed only on the Dynasty opening. This post will address some of the common Advanced and Quasi-Advanced Openings.
There is little strategy discussion in this post.
But, a little happy face might signal a basic and well known tip.
The Advanced Opening was developed by a TripleChain player with the handle, TH10.
The original Advanced Opening is a symmetrical 4/4 opening, with the 4/4 referring to the fact that there are 4 each of the two numbers in the opening. Below is a picture of a perfect 4/4 opening, with 5s and 6s as the chain numbers.
The picture above only shows the 8 inner numbers on the TripleChain board. These 8 numbers generally form the core of any opening. However, for a full view of the same 4/4 Advanced Opening, below is a picture of the whole board. This picture shows all 20 numbers used in racks 1 through 4 in a TripleChain game.
A common variant of the Advanced Opening is the 4/3/1 inner opening. As seen below, there is one chain that is in the fully advanced position (5s), another chain has three numbers in the correct position (6s), and the lone other number (4) occupies an inner position in the opening.
A related variant of the opening above is the 4/3/1 outer opening. As seen below, there is one chain that is in the fully advanced position (5s), another chain has three numbers in the correct position (6s), and the lone other number (4) occupies an outer position in the opening.
It may be debatable as to whether some of the following positions are Advanced, but for the purpose of this post I will refer to them as Quasi-Advanced.
The first common Quasi-Advanced Opening is the 4/2/2 paired middle. As seen in the picture above, there is one part that has all 4 numbers in a fully advanced position (6s), and there are two pairs of other numbers that make up the rest of the opening (5s and 4s).
And, if you think this looks similar to a Dynasty, you would be right!
This can be a tricky opening to play in racks 5 though 8, and not just for new players. It makes my head hurt at times, while the very good players seem to like it. Newbies proceed with caution..lol
Another common Quasi-Advanced opening is the 4/2/2 split. As seen in the picture above, there is one part that has all 4 numbers in a fully advanced position (5s), and there are two pairs of other numbers that make up the rest of the opening (4s and 6s).
Note that the 6s are in the "strong" position in this opening and the 4s are in the "weaker" position. It may look like opportunities are equal for the 6s and 4s, but imagine what the 5 chain would look like completed, then think about how the 6s can obtain 5 zones but the 4s cant (or at least not easily).
The above covers all or most of the planned or back-up Advanced Openings. There are numerous other Quasi-Advanced openings, but most of them are just accepted as the best that can be achieved when the numbers you were hoping for just don't come through. Here are two examples.
Below is one example of a 3/3/2 Quasi-Advanced Opening. It is called the "Gabe." Named after one of the coolest TripleChain players ever, imo.
Below, the final example, is another unplanned 3/3/2 Quasi-Advanced Opening. Again, this was not the opening the player was hoping for, but being able to make a playable opening when your plan A or B doesn't pan out is part of the challenge and fun of TripleChain.
There is little strategy discussion in this post.
But, a little happy face might signal a basic and well known tip.
The Advanced Opening was developed by a TripleChain player with the handle, TH10.
The original Advanced Opening is a symmetrical 4/4 opening, with the 4/4 referring to the fact that there are 4 each of the two numbers in the opening. Below is a picture of a perfect 4/4 opening, with 5s and 6s as the chain numbers.
The picture above only shows the 8 inner numbers on the TripleChain board. These 8 numbers generally form the core of any opening. However, for a full view of the same 4/4 Advanced Opening, below is a picture of the whole board. This picture shows all 20 numbers used in racks 1 through 4 in a TripleChain game.
A common variant of the Advanced Opening is the 4/3/1 inner opening. As seen below, there is one chain that is in the fully advanced position (5s), another chain has three numbers in the correct position (6s), and the lone other number (4) occupies an inner position in the opening.
A related variant of the opening above is the 4/3/1 outer opening. As seen below, there is one chain that is in the fully advanced position (5s), another chain has three numbers in the correct position (6s), and the lone other number (4) occupies an outer position in the opening.
It may be debatable as to whether some of the following positions are Advanced, but for the purpose of this post I will refer to them as Quasi-Advanced.
The first common Quasi-Advanced Opening is the 4/2/2 paired middle. As seen in the picture above, there is one part that has all 4 numbers in a fully advanced position (6s), and there are two pairs of other numbers that make up the rest of the opening (5s and 4s).
And, if you think this looks similar to a Dynasty, you would be right!
This can be a tricky opening to play in racks 5 though 8, and not just for new players. It makes my head hurt at times, while the very good players seem to like it. Newbies proceed with caution..lolAnother common Quasi-Advanced opening is the 4/2/2 split. As seen in the picture above, there is one part that has all 4 numbers in a fully advanced position (5s), and there are two pairs of other numbers that make up the rest of the opening (4s and 6s).
Note that the 6s are in the "strong" position in this opening and the 4s are in the "weaker" position. It may look like opportunities are equal for the 6s and 4s, but imagine what the 5 chain would look like completed, then think about how the 6s can obtain 5 zones but the 4s cant (or at least not easily). The above covers all or most of the planned or back-up Advanced Openings. There are numerous other Quasi-Advanced openings, but most of them are just accepted as the best that can be achieved when the numbers you were hoping for just don't come through. Here are two examples.
Below is one example of a 3/3/2 Quasi-Advanced Opening. It is called the "Gabe." Named after one of the coolest TripleChain players ever, imo.
Below, the final example, is another unplanned 3/3/2 Quasi-Advanced Opening. Again, this was not the opening the player was hoping for, but being able to make a playable opening when your plan A or B doesn't pan out is part of the challenge and fun of TripleChain.
08-10-2017
, 10:33 PM
So, you want to start playing TripleChain but don't know where to start? Or, you just started playing TripleChain and want to get better? In either case, you have come to the right thread.
If you have not done so already, the first thing you should do is go to the TripleChain site here and read the help section, including the instructions, walkthrough, and FAQ section.
The next step would be to play some normal games as an Anon (Anonymous player). Don't worry about how bad you do. The first games are a mess for everyone.
Once you have done that you can come back here and continue.
........................
Was that fun? I am not sure what your first games looked like, but if they were like mine they might have looked like this..
Notice in the example above how the numbers are "bunched" together, instead of "linked" together to get each chain in as many zones as possible? Notice how there are two 2s that are not connected? Those are two lost bonus points. Notice the two 1s that are touching? There goes another 2 bonus points. But, if your game looked like the above, you are not alone. We all started that way (well, most of us..lol)
So , what do the same numbers look like in a fairly well played game? See the next picture.
In the picture above you will notice that, unlike the first try, the scoring numbers are not "bunched" together. Rather, they are strung out in "chains" in an effort to get the three best chains in as may "zones" as possible.
Also note that those unconnected 2s in the first example are now connected. That is two extra bonus points. And those connected 1s in the first example....they are separated now. Two more bonus points.
So, the score in the first game is 10296 and the score in the 2nd game is 33840. And both games had the same numbers and came in the same sequence!!!!
So, where to from here? How can you learn to play better and enjoy the game more? Of course there is no magic recipe, but here is what I suggest:
1. Read the first post in this thread.
2. Play as many "normal" games as you can and try to get a handle for the best positions for the numbers.
Go ahead and register and get a handle. It is free and fun. Normal games are the games right in the middle of the TripleChain screen. Tournament Games, and Daily Challenge games are also "normal" games. You can only play those once you register.
3. Study some of the openings in post 5844 and 5845 in this thread.
There are nine racks of numbers in a TripleChain game. The first four racks are considered the "opening" racks. While a good opening will not guarantee a well played game, a poor opening will put you in a pretty tough spot. In this way TripleChain is similar to chess. Openings are very important.
Post 5844 provides basic information on the Dynasty opening (invented by Dynasty, an excellent TripleChain player...). In post 5844 I should have included this link here . It is a strategy post by Dynasty and is well worth reading when you are ready.
Post 5845 contains a variety of Advanced or Advanced-like openings. The main Advanced opening was first introduced by TH10, also an excellent TripleChain player.
Also check out Gabe's post 33 in this thread. Post 33 details the Charmer style opening. This opening was commonly used when the game started, though now the Dynasty and Advanced openings are used more often. But, the more you know about the dynamics of all openings, the better you will become.
Once you study openings, you will recognize which opening was used in the 2nd example above.
4. Review the games of other players and see how they played their game.
Observe how they construct and opening, and also how they position 1s and 2s. See if you can recognize what type of opening they are trying to construct, and what they did if the original plan did not work out. You can do this by going to the "Tournament" section and then going to the "Completed Games" section. If you open any tournament and then click on the score of a player's game, you can then replay the whole game.
This kind of learning (observational) can be helpful for some people, while practice (experiential learning) is more helpful for others. Consider the best way(s) you like to learn things as you try and improve. Perhaps you will learn better by practice and self-discovery, while another person would prefer to learn by reviewing how others play.
5. Don't be afraid to try the Daily Challenge or to sign-up for tournaments.
In the Daily Challenge all players get the same numbers, and once you have competed your game you can see how your score fared against everyone else. The next day you will be able to see exactly how each player played the game. You can replay anyone's games the next day. This can be a huge help in improving some basic errors in play. And, don't worry about playing bad or being last. First, you are new. Second, it is not uncommon for even the best players to finish last, so you will be in good company no matter how you play.
6. If you have the time, there are interesting gems and strategy discussions in this thread. But it is a long thread.....
7. Ask questions in this thread. The TripleChain community is pretty helpful..
8. Most important........Have fun!!!
If you have not done so already, the first thing you should do is go to the TripleChain site here and read the help section, including the instructions, walkthrough, and FAQ section.
The next step would be to play some normal games as an Anon (Anonymous player). Don't worry about how bad you do. The first games are a mess for everyone.
Once you have done that you can come back here and continue.
........................
Was that fun? I am not sure what your first games looked like, but if they were like mine they might have looked like this..
Notice in the example above how the numbers are "bunched" together, instead of "linked" together to get each chain in as many zones as possible? Notice how there are two 2s that are not connected? Those are two lost bonus points. Notice the two 1s that are touching? There goes another 2 bonus points. But, if your game looked like the above, you are not alone. We all started that way (well, most of us..lol)
So , what do the same numbers look like in a fairly well played game? See the next picture.
In the picture above you will notice that, unlike the first try, the scoring numbers are not "bunched" together. Rather, they are strung out in "chains" in an effort to get the three best chains in as may "zones" as possible.
Also note that those unconnected 2s in the first example are now connected. That is two extra bonus points. And those connected 1s in the first example....they are separated now. Two more bonus points.
So, the score in the first game is 10296 and the score in the 2nd game is 33840. And both games had the same numbers and came in the same sequence!!!!
So, where to from here? How can you learn to play better and enjoy the game more? Of course there is no magic recipe, but here is what I suggest:
1. Read the first post in this thread.
2. Play as many "normal" games as you can and try to get a handle for the best positions for the numbers.
Go ahead and register and get a handle. It is free and fun. Normal games are the games right in the middle of the TripleChain screen. Tournament Games, and Daily Challenge games are also "normal" games. You can only play those once you register.
3. Study some of the openings in post 5844 and 5845 in this thread.
There are nine racks of numbers in a TripleChain game. The first four racks are considered the "opening" racks. While a good opening will not guarantee a well played game, a poor opening will put you in a pretty tough spot. In this way TripleChain is similar to chess. Openings are very important.
Post 5844 provides basic information on the Dynasty opening (invented by Dynasty, an excellent TripleChain player...). In post 5844 I should have included this link here . It is a strategy post by Dynasty and is well worth reading when you are ready.
Post 5845 contains a variety of Advanced or Advanced-like openings. The main Advanced opening was first introduced by TH10, also an excellent TripleChain player.
Also check out Gabe's post 33 in this thread. Post 33 details the Charmer style opening. This opening was commonly used when the game started, though now the Dynasty and Advanced openings are used more often. But, the more you know about the dynamics of all openings, the better you will become.
Once you study openings, you will recognize which opening was used in the 2nd example above.
4. Review the games of other players and see how they played their game.
Observe how they construct and opening, and also how they position 1s and 2s. See if you can recognize what type of opening they are trying to construct, and what they did if the original plan did not work out. You can do this by going to the "Tournament" section and then going to the "Completed Games" section. If you open any tournament and then click on the score of a player's game, you can then replay the whole game.
This kind of learning (observational) can be helpful for some people, while practice (experiential learning) is more helpful for others. Consider the best way(s) you like to learn things as you try and improve. Perhaps you will learn better by practice and self-discovery, while another person would prefer to learn by reviewing how others play.
5. Don't be afraid to try the Daily Challenge or to sign-up for tournaments.
In the Daily Challenge all players get the same numbers, and once you have competed your game you can see how your score fared against everyone else. The next day you will be able to see exactly how each player played the game. You can replay anyone's games the next day. This can be a huge help in improving some basic errors in play. And, don't worry about playing bad or being last. First, you are new. Second, it is not uncommon for even the best players to finish last, so you will be in good company no matter how you play.
6. If you have the time, there are interesting gems and strategy discussions in this thread. But it is a long thread.....
7. Ask questions in this thread. The TripleChain community is pretty helpful..
8. Most important........Have fun!!!
08-23-2017
, 09:43 AM