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Joost Brugh wrote on Wed, May 17, 2006 01:50 PM UTC:
A problem for the real mathematician about DVONN: How high can a stack
maximally grow in the game when:
a. The stack contains one or more DVONN-pieces (so it will survive by
definition)
b. The stack contains no DVONN-pieces
bi. The stack dies later in the game by becomming disconnected
bii. The stack gets a DVONN-piece later in the game (and thus survives)
biii. The stack survives without getting a DVONN-piece

Some one-dimensional examples. Assume these lines as isolated islands: A
number is a stack without DVONN-piece, X is a high, immobile stack without
DVONN-piece, D is a single DVONN-piece.
bi: X - 1 - D. The singleton has to move and stack X dies. It can only
become X+1 upon dying. The X+1-stack never really lived.
bii: X - 1 - D - 1. The stack can only be saved by using the rightmost
singleton to put the DVONN-piece on the stack and it can grow to X+3 with
a DVONN-piece, but had highest size X without DVONN-piece.
biii: X - 2 - D. The stack stays connected and survives.

Note that White and Black play together to get the high stack. But the
rules must be obeyed. The problem can be simplified by disregarding one or
movre rules.

Could there be a systematic way to solve this problem.

This is not for making a ZRF. I already made an ugly ZRF in which I used
25 as maximum, becuase when higher stacks are brought back to 25, the same
moves are possible and the outcome (win/loss/draw) will always be the same.
Only the point difference can be different.