arrive at the same position twice. It is not permitted to move twice consecutively in the same direction (first to make a withdrawal capture, and then to make an approach capture) as part of a capturing sequence. However, unlike in checkers, continuing the capturing sequence is optional. The game ends when one player captures all stones of the opponent. If neither player can achieve this—for instance if the game reaches a state where neither player can attack the other without overly weakening their own position—then the game is a draw. History Fanorona is very popular in Madagascar. According to one version of a popular legend, an astrologer had advised King Ralambo to choose his successor by, while his sons were away from the capital, feigning sickness and urging their return; his kingdom would be given to the first son who returned home to him. When the king's messenger reached Ralambo's elder son Prince Andriantompokoindrindra, he was playing fanorona and trying to win a telo noho dimy (3 against 5) situation, one that is infamously difficult to resolve. As a result, his younger brother Prince Andrianjaka was the first to arrive and inherited the throne. Fanorona inspired Christian Freeling's draughts variant Bushka, which in turn inspired the game Dameo. Analysis Using 10,000 games with Alpha-beta pruning players, the game-tree complexity and state-space complexity can be computed. Fanorona has a game-tree complexity of ~1046 and a state-space complexity of ~1021. In 2007, the game of Fanorona and smaller variants were solved weakly as a draw under perfect play. Both the moves f2-e3A and d3-e3A lead to a draw. References External links Abstract strategy games Traditional board games African games Solved games