ROSA GAMES / JOURNAL
Open information, hidden information and chance in games
Two games with the same player count can demand different decisions. What matters is what you know about the position and which events remain uncertain.
An open position
In chess, both sides’ pieces are visible. That does not make a decision obvious: there are still many continuations. Evaluation uses a shared position rather than guesses about a hidden hand or deployment.
Incomplete information
Battleship reveals an opponent’s placement through shot results. In dominoes, your hand is known while the other hand is hidden. Separate established information from hypotheses and update assumptions after each action.
The role of chance
Dice, shuffled decks and new tiles create differing conditions. Planning still matters: choose actions that preserve useful options across several possible outcomes. One unlucky result does not by itself determine the quality of the entire plan.