Stone Game IX — LeetCode 2029 Python Solution

The problem

Alice and Bob continue their games with stones. There is a row of n stones, and each stone has an associated value.

Example

Input

stones = [2,1]

Output

true

Explanation

The game will be played as follows:

Python solution

class Solution:
    def stoneGameIX(self, stones: List[int]) -> bool:
        def check(cnt: List[int]) -> bool:
            if cnt[1] == 0:
                return False
            cnt[1] -= 1
            r = 1 + min(cnt[1], cnt[2]) * 2 + cnt[0]
            if cnt[1] > cnt[2]:
                cnt[1] -= 1
                r += 1
            return r % 2 == 1 and cnt[1] != cnt[2]

        c1 = [0] * 3
        for x in stones:
            c1[x % 3] += 1
        c2 = [c1[0], c1[2], c1[1]]
        return check(c1) or check(c2)

Complexity

Pattern: Greedy

Take the locally best option every time — when you can prove that never costs you later. LeetCode 2029. Stone Game IX is filed here on both counts: the reference solution below belongs to the algorithm family this hub collects, and LeetCode tags it Greedy.

The greedy guide has the Python template for the pattern and the 346 LeetCode problems that use it.

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