Constructions, bounds, and algorithms for peaceable queens

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Clinch, Katie, Drescher, Matthew, Huynh, Tony, Saffidine, Abdallah
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2024
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_version_ 1866914991560458240
author Clinch, Katie
Drescher, Matthew
Huynh, Tony
Saffidine, Abdallah
author_facet Clinch, Katie
Drescher, Matthew
Huynh, Tony
Saffidine, Abdallah
contents The peaceable queens problem asks to determine the maximum number $a(n)$ such that there is a placement of $a(n)$ white queens and $a(n)$ black queens on an $n \times n$ chessboard so that no queen can capture any queen of the opposite color. In this paper, we consider the peaceable queens problem and its variant on the toroidal board. For the regular board, we show that $a(n) \leq 0.1716n^2$, for all sufficiently large $n$. This improves on the bound $a(n) \leq 0.25n^2$ of van Bommel and MacEachern. For the toroidal board, we provide new upper and lower bounds. Somewhat surprisingly, our bounds show that there is a sharp contrast in behaviour between the odd torus and the even torus. Our lower bounds are given by explicit constructions. For the upper bounds, we formulate the problem as a non-linear optimization problem with at most $100$ variables, regardless of the size of the board. We solve our non-linear program exactly using modern optimization software. We also provide a local search algorithm and a software implementation which converges very rapidly to solutions which appear optimal. Our algorithm is sufficiently robust that it works on both the regular and toroidal boards. For example, for the regular board, the algorithm quickly finds the so-called Ainley construction. Thus, our work provides some further evidence that the Ainley construction is indeed optimal.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2406_06974
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Constructions, bounds, and algorithms for peaceable queens
Clinch, Katie
Drescher, Matthew
Huynh, Tony
Saffidine, Abdallah
Combinatorics
Discrete Mathematics
68R01
G.2.1
The peaceable queens problem asks to determine the maximum number $a(n)$ such that there is a placement of $a(n)$ white queens and $a(n)$ black queens on an $n \times n$ chessboard so that no queen can capture any queen of the opposite color. In this paper, we consider the peaceable queens problem and its variant on the toroidal board. For the regular board, we show that $a(n) \leq 0.1716n^2$, for all sufficiently large $n$. This improves on the bound $a(n) \leq 0.25n^2$ of van Bommel and MacEachern. For the toroidal board, we provide new upper and lower bounds. Somewhat surprisingly, our bounds show that there is a sharp contrast in behaviour between the odd torus and the even torus. Our lower bounds are given by explicit constructions. For the upper bounds, we formulate the problem as a non-linear optimization problem with at most $100$ variables, regardless of the size of the board. We solve our non-linear program exactly using modern optimization software. We also provide a local search algorithm and a software implementation which converges very rapidly to solutions which appear optimal. Our algorithm is sufficiently robust that it works on both the regular and toroidal boards. For example, for the regular board, the algorithm quickly finds the so-called Ainley construction. Thus, our work provides some further evidence that the Ainley construction is indeed optimal.
title Constructions, bounds, and algorithms for peaceable queens
topic Combinatorics
Discrete Mathematics
68R01
G.2.1
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.06974