486. Predict the Winner

1. Description

Given an array of integers. Two players pick numbers from the array one by one. Each time a player can only pick from the left or the right of the array.

The player with the maximum score wins, Predict whether the player 1 can win.

2. Solution

Implement a function to calculate the maximum score that player 1 can get, if the 2*score is larger of equal to the total score, then he will win.

So how to implement the function.

There are two choices for the player 1 to pick now. If he pick the left number, the final score will be nums[l]+ min(score(l+1,r-1),score(l+2,r));

If he pick the right number, the final score will be nums[r]+ min(score(l+1,r-1),score(l,r-2)).

return the larger score.

3. Code

    bool PredictTheWinner(vector<int>& nums) {
        int n = nums.size();
        int a = score(nums,0,n-1);
        int sum = 0;
        for(int i=0;i<n;i++)
            sum+=nums[i];
        if(2*a>=sum)
            return true;
        else
            return false;
    }
    int score(vector<int>& nums,int l,int r){
        if(l==r)
            return nums[l];
        if(l>r) return 0;
        int a = nums[l]+min(score(nums,l+1,r-1),score(nums,l+2,r));
        int b = nums[r]+min(score(nums,l+1,r-1),score(nums,l,r-2));
        return max(a,b);
    }