Hi there,
I don’t know if it is quicker, but there is a more accurate method to solve this (without explanation, jump to the code).
The maximal number of steps to win a game is 19 (nine defeats, ten victories). This results in these possible positive outcomes (x = victory, o=defeat):
x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x o
x x x x x x x x x x o o
x x x x x x x x x x o o o
…
x x x x x x x x x x o o o o o o o o o
Imagine all outcomes in a tree diagram and it is apparent that some leaves don’t count, because a win or lose situation happened before step 19. So it is not possible to use the binomial coefficient of 19 ([x+o]^19) to calculate the number of outcomes. But I found way to calculate the needed coefficients (if no one has ever done it, which I absolutely don’t believe, they should be called wondersquare coefficients

):
1;
previous number multiplied with a fraction of needed number of wins as numerator and 1 as denominator;
previous number multiplied with a fraction of the previous numerator plus 1 and and the previous denominator plus 1;
previous number multiplied with a fraction of the previous numerator plus 1 and and the previous denominator plus 1;
…;
this is done till the fraction is 2. After that it ends.
Now applying all victory outcomes with the coefficients, where the combination with the least steps are combined with the first coefficient and the combination with the most steps are combined with the last coefficient. The results are summed up.
Oh wow, it’s horrible to read. I think the calculation itself is a lot more self explaining.
Let’s apply it for the first round. Victory = 2/3, Defeat 1/3
Code: [Select]
Code:
1 1 * 10/1 = 1010 * 11/2 = 5555 * 12/3 = 220…5005 * 16/7 = 1144011440 * 17/8 = 2431024310 * 18/9 = 486201 * (2/3)^10 * (1/3)^0 = 0,0173415299 10 * (2/3)^10 * (1/3)^1 = 0,0578050997 55 * (2/3)^10 * (1/3)^2 = 0,1059760162 220 * (2/3)^10 * (1/3)^3 = 0,1413013549 715 * (2/3)^10 * (1/3)^4 = 0,1530764678 2002 * (2/3)^10 * (1/3)^5 = 0,1428713699 5005 * (2/3)^10 * (1/3)^6 = 0,119059474911440 * (2/3)^10 * (1/3)^7 = 0,090711980924310 * (2/3)^10 * (1/3)^8 = 0,064254319848620 * (2/3)^10 * (1/3)^9 = 0,04283621320,0173415299 + 0,0578050997 + 0,1059760162 + 0,1413013549 + 0,1530764678 + 0,1428713699 + 0,1190594749 + 0,0907119809 + 0,0642543198 + 0,0428362132= 0,9352338272
First round win probability = 0,9352
Forth round. Victory = 1/4, Defeat = 3/4:
Code: [Select]
Code:
1 * (1/4)^10 * (3/4)^0 = 9,5367431640625E-007 10 * (1/4)^10 * (3/4)^1 = 7,15255737304688E-006 55 * (1/4)^10 * (3/4)^2 = 2,95042991638184E-005 220 * (1/4)^10 * (3/4)^3 = 8,85128974914551E-005 715 * (1/4)^10 * (3/4)^4 = 0,0002157502 2002 * (1/4)^10 * (3/4)^5 = 0,0004530754 5005 * (1/4)^10 * (3/4)^6 = 0,000849516411440 * (1/4)^10 * (3/4)^7 = 0,001456313824310 * (1/4)^10 * (3/4)^8 = 0,002321000148620 * (1/4)^10 * (3/4)^9 = 0,0034815001= 0,0089032793
Forth round win probability = 0,0089
First round = 0,9352338272
Second round = 0,5
Third round = 0,0647661728
Forth round = 0,0089032793
Overall probability = 0,0002696426
1 in 3709