solutions/0486-predict-the-winner.js

/**
 * 486. Predict the Winner
 * https://leetcode.com/problems/predict-the-winner/
 * Difficulty: Medium
 *
 * You are given an integer array nums. Two players are playing a game with this array:
 * player 1 and player 2.
 *
 * Player 1 and player 2 take turns, with player 1 starting first. Both players start
 * the game with a score of 0. At each turn, the player takes one of the numbers from
 * either end of the array (i.e., nums[0] or nums[nums.length - 1]) which reduces the
 * size of the array by 1. The player adds the chosen number to their score. The game
 * ends when there are no more elements in the array.
 *
 * Return true if Player 1 can win the game. If the scores of both players are equal,
 * then player 1 is still the winner, and you should also return true. You may assume
 * that both players are playing optimally.
 */

/**
 * @param {number[]} nums
 * @return {boolean}
 */
var predictTheWinner = function(nums) {
  const diff = new Array(nums.length).fill(0);

  for (let i = nums.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
    diff[i] = nums[i];
    for (let j = i + 1; j < nums.length; j++) {
      diff[j] = Math.max(nums[i] - diff[j], nums[j] - diff[j - 1]);
    }
  }

  return diff[nums.length - 1] >= 0;
};