Random Walk!

There are two players (one could optionally be a bot) that have two opposite tasks: One should keep the starfish inside the square field, while the other one has to get to an edge as soon as possible, thereby ending the game.

If you want to help science and have some fun at the same time – start playing right away!

How to play?
When you start the game you will see a 16x16 square field and a starfish in the middle. Below the field you will see your goal: it will be either to reach the border or to keep the starfish inside the square for as long as possible. You will also notice 4 direction buttons that will affect but not determine the direction the starfish is going to move in. The direction is calculated as follows: when entering the game, you will be assigned a special value which will determine whether you will be choosing the row or the column (e.g. if you choose the rows, then your opponent will be choosing the columns), after each turn, the game calculates the final direction (e.g. if you chose the direction from the first row and your opponent chose the direction from the second column, the final direction will be in the intersection of the first row and the second column) and the starfish moves. The game will be going until the starfish reaches the border of the square. How long you will be able to compete fairly?