BI-POD

BIPOD (c) 2004 Bill Taylor

It is played on a trapezium-shaped hex board, with two cells on the long side occupied by different coloured pieces, so that the colour-colour and colour-corner empty-cell numbers are equal:
_______________________________
. . . . . @ . . . . Q . . . . . 1
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   . . . . . . . . . . . . .    4
    . . . . . . . . . . . .     5
     . . . . . . . . . . .      6
=`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz-';

The two players alternate in placing a single(*) blocking stone in any empty cell.  On any turn, a player may elect instead to "adopt" the running option.  The other player then becomes the Blocker, and continues playing single blocks on each turn. The Runner now plays single stones of whichever starting colour he chooses for that turn.

Runner wins if he can create two paths, one from each of his start cells, in the appropriate colours, to any points on any of the three short sides. Blocker wins if Runner has failed in his goal when all the cells are filled.

(*) It is recommended that for email play, the players agree to play any number of stones they like, between one and (say) three inclusive.

*************

Sample Game:

1. e13f2   su3
2. a3c3   adopt

Move 3 does not have impact in the position, so in fact it is a pass to see if Second places another stone. But Second adopts.
_______________________________
      x . @ . . . . Q . . . . . 1
       x . . . . . . . . . . .  2
  x x x . . . . . . x x . . .   3
   . . . . . . . . . . . . .    4
    . . . . . . . . . . . .     5
     . . . . . . . . . . .      6
=`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz-';

3. v2 o    j4

While First saves the right position, Second tries to block the left sector.
_______________________________
      x . @ . . . . Q . . . . . 1
       x . . . . . . . o . . .  2
  x x x . . . . . . x x . . .   3
   . . . . x . . . . . . . .    4
    . . . . . . . . . . . .     5
     . . . . . . . . . . .      6
=`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz-';

4. g3 o    h2
5. j2 o    i3
6. m3 o

First then makes a threat at g3, which provides extra space.
_______________________________
      x . @ . . . . Q . . . . . 1
       x x o . . . . . O . . .  2
  x x x o x . o . . x x . . .   3
   . . . . x . . . . . . . .    4
    . . . . . . . . . . . .     5
     . . . . . . . . . . .      6
=`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz-';

 6...     m5
 7. p4 o  y3
 8. w3 O  x4
 9. v4 O  w5
10. u5 O  v6
11. t6 O  p6
12. resigns  

But even that extension is not enough because Second uses the right white pieces to block part of the way of the left white pieces.
_______________________________
      x . @ . . . . Q . . . . .  
       x x o . . . . . O . . .  
  x x x o x . o . . x x O x .    
   . . . . x . . o . . O x .    
    . . . . . x . . . O x .      
     . . . . . . x . O x .      
=`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz-';