Dec 15, 2005

Slowly Progressive Chess

As Scottish progressive chess, but with the next move list:
1 2 2 3 4 4 5 6 6 7 8 8 ...

A game sample:

Q n . . . . . . | 1. e4
p . p k . . . p | 2. d5:e4
. . . . . . . . | 2. Nc3:e4
. . b . O . . . | 3. Bf4:d1 e5
. . . . . . . . | 4. d3 Bg5:d8 K:d1
. . . . . p . . | 4. K:d8 Nf6:e4:f2+
O O . . . . . O | 5. Ke2:f2 d4:e5 Nf3
R . . . . K r . | 6. g54:f3:g2:h1Q:f1+
                  6. K:f1 c456:b:a8Q
                  7. Kd7 Bc5 f543 Rg8g1++


The slower progressive step allows for more tactical positioning and a game with a better tempo (between progressive and FIDE chess). The move list was made to minimize the first player advantage (it is more fair than the typical 1,2,3... sequence).

Another variant, even slower, uses the following list: 1 2 2 2 3 4 4 4 5 6 6 6 7 8 8 8 (which is also quite fair, regarding first player advantage). Here two game samples:

. . . . k . . N  |  1. e4
p . p . p p p p  |  2. d5:e4
. . . . . . . .  |  2. Nc3:e4
. . . . . . . .  |  2. Bg4:d1
. . . . . . . .  |  3. Nc5:b:d8
. . . . . b n .  |  4. Be2:f1:g2:h1
O . n O . O . O  |  4. Ne6:f8g6:h8
. . B . K . N .  |  4. Nc6d4b3:h1
                    5. b4b5b6b7:a8Q+
                    6. B:a1f3 Nh6f5g3 N:c2++

. . . . . . . . | 1. e4
. . . . . . . p | 2. d5:e4
. k . . . . . . | 2. Bc4:f7+
. . . . p . . . | 2. K:f7 Nf6
. . . . . . . . | 3. d3:e4 Q:d8
. . . . . . . Q | 4. e5 Bc5 R:d8 b5
. O O . . . . . | 4. Be3:c5e7:d8
. . . . K . . N | 4. N:e4:f2:h1 Nc6
                  5. a4:b5 R:a7:a8:c8
                  6. N:d8 Kd7c7:b8 c6:b5
                  6. N,,:h1 Na3:b5a7+
                  6. Kb:a7b6 Ne6f4:g2+
                  7. h456:g7g8Q:g2 Qh3 & wins

Dec 12, 2005

DIABALLEX

On each turn, a player can (optionally) do the following, in order:
1: Make two Halma moves.  They must be with different pieces.
   Only one of these is allowed by the first player on the first move.
2: Swap the King with a soldier provided that they are
   in the same line and with no enemy piece directly between them.
   This may be repeated successively with several different pieces.
The King cannot move by any other means.
GOAL - Win by getting one's king into the last row.

abcdefghijklm
   o o o o    1
  . . B . .   2
 . . . . . .  3
. . . . . . . 4
 . . . . . .  5
  . . J . .   6
   x x x x    7
abcdefghijklm


Sample Game (notation: a1^ means king swaps with a1)

abcdefghijklm        Bo                  Jx

   . o . .    1.   ..   f1.h3       h7.i6  d7.f5
  . . o x .   2. h3.i4  j1.h7       j7.j3  f7.h5^
 . . o . x .  3. h1.f3  d1.f1       i6.i2  f5.g4^
. . . J . . . 4. i4.j5  ^j5h7  B wins
 . . . x o .  5
  . . x . .   6
   . . B .    7
abcdefghijklm


This game was inspired by Philippe Lefrançois's Diaballik

Dec 7, 2005

Trabsact Sagme Diaries

The roads of attack and the roads of defense seldom lead to the same destiny. Games not obeying this live at the razor's edge: they can be magnificent or broken. [T.Sagme, Meditations]

Dec 5, 2005

Election Games (4/4)

SEIRPINSKI COALITIONS

On each move fill a cell with your symbol; then (optionally): (a) move a piece from one large triangle to the corresponding empty cell on another, or (b) to the corresponding empty cell on a neighboring small triangle, or (c) to an adjacent empty cell in the same small triangle.

Two friendly cells in a small triangle win that triangle for the player.
Two won small triangles in the same large triangle win that for the player.
Two won large triangles for a player win the game.

Notation as in SEIRPINSKI ELECTIONS including ‘-’ to represent a move of type (a), ‘:’ a move of type (b), and ‘.’ a move of type (c)

Game sample:

      J’s           B’s  
   ========================
1.  111  -       222   -
2.  331  -       121  222-3
3.  231  -       333  322:3
4.  322  331:2   311  332:1
5.  123  322-1   132  121:3
6.  112  321:3   211  132-3
7.  233  331-2   resign

             j            
            j .            
                          
          .     b        
         j j   . .        
        ___________      
      b \         / b    
     . . \       / b .    
          \     /        
   j     j \   / .     -  
  . .   . j \ / . .   b b


So, this game mixes the election goal with a restricted move feature, so that players may reuse their dropped stones. The game converges to an end, since on every turn, a stone is dropped, and eventually the board is full. When that happens, there is always a winner.