STACKS

A Board-Game for 2 Intelligent Players 
by Fred Horn © 04 / 06 /  2018 

Material

• 7 x 7 checkered Board
• 24 identical Game-Pieces which can be ‘stacked’
• Next to the Board TWO ‘Counting Tables’ to set down the SCORE
• 2 sets of 12 Cards, one for Red; one for Green
• 4 count-pawns (2 Red & 2 Green)
  
  

Each set contains: 4 cards with number 1; 5 cards with number 2; 3 cards with number 3

Preparation

=  Place the Game-Pieces on the Board in the STARTPOSITION

=  Place the count-pawns on position ‘0’ on the Counting-Tables

=  Take for each color the 12 Cards with 1 ; 2 ; 3 , shuffle these per color and place these,

     his “stock”, -face down- next to each Player

=  Each Player takes the 2 upper cards from his “stock” in his hand

=  Red starts and plays ‘horizontal’, than Turns alternate, but Green plays ‘vertical’

=  The SCORE is recorded with his count-pawns on the Player’s Counting-Table

Goal

Player with the highest SCORE, after ALL Cards have been played, WINS

Rules

+  The Red Player (playing horizontal) starts, then Turns alternate

+  In his Turn a Player chooses with which card out of his hand he will play this Turn

    The number on that card gives the amount of ‘steps’ the Player must move a game-piece

    or a ‘stack’ of game-pieces

    N.B. 1 step is going from a white square to the next white square in the Player’s direction

             ‘horizontal’ or ‘vertical’. (Move is possible in both in 2 directions: horizontal left or

             right; vertical up or down)

    # If possible, the Player must end his move on an occupied white square, either with 1 or

    with a -‘stack’ of pieces- by placing the played game-piece(s) on top

    His ‘SCORE’ in this Turn is the total number of game-pieces in the new formed “stack”,

    which ‘SCORE’ is recorded on the Player’s Counting-Table by adding the scored number

    # If it is not possible to move to an occupied square the Player must move either a single

       piece or a -‘stack’ of pieces- to an empty white square in his direction

       This generates a negative ‘SCORE”: minus 1 point when 1 piece has been moved; 

       minus 2 points when a ‘stack’ has been moved; and minus 4 points when no possible

       move is available

+  After recording his ‘SCORE”, the played card is than removed and ‘out of the game’

    Player takes the upper card from his “stock” to get again 2 cards in his hand and his Turn

    ends and it is the opponent’s Turn

+  It is not allowed to form in a Turn a ‘stack’ higher than 6 game-pieces

    # When a ‘stack’ of 6 pieces has been formed it cannot move again and stays put   

+  When ALL cards are played the game ends and the Player with the highest ‘SCORE’ WINS

VARIANT 1

The game described above is the first of a series of games where the ‘SCORE’s are cumulated recorded. The first Player reaching a total ’SCORE’ over 99 (or any other number agreed before) WINS

The Player who lost the former game starts the next one etc. etc.

VARIANT 2

Add two “4-Cards” to and remove one 2-Card from each Players “stock”

Game-play is like the ‘normal’ game but when a 4-Card is ‘opened’ the move is different:

+  When a 4-Card is opened during a Player’s Turn the Player has to move as follows:

    He can start his move with any piece or ‘stack’ (not the 6-high) and must play (move)

    with it at least 1 step in his direction. He can also choose for 2 or 3 steps if possible.

    For the rest of his move he must play diagonally BACKWARDS (either 3, 2, or 1 step,

    which is allowed in both possible directions) and he must end his Turn always on a single

    piece or a ‘stack’ according to the rules.

+  After the first  4-Card has been used by a Player he is also allowed to move BACKWARDS

    In the same way when playing a 2- or 3-Card

+  If he can only end on an empty square when going BACKWARDS (no other move is

    available) he counts minus 3 as his ‘SCORE’; and minus 5 points when no possible move is

    available

STRATEGIC COMMENT:

VARIANT 2 gives Players the opportunity to change game-pieces from ONE of the white-square-play-area’s (of 12 white squares) to the OYHER area.                                                    F.H.