Stax

Stax is a 1919 game by Chauncey H. Hatheway, published by the Stax Company.

The board and the company name are the only information at abstractstrategy.com/stax.html. Around 2006 I was able to find a bad digital copy of the rules.

Stax is a stacking game where each player has two types of pieces: the (twelve) Minors and the (twelve) Majors. The stacks can consist of pieces from both players, and its ownership is determined by its top piece. The goal is to capture or control (via stacking) all adversary pieces.

Here are the pictures, after my attempt to digitally improve them:

RULES FOR PLAYING STAX  
Copyright 1919 by Chauncey H. Hatheway  

The game is played on the diagonal only — never straight forward or straight backward, or to the sides.

THE PIECES  

Minor Pieces — The dark red and dark blue men. These men are known as "Minors," and can be moved diagonally forward only.  

Major Pieces — The light red and light blue men. These men are known as "Majors," and can be moved either diagonally forward or backwards.  

A Stack — Two or more men of either or both kinds, and of either or both colors, piled or stacked together. These "Stacks" are built up and torn down during the course of the game. The top man of a "Stack" controls all the men in the "Stack" underneath him, no matter what kind or color they are, and the "Stack" is moved diagonally as one piece from circle to circle as if the top man only were on the board. When the top man is a "Minor," the "Stack" is known as a "Minor Stack," and can be moved forward only. When the top man is a "Major," the "Stack" is known as a "Major Stack," and can be moved either diagonally forward or backwards.  

At the beginning of the game, the twelve dark red and twelve dark blue men or "Minors" only are used. The light red and light blue men or "Majors" are brought into action later on as described hereafter.  

THE GAME  

The game is played by two players; each player choosing a color and placing the Minor pieces of that color on the circles of the first three rows of the board directly in front of him. As noted above, these "Minors" can "Move" or "Capture" forward only.  

Whenever during the course of a game, a "Minor," either by a "Move" or a "Capture," reaches the last row of circles on the opposite side of the board, it must be immediately removed from the board by the player, and be replaced by a Major piece of the same color, and belonging to the same side. As noted above, these "Majors" can "Move" or "Capture" either forward or backwards.

Likewise, whenever a "Minor Stack" (i.e., a "Stack" having a Minor piece on top) reaches, either by a "Move" or a "Capture," the last row of circles on the opposite side of the board, the "Minor" on top must be immediately removed by the player, and a "Major" of the same color, and belonging to the same side, be placed in its stead on top of the "Stack." The "Stack" then becomes a "Major Stack," and can then "Move" or "Capture" either diagonally forward or backwards. Remember the top "Minor" only is exchanged—not the whole "Stack," nor any of the pieces (whether they be "Majors" or "Minors") which lie underneath.

In the above cases, care must be taken to always exchange the top "Minor" for a "Major," and not to place a "Major" on top of a "Minor" without removing the "Minor." Each player at all times must have twelve men on the board, and if at any time during the game he has more or less than twelve men, then some mistake has been made in the method of substituting "Majors" for "Minors" as outlined above, and if this mistake cannot be immediately rectified, the game should be discontinued and a new one commenced.

It should be especially noted that this exchange of Major for Minor pieces takes place only when a "Minor" reaches the last row on the opposite side of the board, and never at any other time. This is the only time during the game when a piece is ever removed from the board.

When a "Major," whether it be a single man or a "Major" on top of a "Stack," reaches the last row of circles on the opposite side of the board, no exchange of pieces is made, nor is another "Major" placed on top of it. Otherwise each player would soon have more than twelve men on the board.

The play is of two kinds — "Moving" and "Capturing."

A "Move" is made by advancing a piece diagonally to an adjoining vacant circle. A "Move" is the first play on each side, and is thereafter the regular play except when a "Capture" can be made.

A "Capture" can be made by either a single piece or by a "Stack," and must be made whenever possible. This occurs whenever one of the opposing pieces occupies a circle diagonally adjoining a circle on which his opponent's piece stands, and an adjacent vacant circle lies beyond.

The "Capture" of a single man is made in the following manner: The player whose turn it then is places his piece, whether it be a single man or a "Stack," on top of his opponent's man, and moves both as one piece to the vacant circle. The resulting piece, or "Stack," is then controlled by the top man, and is moved from circle to circle as if the top man only were on the board. The following diagram illustrates the method of "Capture" of a single man:

Note that Red has placed his man on top of Blue's and has removed the resulting piece or "Stack" to the vacant circle. This "Stack" is then controlled by Red for his man is on top, and is moved by him as a "Minor Stack" or a "Major Stack" according to the character of his piece which is on top.

Whenever, during the course of the game, an opposing "Stack" can be attacked by either an opponent's single man or by one of his "Stacks," it must be done in the following manner: The player, whose turn it then is, places his man or his "Stack" on top of the opposing "Stack" and "Captures" the top man ONLY of the opposing "Stack," leaving the remainder of the opposing "Stack" on the same circle on which it stood at the time of the "Capture." The remainder of the "Stack" then immediately becomes governed by the top man and is moved as if only the top man were on the board. If such top man is of different color from the man just removed from the "Stack" by the "Capture," then the "Stack" immediately changes hands, becoming a piece of the opposing side, and being moved by that side as a "Minor" or "Major Stack" according to the character of the top man which is on top. If the top man is of the same color as the top of this piece at which is on top. If the top man happened to be Blue, as is often the case, then this "Stack" would belong to Blue, and be moved by him as a "Minor" or "Major Stack" according to the character of his man which is on top. [...] The following diagram illustrates the method of attacking a "Stack"

Note that Blue has taken Red's man off the top of the opposing "Stack," and has carried it on the bottom of his "Stack" to the vacant circle. This leaves the remainder of the opposing "Stack" on the same circle on which it stood at the time of the "Capture." This "Stack" then belongs to Red for another of his men still remains on top, and is thereafter moved by him as a "Minor" or a "Major Stack" according to the character of his man which is on top. If after the "Capture", the top man happened to be Blue, as is often the case, then this "Stack" would belong to Blue, and be moved by him as a "Minor" or "Major Stack", according to the character of his man which is on top.

It should be especially remembered in "Capturing" that only a single man at a time can be taken. This is of course plain when a single man only is "Captured," but it equally follows when a "Stack" is attacked, for in the latter case the top man of the "Stack" only is "Captured," leaving the remainder of the "Stack" — whether it be only a single man (as is always the case when a "Stack" of two is attacked) or a "Stack" composed of several men — on the same circle it occupied at the time of the "Capture."

In any one turn of play a single "Major" or a "Major Stack" can never, after making one "Capture," return to the same circle from which it started that play by "Capturing" another man from the same opposing "Stack." In other words, an opposing "Stack" cannot be attacked twice in succession in the same turn of play.

A player must continue to "Capture" in one play as many of his opponent's single men or "Stacks" as is possible with the single exception that when a "Minor" or a "Minor Stack" reaches the last row of circles on the opposite side of the board, it must be immediately replaced by a "Major," and the play then ends. If the piece, however, be a "Major" or a "Major Stack," it must continue to make "Captures" as long as possible whether they take it into the last row or not.

Single men or "Stacks" belonging to one side can never be "Captured" by single men or "Stacks" belonging to the same side.

The game is won by one player "Capturing" all of his opponent's pieces or, in other words, by controlling all the "Stacks" on the board; or by blocking his opponent so that he cannot move.

HINTS ON PLAYING

The strategy of the game is for each side:  

1. To build up "Stacks" by having several of its own men (preferably "Majors") on top, and with them to wear down by "Capture" the weak "Stacks" of the opposing side.  

2. To imprison its opponent's men in "Stacks" which it controls and thus render them, for the time, being inactive.

A "Stack" with several of your opponent's men underneath and one of your men on top, is a weak piece and should be protected and used as a defense only, for your opponent by attacking it can "Capture" your piece on top and thus release his own men underneath. On the other hand, a "Stack" with several of your own men on top, or composed entirely of your men (especially if these men are all "Majors") is a strong piece and should be used to attack and wear down by "Capture" the weak "Stacks" of the opposing side.

When one side has a strong "Stack," it will often be found advantageous for him to move so as to force the opposing side to capture a man off the top of this "Stack" if by so doing he can, in the succeeding plays, "Capture" the controlling man off an opposing weak "Stack," and thus release his men which are imprisoned in this opposing "Stack."

During the first part of the game the play consists mostly of "Moves," "Captures," and "Recaptures" of the "Minors." Small "Stacks" are constantly being built up and torn down, and it is very seldom that a "Stack" of more than two men is built up at this stage of the game. The strategy which should first govern the game consists of maneuvering so as to "Capture" an opponent's main piece every man of yours which he "Captures," and to build up a "Stack" with two of your own pieces every time your opponent builds up a "Stack" of two of his pieces. As soon, however, as a "Minor" on each side reaches the last row of circles on the opposite side of the board, and is replaced by a "Major," the "Stacks" composed of three, four, five, or even more pieces begin to pile up rapidly, and as the game progresses the "Minors" gradually disappear from the board, so that towards the end of the game, if it be a hardly contested one, nearly all the men on the board will be "Majors."

In not only a few games will all of the twenty-four "Major" pieces furnished in the set be used. They are provided, however, in case the game is very close and they are all required. In such a game, of course, during the play every "Minor" has been retired from the board.

The STAX Company
Greenwich, Connecticut

Rösselsprung

Rösselsprung is a 1946 uncredited game, published by Hans Heidl Spiele.

Rösselsprung, meaning Knight's Move, is played on the following board:

the game can be played between two and four players

The original rules: 

• Each player receives four pieces, which are placed in the starting position — that is, on the fields marked with a circle for setup.
• With three or four players: two players each move two pieces to the left and two pieces to the right from the starting point on the game board. 
• With only two players: all four pieces of each player move within the field boundaries in opposite directions.
• Movement is made in a “knight’s move” (as in chess): that is, one square forward and two squares to the right or left, or two squares forward and one square to the right or left.
• If a piece lands on a square already occupied by another piece during its move, that piece is captured and returned to its starting position, where it must begin again. Capturing is mandatory. Failure to capture results in the moving piece being sent back to its starting position.
• Each player tries to move their four pieces to the opposite side of the board while preventing opponents from reaching their goals by capturing them.
• The winner is the first player to bring all four of their pieces into the opposite starting area.

In 1978, another game with the same name, appeared on the German market:

 

This is probably not a coincidence, given how similar the boards are:

The BGG description: The board has the shape of a cross. The middle of the cross is the common zone, while the outer parts of the board are reserved as starting/ending section for specific players. Each player starts with seven knights/horses and must try to bring them to the opposite side of the board. However, there are some instructions for that: all knights must cross the starting section before the can cross the common section and finally enter the ending section. Movements are determined with the roll of a die, where the thrown number is the number of (chess-)knight moves that 1 single knight must perform in one turn. Starting and ending sections are save, but captures are allowed in the common zone. 

This is, however, a game with random elements, since it uses a die to decide move range.

Jeux des Grandes Manoeuvres

Jeux des Grandes Manoeuvres is another game found at the Flicker account of patricia m:

photo by patricia m

Each player has five pieces of infantry, four pieces of cavalry, and one piece of artillery.

Rules:

• Initially, each player places his army on his side of the board: eight pieces in the first row, two in the second row. The cannon must be at the first row.
• At each turn, each player moves one friendly piece:
• An infantry can move one square sideways or forward (includes diagonals)
  
• A cavalry moves two squares, without jumping over friendly pieces
  
• The cannon captures enemy pieces in its line of sight, vertically or horizontally
• [regarding captures, read the next two paragraphs]
• Wins the player that captures or immobilizes the adversary army.
  

The text mentions that this game is similar to Checkers (le jeu de dames) and repeats this idea: capture tous les pions qui sont séparés, i.e, captures all pieces that are separated. This means, in my opinion, that the text describes Checkers-like capture, i.e., a jump over an enemy piece, landing on the immediate next empty square.

The cannon would function like an extended cavalry. Thematically, it makes sense for the cannon not to move next to its captured target but staying in the same place. However, the rules say nothing about it. Also, they don't mention how a Cannon moves. Again, it would make sense that it would move like infantry units.

The original text in French:

Ce jeu se joue à deux. Chaque joueur dispose à sa guise, sur chacune des cases du bas du damier qui se trouve en face de lui, ses troupes respectives. (Comme il n'y a que huit cases et qu'il y a dix pions, il place en éclaireurs, c'est-à-dire un rang en avant, soit de l'infanterie, soit de la cavalerie, l'artillerie devant toujours, au début du jeu, être placée en dernière ligne). À tour de rôle, chaque joueur fait ensuite évoluer ses régiments en ne remuant à chaque coup qu’un seul d’entre eux.  

L'infanterie (représentée par une petite tête de soldat) avance dans tous les sens, mais ne peut pas reculer et ne va que d'une case à l'autre.  
La cavalerie (représentée par une tête de cheval) avance de deux en deux cases sans pouvoir toutefois sauter par-dessus un régiment de sa couleur.  
L’artillerie (un petit canon) capture tous les pions qui sont séparés et qui se trouvent dans sa ligne de tir, soit horizontale, soit verticale.  

Lorsqu’un régiment d’infanterie rencontrera un régiment ennemi qui sera séparé des autres, il pourra le capturer ; de même, la cavalerie capturera un régiment ennemi séparé de deux cases et isolé, et l’artillerie prendra un régiment, quel qu’il soit, d’un bout à l’autre du damier, pourvu qu’il soit séparé des autres.  

En un mot, sauf la différence de marche, le jeu se jouera comme le jeu de dames, et celui des joueurs qui aura pris tous les régiments de son adversaire ou les aura immobilisés sera déclaré vainqueur.

Granat

Granat is a 1979 uncredited game, published at Bütehorn Spiele.

Each player has 14 pieces and two balls that start in the following setup:

The pieces with the balls are called grenade stones; the other pieces are called field stones.

Rules

• On her turn, the player either moves a grenade stone, a field stone, or a ball.
• Field stones move to an adjacent empty position, or make a short-jump capture (see below) 
• Grenade stones slide over a line of empty positions, or make a long-jump capture 
• A ball can be transferred between two friendly pieces either by line-of-sight in the player's half of the board; or adjacency on the adversary's half of the board
• Opponent’s pieces are captured by jumping over them.
• Capturing is mandatory. 
• Captured pieces are immediately removed from the game.
• Field stones can capture opposing pieces only from a directly adjacent space.
• Grenade stones can capture single opposing pieces from any distance (by jumping over them), but only in a straight line. 
• The game ends as soon as all the opponent’s pieces have been captured.
• The game can end in a draw if two grenade stones are facing each other (not necessarily over the marked lines). 

example given of two grenades facing each other

The available complete page:

The draw condition reminds me a bit of Xiang-Qi, the traditional Chinese Chess, where Kings cannot face each other. Here, however, given the moving range of grenade pieces, does seem an easy way out for a losing player.

Pagode

Pagode (aka, Pagoda) is 1973 game by Eugen Oker (aka, Valentin Siena), published by F.X. Schmid.

The game is played on the following 9x9 board:

The goal is to create patterns with the player's pieces in order to score points. The rules are a bit extensive, and I will not write them here. However, here are the official rules explaining the rules. The game was described at Abstract Games Magazine #13. 

It was also front cover for AGM #20. A quote from Kerry Handscomb's review at this issue:

Pagode is an unusual scoring alignment game. Like many (most?) alignment games it tends to be tactical rather than strategic, although there are obvious and simple strategies, like placing Stones on your own colour. A key technique is to force your opponent to defend against your creation of a building by making an illegal building. Then, you tear down the illegal building, establishing a material advantage. As with most (all?) alignment games, the main technique is to create multiple simultaneous threats. Pagode is a largely forgotten game, which deserves some attention

The game is highly rated and praised by those who try it. It seems like one of those what-if classics that, unfortunately, went under the radar during its publishing time.

Pagode received the highest score from Games & Puzzles #46:

and some extra information appeared on subsequent issues #50 and #66:

Sudden Score

Sudden Score is a 1981 game by Willis P. Carpenter, Garrett J. Donner, and Michael S. Steer, published at Samuel Ward Co.

This is a soccer-based scoring game with flip and move mechanisms.

Here are the official rules:

 

Atomic Race

Atomic Race is a 1979 game by Phil Orbanes Sr., which was presented at GAMES #10.

No information exists online besides the magazine pages, so here they are: