THE RIGHT MOVES

Copyright (c) 1988 Diversified Ventures

This game is played on the following board with the following setup (the game's original stones have two sides, a normal side and a promoted side):

 

TURNS - On each turn, each player moves one of his stones A stone may move (along the white paths) to an adjacent empty cell to its left or right or towards the inner circle. There is one exception: stones may move away from the center, if they start moving in the second innermost circle. A stone may also jump over an adjacent enemy piece landing on the immediate next cell (which must be empty). The jumped stone is captured. Jumps can be multiple (including valid changes of direction) but are not mandatory. Promotion - a stone reaching the inner circle is promoted. A promoted piece can also move and jump backwards and can also 'skip'. Skipping is a slide over one or more empty cells along a path (including changing of directions). Jumps are not allowed during a skip move. GOAL - Wins the player that accomplishes one of the following: (a) occupy all 4 center cells, (b) stalemate the adversary, or (c) leave the adversary with 3 or less stones.

Some examples In [1] the blue stone cannot capture the red stone, since there is not a path between those cells. In [2] the red stone in the outer circle can capture the blue stone. However the blue cannot capture it, since it cannot capture backwards. The same blue stone can capture counterclockwise the adjacent red stone (and the next one, if Blue wants) while that red stone cannot capture that blue (since the next cell is occupied). The promoted stone (here a square) can skip thru cells 'a' and 'b' and move itself to [3] and making a double capture threat.

I wish to thank John Lawson for detailed information about this game.