[pbmserv-dev] barbu on PBeM?

["Luke Pebody" <luke@monitorlizards.co.uk>]

I want to programme barbu for this server. Do people think that it is
too long a game? Attached is my suggested help file.

BARBU

Programmed for Richard's PBeM Server by Luke Pebody

Index
=====
 Introduction
 Challenge Command
 Move Command
  SECTION 1 CONTRACT-SELECTION
  SECTION 2 DOUBLING
  SECTION 3 PLAY
 Object of Game
 Contracts
  BARBU
  FANTAN
  HEARTS
  LAST TWO
  NULLO
  QUEENS
  RAVAGE CITY
  TRUMPS
 Doubling

Introduction
============

This is the help file for Barbu. This document explains the challenge
and
move commands, and also explains the rules of Barbu implemented on the
server. Any questions should be addressed to Luke Pebody at
luke@monitorlizards.co.uk.

Challenge Command
=================

A challenge should be initiated as follows:

barbu challenge <player1> <player2> <player3> <player4> <options>

Viable options are as follows:
 -ravage
Include ravage city as an eighth contract.
 -noravage (default)
Do not do so.
 -double (default)
Include doubling rules.
 -nodouble
Do not include doubling rules.
 -random (default)
Randomise the order of the players.
 -norandom
Do not do so. Player1 will be first, followed by the players in order of
challenge.
 -collate
First player to be dealer plays all his/her contracts first. Then second
player
doess all 7/8 contracts. Then third player, then fourth.
 -nocollate (default)
Each player deals one contract at a time.

Move Command
============

The move command is as follows:
 barbu move <playername> <password> <move>

The possible moves depend on the section of the game

 SECTION 1. CONTRACT-SELECTION
 =============================

 The valid moves are:
  B - Barbu
  FA - Fantan, Ace
  FK - Fantan, King
  FQ - Fantan, Queen
  FJ - Fantan, Jack
  FT - Fantan, Ten
  F9 - Fantan, Nine
  F8 - Fantan, Eight
  F7 - Fantan, Seven
  F6 - Fantan, Six
  F5 - Fantan, Five
  F4 - Fantan, Four
  F3 - Fantan, Three
  F2 - Fantan, Two
  H - Hearts
  L - Last Two
  N - Nullo
  Q - Queens
  R - Ravage City
  TC - Trumps, Clubs
  TD - Trumps, Diamonds
  TH - Trumps, Hearts
  TS - Trumps, Spades

You may select any contract as long as
 (i) You have not selected this type of contract before.
 (ii) If you have selected ravage city, you are playing with this option
      allowed
 (iii) You are dealer for this round.

 SECTION 2. DOUBLING
 ===================

In the two rounds of doubling, the valid moves are shown below by
example:

 D - double nobody
 DN - double only player north
 DEW - double players east and west
 DNSE - double players north south and east
 MAXIMUM - double all players you are allowed to double.

A doubling move is allowed as long as
 (i) You do not double yourself.
 (ii) You do not stop yourself from being able to double each declarer
      at least twice.
 (iii) If it is the second round of doubling, you only double people who
       doubled you in the first round and who you did not double.

 SECTION 3. PLAY
 ===============

In the play section, the valid moves are playing a card from your hand.
Examples of valid moves are:

 AS - Play the Ace of Spades
 4D - Play the 4 of Diamonds

Whether the card is allowed at the point depends on the precise rules
of the contract being played.

OBJECT OF THE GAME
==================
There are seven (or eight) different contracts in the game. In the
course
of a game, each player must deal seven (or eight) hands, and choose for
each
a contract, choosing each contract only once. The aim is to have the
most
points at the end. Players may make side-bets with each other on each
hand.

CONTRACTS
=========
In each contract, each player receives 13 cards. The dealer then chooses
which contract he wishes to play.

 BARBU
 =====
 Dealer leads to first trick. There are no trumps. Players must follow
suit
 if possible. Any player who can not follow suit may play any card.
 The King of Hearts scores -20 to the player winning it in a trick.
 It is forbidden to lead hearts unless you have nothing but hearts in
your hand.

 FANTAN
 ======
 Dealer chooses a starting rank, say 10. The object is to get rid of all
 of your cards as early as possible. This is not a trick-taking game.
Each
 player in turn, starting with the dealer, must, if possible, play an
 acceptable card face upwards to the table.

 Acceptable cards are those of the chosen rank and cards of the same
suit
 and adjacent rank to the one already played. Aces are high and twos are
low.

 First player to go out scores 45 points. Second player scores 20
points.
 Third player scores 5 and last player scores -5 points.

 HEARTS
 ======
 Dealer leads to first trick. There are no trumps. Players must follow
suit
 if possible. Any player who can not follow suit may play any card.
 Each Hearts scores -2 to the player winning it in a trick, except for
the ace which scores -6.
 It is forbidden to lead hearts unless you have nothing but hearts in
your hand.

 LAST TWO
 ========
 Dealer leads to first trick. There are no trumps. Players must follow
suit
 if possible. Any player who can not follow suit may play any card.
 The last-but-one trick scores -10 to the player winning it.
 The last-trick scores -20 to the player winning it.

 QUEENS
 ======
 Dealer leads to first trick. There are no trumps. Players must follow
suit
 if possible. Any player who can not follow suit may play any card.
 Each queen scores -6 points to the player winning it in a trick.

 NULLO
 =====
 Dealer leads to first trick. There are no trumps. Players must follow
suit
 if possible. Any player who can not follow suit may play any card.
 Each trick scores -2 points to the player winning it.

 RAVAGE CITY
 ===========
 Dealer leads to first trick. There are no trumps. Players must follow
suit
 if possible. Any player who can not follow suit may play any card.
 -24 points is shared between all players who have won the most cards in
any one suit.

 TRUMPS
 ======
 Dealer chooses a trump suit.
 Dealer leads to first trick. Players must follow suit if possible. 
 If not possible, a player must head the trick with a trump if possible.
 If this is not possible, any card may be played.

 If a trick contains a trump, the highest trump played wins. If not,
 the highest card of the suit led wins.

 Heading with a trump means playing a trump that is higher than any
 trumps currently taking part in the trick if any such exist.

 Each trick scores +5 points to the person who wins it. 

(How do points alter given ravage city option?)

Doubling
========
After the contract has been chosen, each player may double all, some or
none
of the other players. Dealer, however, may only double players who have
doubled
him/her. A double is a side-bet saying that you think you will do better
on this
hand than the other player.

At the end of a hand, the positive or negative scores for each player
are
calculated. Then the effects of the doubling phase are calculated for
each pair of players

 * If neither of the players has doubled each other, there is no effect.
 * If one player has doubled the other, the difference between their
   scores is added to the one who did better and subtracted from the one
   who did worse
 * If both players doubled, double the difference between their scores
   is added to the one who did better and subtracted from the one who
did
   worse.