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[pbmserv <pbmserv@gamerz.net>]

Hello,

To those who like Go, Hex and abstract games in general
(this server seems a nice place to say this :-), and still
does not know Gonnect, here goes a little resume:

Thanks for you attention,

Joao Pedro Neto and Cameron Browne

**********************

GONNECT
Joao Neto and Cameron Browne

Gonnect is a new abstract connection game. It uses the basic rules of Go
(each player drops a stone into an empty cell in turn; stones with no
liberty are captured; there are no suicides; players cannot repeat the
previous board position) with the simplification that players may not pass.
Gonnect also has a much simpler winning condition: a player wins by
connecting a group of their stones between any two opposite edges of the
board (or the adversary has no valid move). Play usually takes place on a
13x13 board.

Gonnect approaches both Go and Hex in feel. It can be said that Gonnect is
the middle road between these two great games, but after being introduced
to Gonnect the curious player begins to feel that it's much more than that!
Each game emphasises several fighting themes as it progresses: connection
races, blocking the opponent by striving for local and global deadlocks,
then resolving global deadlocks in the endgame by destroying the opponent's
territory.

A mini sample of deadlock situation is shown below. 

- x x o o -
x - x o - o
x x x o o o
o o o x x x
o - o x - x
- o o x x -

Both players have reached an impasse that precludes direct connection.
However the "no suicide" and "no pass" rules combine to resolve such
deadlocks beautifully - the next player to move is forced to play in one of
their own eyes, rendering that group vulnerable. The opponent may then
capture the group next turn to establish an unbeatable position.

Gonnect can be played on Richard Rognlie's game server
[http://www.gamerz.net/~pbmserv/gonnect.html]. 
Some notes and playing tactics gathered by players [available at
http://sites.uol.com.br/vascog/gv] give the feeling that Gonnect has a lot
to offer. There will be an article talking about the game on the 
Abstract Games Magazine N.6

The following mini puzzle gives a taste of Gonnect:

     A B C D E F G H

 8   x - x - o - o -   8
 7   - x x - o o o o   7
 6   x x x x o - x x   6
 5   - - x o x x - x   5
 4   o o x o o x x -   4
 3   o x x o - o x x   3
 2   - - - o o o o o   2
 1   - o - - - - o -   1

     A B C D E F G H

X to move and win.