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[pbmserv] New game - Malaka
Hi,
A new game Malaka has been added to the server. I'm looking for players to
test it - who will help me? (test it that is, not look for players)
malaka challenge yourname camb
malaka challenge camb yourname
camb
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Help For the Game Of Malaka
Introduction
Welcome to the network Malaka server. The challenge command is
described here. Other commands are the same as for all pbmserv games.
malaka challenge [-large] [-many] userid1 userid2
Starts a new game between userid1 and userid2.
The -large option specifies a 12x12 board with six-sided dice
(default is a 9x9 board with four-sided dice).
The -many option specifies that each player starts with three rows of
pieces (default is two rows of pieces).
Rules
Malaka is a cross between Backgammon, Plakoto and Lines of Action.
Players race to move their pieces around the board, delaying their
opponent while trying to connect their pieces to the far edge.
O starts with a single die roll, thereafter players roll two dice each
turn. The starting position is shown below.
O = 228
A B C D E F G H I
+----+----+----+----+----+----#X---+X---+X---+
9 / / / / / / # X / X / X / 9
+----+----+----+----+----+----#X---+X---+X---+
8 / / / / / / # X / X / X / 8
+----+----+----+----+----+----#----+----+----+
7 / / / / / / # / / / 7
+----+----+----#----+----+----#----+----+----+
6 / / / # / / # / / / 6
+----+----+----#----+----+----#----+----+----+
5 / / / # / / # / / / 5
+----+----+----#----+----+----#----+----+----+
4 / / / # / / # / / / 4
+----+----+----#----+----+----#----+----+----+
3 / / / # / / / / / / 3
+O---+O---+O---#----+----+----+----+----+----+
2 / O / O / O # / / / / / / 2
+O---+O---+O---#----+----+----+----+----+----+ _
1 / O / O / O # / / / / / / 1 / \
+----+----+----#----+----+----+----+----+----+ / o \
A B C D E F G H I / \
/ o o \
X = 228 <-- distance to connection `-------'
Players can only move forwards from any point. The board may be
considered as consisting of nine subareas, each with a specified
direction (shown below).
+-------+-------#-------+ +-------+-------#-------+
| . # | | . # X X X |
| > . v # ^ | | v . < # v |
| . # | | . # |
+ . . . # . . . # . . . + + . . . # . . . # . . . +
| # # | | # # |
| ^ # v # ^ | | v # ^ # v |
| # # | | # # |
+ . . . # . . . # . . . + + . . . # . . . # . . . +
| # . | | # . |
| ^ # > . ^ | | v # ^ . < |
| O O O # . | | # . |
+-------#-------+-------+ +-------#-------+-------+
Directions for O Directions for X
The player must move one or more of their pieces a number of points
equal to the number of pips shown on the dice. If a double is rolled,
then the player moves four times using the pip value shown. The player
must make the move that uses the maximum number of pips.
If a player moves onto a single enemy piece, then that enemy piece is
pinned until the player moves off. Players may stack as many pieces as
they like onto any point, but cannot move to any point at which the
enemy controls a block (a pile of two or more pieces).
In addition, players can jump over a wall if that jump lands on a
single enemy piece. In this case, the enemy piece is killed and
removed from the game. Players cannot jump backwards and cannot jump
both walls with the same step.
A player wins by orthogonally connecting all of their remaining pieces
with the opponent's home edge. For instance, a win for X is shown
below (note that the distance to connection is zero). Pinned pieces,
and pieces that pin others, may be counted in a winning connection.
5 / / / # / / # / / / 5
+----+X---+----#----+----+----#----+----+----+
4 / X / O / # / / # / / / 4
+O---+----+----#----+----+----#----+----+----+
3 / X / / # / / / / / / 3
+----+----+X---#----+----+----+----+----+----+
2 / X / / X # / / / / / / 2
+----+----+----#----+----+----+----+----+----+
1 / X / / X # / / / / / / 1
+----+----+----#----+----+----+----+----+----+
A B C D E F G H I
X = 0
A player also wins if an enemy piece is pinned on its home edge.
Notes
Jumping over a wall to kill an enemy piece is a double edged sword: it
allows the piece to push forward quickly by taking a shortcut, but
also makes the opponent's task easier as they have one less piece to
connect.
The following example demonstrates the difference between pinning and
killing an enemy piece. O has rolled {2,3} and may therefore both
move E5-E3 which pins the X piece at E3, and jump E5-H5 which kills
the X piece at H5.
A B C D E F G H I
+----+----+----+----+----+----#X---+X---+X---+
9 / / / / / / # X / X / X / 9
+----+----+----+----+----+----#X---+----+X---+
8 / / / / / / # X / / X / 8
+----+----+----+----+----+----#----+----+----+
7 / / / / / / # / / / 7
+----+----+----#----+----+----#----+----+----+
6 / / / # / / # / / / 6
+----+----+----#----+O---+----#----+----+----+
5 / / / # / O / # / X / / 5
+----+----+----#----+----+----#----+----+----+
4 / / / # / / # / / / 4
+----+----+----#----+----+----#----+----+----+
3 / / / # / X / / / / / 3
+O---+----+O---#----+----+----+----+----+----+
2 / O / / O # / / / / / / 2
+O---+O---+O---#----+----+----+----+----+----+ _ _
1 / O / O / O # / / / / / / 1 / \ / \
+----+----+----#----+----+----+----+----+----+ / o \ / o \
A B C D E F G H I / \ / \
/ o \ / o o \
`-------' `-------'
Exactly one player must win.
The winning player is entitled to yell "Malaka!" at their opponent
after the winning move. In addition, either player is entitled to yell
"Malaka!" at their opponent at any point throughout the game, as they
see fit.
Syntax
O moves first. The move syntax is:
malaka move board# userid password c3-c6,c6-c8
(move C3 to C6 then C6 to C8)
malaka move board# userid password c3-c6-c8
(move C3 to C8 via C6)
malaka move board# userid password c3-c8
(move C3 to C8 - not necessarily via C6)
malaka move board# userid password 3xc3-c6,c1-c4
(move C3 to C6 three times, then C1 to C4)
References and History
Malaka rules copyright (c) Cameron Browne, August 2004.
Malaka is a Greek word. I assume it means "friend" because that's what
all the locals call me when I visit Greece.
Implementation and help file by Cameron Browne, August 2004.