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Help For Dipole
Introduction
Welcome to the network Dipole server. The rules of Dipole are below. The Dipole "challenge" and "move" commands are described here. Other commands are the same for all pbmserv games.
- dipole challenge [ -small | -compressed | -large ]...
...userid1 userid2 [userid3 userid4] - Start a new game between the named players.
-small allows players to play the default 8x8 board.
-large allows players to play a larger 10x10 board with more checkers.
-compressed allows players to play the 10x10 board with a compressed initial setup.Dipole supports games with two or four players. If four players are specified, a 12x12 game is started.
- dipole move board userid password move[#moveno]
- Make a move. move is one of the following forms:
- <column><row>-<column><row>
- example E1-G3
- <column><row>-off
- example B8-off, for moving everything on B8 off the board
- <column><row>-off:<num>
- example A5-off:2, for moving two pieces from the stack at A5 off the board
Dipole Rules
(Copyright (c) 2007 Mark Steere <mark@marksteeregames.com>)Author's Note
Feel free to distribute this document.Introduction
Dipole is played with a Checkers set. Only the dark squares are used. There should be a dark square in your lower left corner.The game starts with two stacks of 12 checkers, one white and one black, as shown in Figure 1. Here (Paren) and <Angle> will be used instead of "White" and "Black".
A B C D E F G H
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
8 | .. <12> .. .. | 8
|--------------------------------|
7 | .. .. .. .. | 7
|--------------------------------|
6 | .. .. .. .. | 6
|--------------------------------|
5 | .. .. .. .. | 5
|--------------------------------|
4 | .. .. .. .. | 4
|--------------------------------|
3 | .. .. .. .. | 3
|--------------------------------|
2 | .. .. .. .. | 2
|--------------------------------|
1 | .. .. (12) .. | 1
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
A B C D E F G H
Figure 1 -- 8x8 Initial Setup
More advanced players may elect to play Dipole on a 10x10 board with two stacks of 20, one in each player's nearest row.
Use a coin (such as a nickel) to represent five checkers. So for example, a stack of two checkers with a coin on top would be equivalent to a stack of seven checkers.
Draws cannot occur in Dipole.
Object Of The Game
To win, all of your opponent's checkers must be removed from the board.Basic Moves
Players take turns moving stacks of their own checkers, one stack per turn. You can move an entire stack or just a portion of one (also called a stack here). This holds true for merging and capturing moves as well. See below. Basic moves can only be made in the forward or diagonally forward directions.The number of squares a stack is moved must equal the number of checkers in the moved stack. This holds true for merging and capturing moves as well. Even though only the dark squares are used, white squares must be included in the count. In Figure 2, Paren can move his two-stack to any of the squares marked with a "?". Directly forward moves can only be made with even numbered stacks.
<><><><><><><><><><><><>
| .. .. .. |
|------------------------|
| .. .. .. |
|------------------------|
| ? ? ? |
|------------------------|
| .. .. .. |
|------------------------|
| .. (2) .. |
|------------------------|
| .. .. .. |
()()()()()()()()()()()()
Figure 2 -- Stack Height = Move Distance
If you move a stack out of bounds, you must remove that stack from play. When
moving a stack out of bounds pretend the board squares extend outward far beyond
the boundaries, and make a basic move accordingly. Stacks can only be removed in
the forward or diagnonally forward directions. Players typically remove singletons
from their far row because they have nowhere else to go.
If you have no moves available, you must sit the game out until you do have a move
available. If you have any moves available, you must move. There will always be a
move available to one player or the other.
Merging Moves
Stacks can be moved onto other, like-colored stacks. In Figure 3, Paren takes three checkers from his four-stack and merges them onto his two-stack.
<><><><><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><><><><>
| .. .. .. | | .. .. .. |
|------------------------| |------------------------|
| .. .. (2) | | .. .. (5) |
|------------------------| |------------------------|
| .. .. .. | | .. .. .. |
|------------------------| |------------------------|
| .. <5> .. | | .. <5> .. |
|------------------------| |------------------------|
| (4) .. .. | | (1) .. .. |
|------------------------| |------------------------|
| .. .. .. | | .. .. .. |
()()()()()()()()()()()() ()()()()()()()()()()()()
Figure 3a -- Before Merge Figure 3b -- After Merge
Note that the white stack jumped over the black 5-stack. Stack movement
is never obstructed by intervening stacks, regardless of size or color. This holds true
for basic and capturing moves as well. Merging moves can only be made in the
forward or diagonally forward directions.
Capturing Moves
Capturing moves can be made in any of eight directions. A stack can capture only an entire enemy stack, which must be of an equal or smaller size than the capturing stack. In Figure 4, Paren takes four checkers from his five-stack, and captures Angle's three-stack. Basic, merging, and capturing moves must be made in a straight line.
<><><><><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><><><><>
| (5) .. .. | | (1) .. .. |
|------------------------| |------------------------|
| .. .. <1> | | .. .. <1> |
|------------------------| |------------------------|
| .. .. .. | | .. .. .. |
|------------------------| |------------------------|
| .. .. .. | | .. .. .. |
|------------------------| |------------------------|
| <3> .. .. | | (4) .. .. |
|------------------------| |------------------------|
| .. .. .. | | .. .. .. |
()()()()()()()()()()()() ()()()()()()()()()()()()
Figure 4a -- Before Capture Figure 4b -- After Capture
Board Options
A B C D E F G H
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
8 | .. <12> .. .. | 8
|--------------------------------|
7 | .. .. .. .. | 7
|--------------------------------|
6 | .. .. .. .. | 6
|--------------------------------|
5 | .. .. .. .. | 5
|--------------------------------|
4 | .. .. .. .. | 4
|--------------------------------|
3 | .. .. .. .. | 3
|--------------------------------|
2 | .. .. .. .. | 2
|--------------------------------|
1 | .. .. (12) .. | 1
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
A B C D E F G H
Default 8x8 Starting Position
A B C D E F G H I J
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
10 | .. .. <20> .. .. | 10
|----------------------------------------|
9 | .. .. .. .. .. | 9
|----------------------------------------|
8 | .. .. .. .. .. | 8
|----------------------------------------|
7 | .. .. .. .. .. | 7
|----------------------------------------|
6 | .. .. .. .. .. | 6
|----------------------------------------|
5 | .. .. .. .. .. | 5
|----------------------------------------|
4 | .. .. .. .. .. | 4
|----------------------------------------|
3 | .. .. .. .. .. | 3
|----------------------------------------|
2 | .. .. .. .. .. | 2
|----------------------------------------|
1 | .. .. (20) .. .. | 1
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
A B C D E F G H I J
Normal 10x10 Starting Position
A B C D E F G H I J
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
10 | .. .. .. .. .. | 10
|----------------------------------------|
9 | .. .. <20> .. .. | 9
|----------------------------------------|
8 | .. .. .. .. .. | 8
|----------------------------------------|
7 | .. .. .. .. .. | 7
|----------------------------------------|
6 | .. .. .. .. .. | 6
|----------------------------------------|
5 | .. .. .. .. .. | 5
|----------------------------------------|
4 | .. .. .. .. .. | 4
|----------------------------------------|
3 | .. .. .. .. .. | 3
|----------------------------------------|
2 | .. .. (20) .. .. | 2
|----------------------------------------|
1 | .. .. .. .. .. | 1
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
A B C D E F G H I J
Compressed 10x10 Starting Position
A B C D E F G H I J K L
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
12 [] .. .. .. <24> .. .. ** 12
[]------------------------------------------------**
11 [] .. .. .. .. .. .. ** 11
[]------------------------------------------------**
10 [] .. .. .. .. .. .. ** 10
[]------------------------------------------------**
9 [] .. .. .. .. .. .. ** 9
[]------------------------------------------------**
8 [] .. .. .. .. .. .. ** 8
[]------------------------------------------------**
7 [][24] .. .. .. .. .. ** 7
[]------------------------------------------------**
6 [] .. .. .. .. .. *24*** 6
[]------------------------------------------------**
5 [] .. .. .. .. .. .. ** 5
[]------------------------------------------------**
4 [] .. .. .. .. .. .. ** 4
[]------------------------------------------------**
3 [] .. .. .. .. .. .. ** 3
[]------------------------------------------------**
2 [] .. .. .. .. .. .. ** 2
[]------------------------------------------------**
1 [] .. .. (24) .. .. .. ** 1
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
A B C D E F G H I J K L
Four player Starting Position
