Help For the Game Of Star

Introduction

Welcome to the network Star server. The Star challenge command starts a new game between userid1 and userid2. Other commands are the same as for all pbmserv games.

    star challenge [-size=number] [-maxi] userid1 userid2

The -size parameter sets the board size in the range 3..14 (default = 6). This number describes the number of cells along each of the board's three longest sides.

The -maxi parameter specifies that Maxi-Star scoring is used (explained below).

Rules

Star is played on the following board. Note that the sides alternate short/long around the board..
        

           1-   . . . . . 
          2-   . . . . . .             
         3-   . . . . . . .            
        4-   . . . . . . . .           
       5-   . . . . . . . . .          
      6-   . . . . . . . . . .         
       7-   . . . . . . . . .          
        8-   . . . . . . . .   \       
         9-   . . . . . . .   \ J      
         10-   . . . . . .   \ I       
                            \ H        
                 \ \ \ \ \ \ G         
                  A B C D E F          

Players takes turns placing one of their pieces on the board. Players may pass.

Each chain of a player's pieces that touches an edge scores 1 point for every external cell it touches minus 2. The player's overall score is the total score of all of their chains.
        

               ? ? ? ? ? ?
              ? . . o o . ?
             ? . . . o . . ?
            ? . . . . o . o ?
           ? . . . . . o o . ?
          ? . . . . . . o . . ?
         ? o . . . . . o . . . ?
          ? . . o . . . o . . ?
           ? . . o . . . o . ?  
            ? . . . . . . o ?    
             ? . o . . . o ?    
              ? ? ? ? ? ? ?    

For instance, the external cells are marked ? in the above example. Note that corner cells have three external neighbours and edge cells have two external neighbours.

Player O has scored:
   + 1 for the single corner piece (3 external neighbours minus 2)
   + 0 for the double interior chain (no external neighbours)
   + 0 for the single edge piece (2 external neighbours minus 2)
   + 7 for the large chain (9 external neighbours minus 2)
  ------------------
   = 8 points total
  ==================

The game ends when both players pass in succession, and the player with the highest score wins. Due to the design of the board there will always be an odd number of external neighbours hence draws are not possible.

Maxi-Star: As above except that each players' score is the score of their best group. Games can be tied in this variant, in which case players' second best, then third best etc chains are compared to determine the winner (tie-breaker not implemented yet).

Move Syntax

X moves first. The move syntax is:

    star move board# userid password coord        

Where "coord" is an empty board point in the form 'F6'.

    star move board# userid password pass
    star move board# userid password --
    star move board# userid password -

Pass this turn. The game ends when both players pass in succession.

    star move board# userid password swap

Swaps the opening move (second move only).

Other commands are the same as for all pbmserv games.

History

Star was invented by Craige Schensted.

Maxi-Star rules by R. Wayne Schmittberger.

Implementation and help file by Cameron Browne, December 2003.