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Help for Wari
Introduction
Welcome to the network Wari server. The rules for Wari are below. The commands are the same for all pbmserv games.
In Wari, TWO players compete against each other to see who can be the first to capture 25 or more stones.
HOW TO PLAY WARI
Wari is deceptively simple to play, but to win, you will have to plan ahead, and use your wits. Wari will take a minute to learn, but it will take a lifetime to master!
What chess is to Europe, Wari is to Africa. It has been played continuously for thousands of years, and there are sophisticated opening, middle game, and end game strategies. Don't feel discouraged if you don't win right away.
Wari opens with twelve bowls, called "houses". Six houses are on your side, six on your opponent's. Each house is filled with 4 stones, for a total of 48. The object of the games is to be the first player to capture the majority of stones (25 or more wins!). The rules are simple:
- When it is your turn, select a house by specifying it's
letter in a move command. e.g. wari move 1234 myname mypass c The computer will pick up
the stones in that house, and will drop them one at a time in each successive house
counter clockwise.
<---------+ The game | moves in this | direction +--------+ - If you move a house with enough stones to go completely around the board (12 or more), the original house is skipped and left empty.
- If the last stone is dropped into a house on your opponent's side, resulting in that house having with 2 or 3 stones, you capture all the stones in that house. (See example game below).
- A capture includes consecutive previous houses which also contain 2 or 3 stones (See "Grand Slam" below).
- If all your opponent's houses are empty, you must make a move which will give him stones. If no such move can be made, you capture all the remaining stones on the board.
- The game is over when one player has taken a total of 25 or more stones, both players have taken 24 stones each (tie), or if the computer determines that the game is a stalemate, in which case each player takes the stones on his side of the board.
EXAMPLE GAME
The easiest way to learn Wari is by following a detailed example. The bones are rolled to decide who goes first. For this example, let's presume that your opponent wins the roll, and therefore becomes the first player. The opening game board is displayed as follows:
2nd Player (your side of the board)
f e d c b a
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ Each player
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | begins with
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ four stones
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | in each
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ house
a b c d e f
1st Player (your opponent's side of the board)
Let's say your opponent decides to move the stones in his second house.
wari move 1234 him xxxx b
Your side of the board
f e d c b a
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ After your
| 4 | | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | opponent's
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ first move
a b c d e f
XXX ------------------->
Opponent's side of the board
As you can see in the diagram above, the 4 stones were removed from the second house (marked with XXX) and have been deposited one at a time in each house to the right, so that they now have 5 stones each.
Your Move . . .
Let's presume that you decide to move the stones in your fourth house (d):
wari move 1234 me xxxx d Your side of the board +-------------- XXX | f e d c b a | +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ After your | | 5 | 5 | | 4 | 4 | 4 | first move | +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | | +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ | a b c d e f +----------> Opponent's side of the board
As you can see from the above diagram, the computer has moved the 4 stones in your fourth house, and placed one additional stone in your fifth and sixth houses, and in your opponent's first and second houses.
Your Opponent's Turn to Move . . .
Your opponent now moves the five stones in his sixth house:
wari move 1234 him xxxx f
Your side of the board
<----------------------------+
f e d c b a |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |
| 5 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ | After your
| 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | | | opponent's
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ | second move
a b c d e f |
XXX -+
Opponent's side of the board
As you can see in the diagram above, your opponent has left himself open so that you can capture the stones in his second house! You gain the first points of the game in your next move . . .
How to Capture . . .
CAPTURING
Move the five stones in your third house, and watch what happens:
wari move 1234 me xxxx c Your side of the board +-------------------- XXX | f e d c b a | +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ After your | | 6 | 7 | 2 | | 5 | 5 | second move | +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | 6 | 2* | 5 | 5 | 5 | | | +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ | a b c d e f +---------> * Opponent's side of the board
Since your final stone landed in your opponent's second house (designated by a * in the above diagram), which, after you deposited your last stone, has TWO stones, you capture the stones in this house. The previous house has 6 stones, so you capture stops with the second house. The score is now 2 to 0 in your favour.
Opponent Gets Revenge . . .
But wait, by capturing your opponent's two stones, he has "set you up" so he can capture THREE of yours! He moves the 5 stones in his fifth house:
wari move 1234 him xxxx e
Your side of the board
* <-------------------+
f e d c b a |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |
| 6 | 7 | 3* | 1 | 6 | 6 | |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |
| 6 | | 5 | 5 | | 1 | | After his
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ | third move
a b c d e f |
XXX --------+
Opponent's side of the board
His final stone landed in your fourth house (marked with an * in the diagram above). As you can see, after his last stone was dropped, this left 3 stones in this house, which your opponent captures. The score is now 2 to 3, in your opponent's favour.
it's Not Over Until it's Over . . .
MULTIPLE CAPTURES
You have just learned how to capture stones on your opponent's side of the board, but you can win real big by using the "move in hand" strategy to gain control of the board, and set the other player up for a "Grand Slam". Here's how it works:
wari move 2346 me xxxx a
Your side of the board
<--- [1]
f e d c b a
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| 17 | 1 | 4 | | 1 | |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | 3 | | | | |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
a b c d e f
Opponent's side of the board
A "move in hand" is a small move which help you keep as many stones as possible on your side of the board. in the example above you moved 1 stone from your first house into your second house. Using this strategy over and over again, you have built your sixth house to 17 stones, waiting for a "grand slam" opportunity. Remember: Avoid doubling up stones when you can. Your opponent has only one move:
wari move 2346 him xxxx b
Your side of the board
f e d c b a
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| 17 | 1 | 4 | | 1 | |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
a b c d e f
[3] --------------->
Opponent's side of the board
Now hit him with a GRAND SLAM by moving the 17 stones from your sixth house twice around the board:
wari move 2346 me xxxx f +------------------------------------------+ | +---[17] | | | f e d c b a | | | +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | | | | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | | | +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | | | 2* | 2* | 3* | 3* | 3* | 2* | | | | +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | | a b c d e f | | +----------------------------------------+ +------------------------------------->*
You take 15 stones in a single move and win the game!
