MAGNETON

Copyright (c) 2001 Cerrato Luca

This game is played on an empty 8x8 square board:

 

TURNS - At the first phase, both players, drop their 12 stones. After that, players continue to play, by moving one of those stones, at each turn. DROP - A stone is dropped into an empty cell.  When a stone is dropped, it produces a magnetic effect on the nearest stones along all directions (orthogonal and diagonal).  A stone of the same color is repelled on the same line, until it meets the board edge or another stone.  A stone of different color is attracted on the same line, until it stays adjacent to the dropped stone. Each player has 12 stones. MOVE - A stone moves along its magnetic lines.  If it has an opponent stone on one side of the line, and no stone on the other line, it moves to the adjacent cell of that stone. If it has a friendly stone on one side of the line, and no stone on the other line, it moves towards the other side, until it meets the board edge.   After the move, there is as magnetic effect upon the moved stone (as if it was dropped there). GOAL - A player who makes a 4 in-a-row, with a stone moved by a magnetic effect (so, it is not valid to win with a stone just dropped or moved) .

 

A dropping example If White plays at cell [1], it creates a magnetic effect on four stones, namely, b6-a7, d5-d6, f2-e3 and f6-e5.

A moving example White stone at d4 can just move to a1 and h4, all other directions have two stones on both sides of the magnetic line. If the stone moves to cell [1], it will create 3 magnetic effects, namely, a7-a8, g7-h8, and g1-b1.

This game entered on the 2001 8x8 Game Design Contest and was considered among the best entries.