Ludii Portal

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Netted

Period

Modern

Category Experimental

Description

Netted is a race to surround the opponent Nets include Hex diagonals and single empty spaces, and so can cross each other. It is placement only and so can be played as a paper and pencil game. However the computer version adds markers for the empty space connections which must be removed when the spaces are filled. The distinctive features are 1) a novel type of liberty for live groups that involves the count of available edge sites, and 2) the novel definitions for surrounding that include diagonals that cut groups, and connections across single empty spaces that can be broken by the opponent's placement. Moves are forced, suicide is prohibited, stalemate is a loss for the player who is stalemated. Strategy notes: sites next to the board corners are strong ways to gain the corner territory - Board should be at least 5-6 to avoid winnable edge play.

Rules

The goal of Netted is to surround or 'Net' your opponent before being netted yourself.

Definitions:
A Net is all of a player's stones and the connections between them.
Connections include:
-- 1. stones on adjacent hexes,
-- 2. stones diagonally adjacent (even if the two hexes between then are occupied by the opponent)
-- 3. stones on opposite sides of an empty space: The empty space is treated as being part of the net.

Regions: A player's Net separates the other player's stones into distinct regions. The stones in each region are a distinct group. No path from one group can reach another group without crossing the net.
-- Caution: Adjacent stones, cut between by a diagonal connection, are normally NOT part of the same group.

The stones in a group are not necessarily connected, but they live or die together. To live, the region they are in must have MORE edge cells than stones -- equivalently: more empty edge cells than interior stones.

Note that any empty edge cells that are part of the opponent's net are not part of the region.

To Net: Means to place a stone that reduces the edge liberties of a region, which contains the opponent's stones, to such a degree that the available edge cells (liberties) no longer exceeds the number stones contained in the region. Netting an opponent's stones wins the game.

Netting can be done by filling the edges, or by cutting off connections to part or all of the edge -- for example by placing 3 stones in a triangle around an individual piece.

Suicide: is a placement of your own stone into a region defined by the opponent's net, bringing your stone count there up to the number of edges cells in the region.

Suicide is not allowed.

Play:

Black starts with an empty board.
On your turn place one of your stones on an empty site that has enough liberties to avoid Suicide.
The player who Nets his opponent wins.
A player who cannot place on their turn, loses.