The SmallHolder
Ruleset:
The Smallholder- Stymie
Game
See the game The SmallHolder for more details.
Period(s)
Modern
Rules
Goal: Last to place a stone, wins.
Definitions:
-- Stones are connected if they are the same color and next to each other orthogonally.
-- Groups consist of connected stones.
Every stone is part of exactly one group. Every group contains all the stones connected to it.
(Groups without any adjacent playable sites are shown with grey dots, for convenience.)
Play starts with black. Turns alternate. Passing is not allowed.
A player with less than 2 groups with adjacent playable sites must place a stone to create a new group, IF POSSIBLE.
Otherwise, if placement is made adjacent to a group, it must be next to a group of the same size as the mover's smallest group.
Group holdings are all the sites that lie between pairs of each group's members.
After placement, capture every complete enemy GROUP within friendly holdings;
Placement in the opponent's holdings is only allowed by extending a friendly group.
This is a cold game focussing on creating many small groups and gradually merging them.
Trapping a small opponent's group is advantageous tactically, but it is just as important not to run out of merging plays yourself.
Concepts
Browse all concepts for The Smallholder- Stymie here.
Other Rulesets
Described rulesets
The Smallholder- Nibbler
The Smallholder- Gaps Original
The Smallholder- Offshore Gaps
The Smallholder- Hull Setbacks
Identifiers
DLP.GameRulesets.2654
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