[pbmserv] New game: Chameleon

[Cameron Browne <cameronb@optusnet.com.au>]

Hello,

A new game Chameleon has been added to the server. This is an extremely 
simple but amusing Hex variant.

As usual, it needs testing so please challenge me:

  chameleon challenge yourname camb
  chameleon challenge camb yourname

camb

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Help For the Game Of Chameleon

Introduction

   Welcome to the network Chameleon server. The Chameleon challenge
   command is described here. Other commands are the same as for all
   pbmserv games.

       chameleon challenge [-size=number] userid1 userid2

   Starts a new game between userid1 and userid2. The -size parameter
   sets the board size within the range 3..26, with 11 being the default.

Rules

   Two players, Vert and Horz, take turns placing either an 'x' piece or
   an 'o' piece on the board.

   Vert wins by completing either a chain of 'x' pieces or a chain of 'o'
   pieces between the top and bottom board edges. Horz wins by completing
   either a chain of 'x' pieces or a chain of 'o' pieces between the left
   and right board edges.

   If a move results in a connecting chain for both players, then the
   mover wins. For example:

        . . . . . . .       . . . o . . .       . . . . . . x
         . . . . . . .       . . . o . . .       . . . . . x .
          . . . . . . .       . . . o . . .       . . . . x . .
           o o o o o o o       . . . o . . .       . . . x . . .
            . . . . . . .       . . . o . . .       . . x . . . .
             . . . . . . .       . . . o . . .       . x . . . . .
              . . . . . . .       . . . o . . .       x . . . . . .

               Horz wins           Vert wins         Last mover wins

Notes

   Playing Chameleon is a constant tightrope act. In most connection
   games, each player can concentrate fully on pushing their connection
   as hard as possible. However in Chameleon players must keep their
   connections strong only in their direction or risk having them stolen.
  Players must consider the implications of each move very carefully.

   Chameleon has a similar feel to Jade but with clearer goals.

   One of the most interesting aspects of Chameleon is that it inherently
   solves the first move advantage problem which plagues most connection
   games. While opening in the centre is a winning move in Hex, it is a
   death sentence in Chameleon. The first player's best opening move is
   well away from the centre and any opponent's edge.

   Chameleon should be played on larger boards. Games smaller than 10x10
   tend to degenerate into a race after only a few moves.

Syntax

   Vert moves first. The move syntax is:

       chameleon move board# userid password coord

   where "coord" is of the form "f4o" to place an 'o' piece at empty
   point f4, or "f4x" to place an 'x' piece at empty point f4.

       chameleon move board# userid password swap

   Swap the opening move (second move only). The swap option is not that
   important but is provided for experimentation.

References and History

   Chameleon was discovered by Bill Taylor in November 2003.

   The name Chameleon refers to the fact that players tend to change
   colours based on their environment. The fact that Bill's eyes pop out
   when he sees a good move has nothing to do with it.

   Chameleon was discovered while playing a similar Hex variant suggested
   by myself, in which players nominate which colour their opponent must
   play next turn. The change from choosing your opponent's colour to
   choosing your own colour led to a more elegant game.

   Implementation and help file by Cameron Browne, November 2003.