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Help For Amazons
Copyright (c)1988 Walter Zamkauskas
Introduction
Welcome to the Amazons server. The rules of Amazons are below. The "challenge" and "move" commands are described here. Other commands are the same for all pbmserv games.
Amazons Command Summary
- amazons challenge userid1 userid2
[userid3] [userid4]
or
amazons challenge [ -setup | -free ] userid1 userid2 [ userid3 [ userid4 ] ] - Start a new game between userid1 and userid2
(and userid3 and userid4 for 3 or 4 player games).
The -free option is for 3 and 4 player games. Normally when a player cannot move, he is out of the game. With the -free option, if a player gets the opportunity to move again (which can only occur if another player moves out of the way), he is allowed back into the game.
The -setup option causes the game to use alternate beginning setups for 3 and 4 player games. Use "amazons preview new [34] -setup" to see them.
These are the possible opening setups for Amazons boards.
Two Player Game a b c d e f g h i j 10 . . . x . . x . . . 10 9 . . . . . . . . . . 9 8 . . . . . . . . . . 8 7 x . . . . . . . . x 7 6 . . . . . . . . . . 6 5 . . . . . . . . . . 5 4 o . . . . . . . . o 4 3 . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 . . . o . . o . . . 1 a b c d e f g h i j Three Players Three Players (with -setup) a b c d e f g h i j a b c d e f g h i j 10 . . x . . . . y . . 10 10 . . . x . . x . . . 10 9 . . . . . . . . . . 9 9 . . . . . . . . . . 9 8 x . . . . . . . . y 8 8 . . . . . . . . . . 8 7 . . . . . . . . . . 7 7 y . . . . . . . . x 7 6 . . . . . . . . . . 6 6 . . . . . . . . . . 6 5 x . . . . . . . . y 5 5 . . . . y . . . . . 5 4 . . . . . . . . . . 4 4 y . . . . . . . . o 4 3 . . . . . . . . . . 3 3 . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 . o . . . o . . o . 1 1 . . . o . . o . . . 1 a b c d e f g h i j a b c d e f g h i j Four Players Four Players (with -setup) a b c d e f g h i j a b c d e f g h i j 10 . . . y . . y . . . 10 10 . . . . . . . . . . 10 9 . . . . . . . . . . 9 9 . . . y . . y . . . 9 8 . . . . . . . . . . 8 8 . . . . . . . . . . 8 7 x . . . . . . . . t 7 7 . x . . . . . . t . 7 6 . . . . . . . . . . 6 6 . . . . . . . . . . 6 5 . . . . . . . . . . 5 5 . . . . . . . . . . 5 4 x . . . . . . . . t 4 4 . x . . . . . . t . 4 3 . . . . . . . . . . 3 3 . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 . . . o . . o . . . 2 1 . . . o . . o . . . 1 1 . . . . . . . . . . 1 a b c d e f g h i j a b c d e f g h i j - amazons move board userid password move[#moveno]
- Make a move. Each move is of the following form:
<from>-<to>,<arrow>
The amazons board consists of files (vertical columns) labeled a-j from left to right, and ranks (horizontal rows) labeled 1-10 from top to bottom.
<from>, <to>, and <arrow> are file and rank coordinates. Nearly any non-alphanumeric character may be used as a separator.
<from> is the starting square of the amazon.
<to> is the stopping square of the amazon.
<arrow> is the square where the arrow lands.Here is an example move. Ohs plays "g1-b6,b7" from the opening setup.
a b c d e f g h i j a b c d e f g h i j 10 . . . x . . x . . . 10 10 . . . x . . x . . . 10 9 . . . . . . . . . . 9 9 . . . . . . . . . . 9 8 . . . . . . . . . . 8 8 . . . . . . . . . . 8 7 x . . . . . . . . x 7 7 x @ . . . . . . . x 7 6 . . . . . . . . . . 6 6 . O . . . . . . . . 6 5 . . . . . . . . . . 5 => 5 . . . . . . . . . . 5 4 o . . . . . . . . o 4 4 o . . . . . . . . o 4 3 . . . . . . . . . . 3 3 . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 . . . o . . o . . . 1 1 . . . o . . . . . . 1 a b c d e f g h i j a b c d e f g h i j
Rules of Amazons
Amazons is played on a 10x10 board.Each player has 4 pieces.
Player one (Ohs) has amazons on a4, d1, g1, and j4.
Player two (Eks) has amazons on a7, d10, g10, and j7.
Ohs moves first, and turns alternate. Each turn consists of two parts, and both parts are mandatory.
- The player first moves one of his amazons. Amazons move as a chess queen (any number of spaces horizontally, vertically, or diagonally). Amazons may not jump over or land on other pieces or arrows.
- Next, the amazon which just moved "fires an arrow" from its new location. Arrows can be show in any direction, the same as a chess queen, and may not jump over or land on other pieces or arrows.
Once an arrow lands, it acts as an immovable barrier to all arrows and amazons.
The last player able to finish a turn wins the game.
Strategy Hint:
Since play continues until one player has no moves left for his Amazons, the basic strategy is to block your opponent into a small area surrounded by arrows. Since the Amazon must shoot an arrow each time it moves, it will soon run out of moves.
Another strategy is to block one of your own Amazons into a large area, while the others fight over the remaining territory with your opponent. If you don't move that Amazon, the area becomes a reserve of free moves which can be used at the end of the game, when the rest of the board fills up.
