Help for the Game of Knight Panic

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

  knightpanic challenge [-size=number] [-2d|-3d] [-mover_wins|-mover_loses]
                        [-win_no_move|-lose_no_move] userid1 userid2

starts a new game for two players.

The -size parameter specifies the board size (default 4).
The -3d option specifies the 3D stacking variant.
The -mover_wins option specifies that mover wins any itebreak situation.
The -win_no_move option specifies that player wins if all pieces are pinned (3D version only).

Introduction

Knight Panic is a simple combinatorial game in which players move knights around to trap the opponent.

Rules

The game is played on a square 4x4 grid set up as follows:

     a c e g
    
 7   x x x x   7
 5   . . . .   5
 3   . . . .   3
 1   o o o o   1

     a c e g

White starts. Players take turns making a knight move with one of their pieces.

A player wins if any of their opponent's pieces has no legal move. If a move simultaneously achieves this for both players, then the mover wins.

3D Version: Played as per the 2D game except that pieces may stack on four existing pieces. Pinned pieces (i.e. those that support one or more higher level pieces) cannot move and are not included in the win calculation. A player wins if the opponent pins all of their pieces.

Notes

Larger boards should be played with additional pieces as follows, otherwise there are too many spaces for the knights to escape to [not implemented yet]:

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

3D games can be played with more pieces are fewer spaces.

Syntax

The move syntax is:

  knightpanic move board# userid password a1-c5

This command moves the piece at a1 to c5.

History

Knight Panic rules by Cameron Browne and copyright (c) Cyberite Ltd, 2009.

This game occurred in a flash and was tested and finalised within ten minutes, feel the quality :) It has similarities to Edward do Bono's "L Game" and may be similarly subject to perpetual draws if played perfectly - to be tested.

Implementation and Help file by Cameron Browne, August 2009.