Help For the Game Of MalakaIntroductionWelcome to the network Malaka server. The challenge command is described here. Other commands are the same as for all pbmserv games. malaka challenge [-large] [-many] [-d4|d6] [-no_stagger] userid1 userid2 Starts a new game between userid1 and userid2. The -d4 option specifies that four sided dice are to be used. The -d6 option specifies that six sided dice are used, regardless of board size. This speeds the game up. The -no_stagger option specifies that all pieces must start in a single group on the home row. This means that pieces do not come into conflict as quickly, making the game a bit slower. RulesMalaka is a cross between Backgammon, Plakoto and Lines of Action. Players race to move their pieces around the board, delaying their opponent while trying to connect their pieces to the far end of the board marked with their symbol. O starts with a single die roll, thereafter players roll two dice each turn. The dice are four-sided for the 9x9 board and six-sided for the 12x12 board. The starting position is shown below. O = 228 The board consists of nine subareas, each with a basic direction of forward movement (shown below).
+-------+-------#-------+ +-------+-------#-------+
| . # | | . # X X X |
| > . v # ^ | | v . < # v |
| . # | | . # |
+ . . . # . . . # . . . + + . . . # . . . # . . . +
| # # | | # # |
| ^ # v # ^ | | v # ^ # v |
| # # | | # # |
+ . . . # . . . # . . . + + . . . # . . . # . . . +
| # . | | # . |
| ^ # > . ^ | | v # ^ . < |
| O O O # . | | # . |
+-------#-------+-------+ +-------#-------+-------+
Directions for O Directions for X
Pieces may either step directly forwards, or jump over a wall. If a piece steps directly forwards, then it must step in a straight line a number of points equal to the number of pips shown on one of the dice. If the piece steps onto a single enemy piece, then that enemy piece is pinned until the player moves off. Players may stack as many pieces as they like onto any point, but cannot move to any point at which the enemy controls a block (a pile of two or more pieces). Alternatively, a piece may jump over a wall if that jump lands on a single enemy piece a number of points away equal to the number of pips shown on one of the dice. The enemy piece is killed and removed from the game. Players cannot jump backwards and cannot cross both walls with the same jump. The same piece may take further steps or jumps, possibly changing direction. If a double is rolled, then the player moves four times using the pip value shown. The player must make a move that uses the maximum number of pips. A player wins by orthogonally connecting all of their remaining pieces to the far end of the board marked with their symbol. For instance, a win for X is shown below (note that the distance to connection is zero). Pinned pieces, and pieces that pin others, may be counted in a winning connection.
5 / / / # / / # / / / 5
A player also wins if an enemy piece is pinned on its home edge. NotesJumping over a wall to kill an enemy piece is a two-edged sword: it allows the piece to push forward quickly by taking a shortcut, but also makes the opponent's task easier as they have one less piece to connect. The following example demonstrates the difference between pinning and killing an enemy piece. O has rolled {2, 3} and may therefore make both the step E5-E3 which pins the X piece at E3, and the jump E5-H5 which kills the X piece at H5. A B C D E F G H I Exactly one player must win. The winning player is entitled to yell "Malaka!" at their opponent after the winning move. In addition, either player is entitled to yell "Malaka!" at their opponent at any point throughout the game, as they see fit. SyntaxO moves first. The move syntax is: malaka move board# userid password c3-c6,c6-c8
(move C3 to C6 then C6 to C8)
malaka move board# userid password c3-c6-c8
(move C3 to C8 via C6)
malaka move board# userid password c3-c8
(move C3 to C8 - not necessarily via C6)
malaka move board# userid password 3xc3-c6,c1-c4
(move C3 to C6 three times, then C1 to C4)
References and HistoryMalaka rules copyright (c) Cameron Browne, August 2004. Malaka is a Greek word. I assume it means "friend" because that's what all the locals call me when I visit Greece. Implementation and help file by Cameron Browne, August 2004.
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