Let's talk traditional games. — Penny Arcade
INeedNoSalt wrote: »
How does Backgammon work?
In simple terms: You both start with a number of pieces at opposite ends of a row of spaces. You take it in turns to roll two dice, and move one piece the amount on both dice, or two pieces the amount on each dice towards your opponents end. Get all your pieces off the opponents end and you win.
Where the game gets interesting is that if you land on an opponents piece, it goes back to the start, and you are not allowed to land on a space that has more than one opposing piece in it.
You use these two rules to get the upper hand by forcing the opponent to waste moves, either by blocking his pieces from moving, or sending them back to the start.
There are a few more rules, but I'm just summarising the important ones so you get an idea of how it plays.
I think its fabulous, because it has just the right amount of random, coupled with the fact that usually the more you are winning, the less pieces you have to fight with.
Technicality on
SUPERSUGA wrote: »
I love a bit of Go. A nice big board with pretty stones is definitely on my list of stuff I want in my house.
It is an awesome game, though I could seriously stand to work on my skills.
Don't get me wrong, I'm terrible at it. It's one of those things I need to dedicate some time to. I love a game with both incredibly simple and logical mechanics and also great complexity.
Mr_Rose wrote: »
Hate to go all G&T on you guys, but 42 All-Time Classics on the DS has a whole lotta these games on it (except Go, because computers suck at Go). I'm playing Mahjong Solitaire right now...
If you like traditional games then 42ATC is a must own for DS. I've got so much play out of that cart and it's a cheapo title too!
SUPERSUGA on
English Tiddlywinks Association wrote:
[rules spoilered for length]
Tiddlywinks is a game for four players who play in two pairs. In singles matches each player operates two sets of coloured counters (winks) rather than one. There are 6 winks (4 small and 2 large) of each colour (blue, green, red and yellow). The game is played on a six foot by three felt mat with a pot placed in the centre. The winks are played by using a 'squidger'; this is any circular disc between 25 and 51 mm in diameter. Players use different squidgers for different shots (like selecting a club in golf). A player normally only plays a single shot in each turn, but is rewarded with an extra shot if they happen to pot a wink of their own colour. Play is time limited. Pairs matches last for 25 minutes and Singles matches last for 20 minutes, after which each colour has a further five rounds, ending with the colour that started.
The aim of the game is to secure the highest number of table points ('tiddlies'). At the end of a normal game, three tiddlies are scored for each wink in the pot and one for each wink which remains uncovered by other winks on the mat. The player who scores most tiddlies gets four game points, the player who comes second gets two game points, and the player who comes third gets one game point. In pairs, partners add their points together. Thus there are always seven points in every game. In matches and tournaments points are usually added, so that the margin by which games are won, rather than just the number of games won, is important.
If one player gets all their six winks into the pot they are deemed to have won by "potting out". Any winks covered are then released and two more colours must also get all their winks into the pot to distribute the seven points based on who comes first, second and third in the potting race. The partnership which potted out is rewarded by the transfer of one point from their opponents to their own score.
Although potting out potentially provides the best score for the winners, pot-outs are rarer than might be expected. The reason is that if any wink is covered by another, the lower wink is said to be "squopped" and cannot be played. It must be rescued by another wink of that partnership. A shot which starts on the top wink of a pile may continue through underlying winks and thus squopped winks may be rescued in this way. Why are pot-outs fairly rare? The answer is simple. If a player attempting to pot out misses one shot at the pot, his wink may be captured by the opponents. If several of his winks are already in the pot, he and his partner have far fewer winks on the mat with which to fight their opponents. The chances of rescuing the squopped wink are low, and the probability that the opposition will be able to manoeuvre themselves into a winning position is high.
Hence true winks is a game of strategy. A pair must capture and guard their opponents' winks whilst preserving their own. The basic skills of the game can be learnt in days, but the tactical knowledge of players takes years to acquire and can always be improved. Complex tactical games can develop with lots of small piles and the choice of where to attack; alternatively you may find yourself in a game in which all winks end up in a huge pile, or one of your opponents takes the calculated gamble of trying to pot out...
Looking at the international league tables, I'm getting close to the top 50
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Anonymous Robot wrote: »
Can anyone recommend a good online Mahjong game? Preferably free and without downloading, because my connection is very bad right now.
In re your earlier question about an actual Mah Johnng set, I would check ebay.  They have basic sets, and also a number of beautiful ivory/bamboo sets that are well worth it.
Chess is one of those games I've never been very adept at.  I like it, I just am not going to win very frequently.  Same with Go.  Backgammon, on the other hand, is like sweet nectar from the very teat of the Gaming Goddess.
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