Sample game of chess pool, v. 0.50
This document has been prepared as a clarification of some of the points of Chess Pool for two players, version 0.50. It is a supplement to the document that gives the rules to that game, not a recording of a game that was actually played.In the pool table diagrams that follow, the pieces will be represented thus:
r = 1 R = 9 n = 2 N = 10 O=cue b = 3 B = 11 8=8 q = 4 Q = 12so that capital letters belong to Stripe and lowercase to Solid.
Also, a minus sign (-) will be placed to the left of pieces which are to be removed before the next shot occurs, as the result of a capture.
The diagrams are so positioned that, on my particular Compaq winCE thingy, a PgDn will get neatly from one to the next. A one-line caption appears *below* each diagram, with running commentary to the right. Proper resizing of your browser window will preserve this effect.
Shot notation
[the following is of an unnecessarily confusing nature. Reader discretion is advised.]
At the end of each digram caption after the break, a shorthand will be used to tell which balls collided, followed if necessary by explanatory verbage on the next caption. The simpler shots will look something like this:
O-R-q-X3Which means that the cueball hit Stripe's rook (9), which hit Solid's queen (q), which landed in the upper-right corner pocket from the perspective of the diagrams. I number the pockets arbitrarily:
X1--X2--X3 | | X6--X5--X4The dash ("-") denotes that the ball named on the left struck the one named on the right, and that the latter was at rest. "=" is used to denote that both were in motion. Separate strings of collisions are separated by commas.
**** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** +----------------------------------------------+ | _ 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4/--\5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 _ | | | \-----------------| |-----------------/ | | Here's the empty table. | \ / | Player 1 breaks. | | | | |a | | a| | | | | [PgDn] | -| |- | | -| |- | | | | | |b | | b| | | | | | -| \/ \/ |- | | -| /\ /\ |- | | | O | | |c | | c| | | | | | -| |- | | -| |- | | | | | |d | | d| | | | | | / \ | | | /-----------------| |-----------------\ | | | - 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4\--/5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 - | +----------------------------------------------+ Fig 0 [ABOVE] - empty pool table with ranks and files numbered. +----------------------------------------------+ | _ 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4/--\5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 _ | No balls were pocketed. | | \-----------------| |-----------------/ | | 1 chooses to be Solids. | \ / | | | N | | Stripe chooses to call |a | | a| "Queen takes King", and | | B q | | places the cueball at the | -| |- | "." in d6, a space his | -| r |- | queen (Q) could reach. | | | | |b | 8 | b| Stripe attempts to send | | | | Q slightly to its right | -| \/ \/ |- | after the collision to 8, | -| /\ O /\ |- | so that it can capture | | n | | Solid's queen also. |c | | c| | | Q | | | -| |- | | -| . b |- | | | | | |d | | d| | | R | | | / \ | | | /-----------------| |-----------------\ | | Result: O-Q-8-q, Q-r | - 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4\--/5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 - | +----------------------------------------------+--+ [PgDn] Fig 1: Stripe to move. Immediately after break. | +----------------------------------------------+ | _ 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4/--\5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 _ | Prev result: O-Q-8-q, Q-r | | \-----------------| |-----------------/ | | | \ q / | The capture was successful | | N | | because the declared cap- |a | | a| turer struck the declared | | B | | target before any other. | -| |- | The notation shows at a | -| -r Q |- | glance that four col- | | -8| | lisions occurred; and that |b | | b| two of them were between | | | | opposing pieces (the 8- | -| \/ \/ |- | ball is considered to | -| /\ /\ |- | belong to Solid for this | | n | | shot because Stripe de- |c | | c| clared it as target.) | | | | | -| |- | Thus, r and 8 are removed. | -| b |- | Stripe chooses to replace | | | | the captured 8 with b. |d | | d| q might have been a better | | R O | | choice, but Stripe feels | / \ | that q is close enough | | /-----------------| |-----------------\ | | to the pocket that it will | - 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4\--/5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 - | die sooner or later. +----------------------------------------------+-------------+ [PgDn] Fig 2a: After Stripe's shot before removal of captured pieces| +----------------------------------------------+ | _ 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4/--\5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 _ | Here's the board after the | | \-----------------| |-----------------/ | | removal of r and 8, and | \ q / | the swapping of b for 8. | | N | | |a | | a| It is now Solid's move. He | | B | | fears for the safety of | -| |- | his queen and considers | -| Q |- | declaring q*R just for | | | | the opportunity to move it |b | . | b| away from its perilous | | | | position. However, the | -| \/ \/ |- | best cueball position for | -| /\ /\ |- | that is b8, which would | | n | | likely result in the loss |c | | c| of q or a scratch. Thus | | | | Solid declares n*R and | -| |- | moves the cueball to "." | -| 8 |- | in b1, which is a knight- | | | | hop away from c3. |d | | d| | | R O | | Result: O-n-R, n-8 | / \ | | | /-----------------| |-----------------\ | | | - 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4\--/5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 - | +----------------------------------------------+ Fig 2b: Solid to move. +----------------------------------------------+ | _ 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4/--\5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 _ | Prev res: O-n-R,n-8 | | \-----------------| |-----------------/ | | | \ q / | The capture was successful | | N . | | and R is tagged for |a | | a| removal. Its resting place | | B | | is shown here, but it will | -| |- | be plucked from the board | -| Q |- | before Stripe makes the | | | | next move. |b | -R | b| | | | | *note that 8 was not cap- | -| \/ \/ |- | tured. Since it was not | -| /\ /\ |- | declared capturer or tar- | | O | | get, it has diplomatic |c | | c| immunity, counting as | | n | | neither player's piece. | -| |- | | -| 8 |- | Solid calls Q*8, moves | | | | cueball to ".", and |d | | d| fires. | | | | | / \ | | | /-----------------| |-----------------\ | | Rslt: O-Q-n O-B Q-8-q 8-X4 | - 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4\--/5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 - | +----------------------------------------------+-----------------------+ Fig 3 : Stripe to move.. "-R" means R is removed before Stripe's shot.| +----------------------------------------------+ | _ 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4/--\5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 _ | O-Q-n, O-B, Q-8-q, 8-X4 | | \-----------------| |-----------------/q| | | \ / | Stripe's shot went some- | | N | | what awry. The cueball |a | B O 8 | a| caromed off n before | | | | hitting 8, so the capture | -| |- | was unsuccessful. But | -| |- | the 8-ball did land in the | | | | pocket legally, since |b | | b| there was no foul or | | | | scratch. Stripe chose to | -| \/ \/ |- | swap it with q, which he | -| /\ /\ |- | dropped into the pocket. | | | | |c | | c| Solid cannot capture with | | | | 8 because he still has a | -| n |- | friendly piece (n). Thus | -| |- | he tries n*8 from the ".". | | | | |d | | d| Unfortunately, he sneezes. | | . Q | | | / \ | | | /-----------------| |-----------------\ | | Result: O-8-X4 | - 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4\--/5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 - | +----------------------------------------------+-----+ Fig 4 : Solid to move. q was swapped into the pocket.| +----------------------------------------------+ | _ 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4/--\5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 _ | O-8-X4 | | \-----------------| |-----------------/8| | | \ / | Solid's cueball missed his | | N | | knight entirely, instead |a | B | a| hitting and pocketing the | | | | 8-ball. This is a foul be- | -| |- | cause Solid still has a | -| O |- | friendly piece, and it | | | | must be hit first. |b | | b| | | | | Thus Stripe may place the | -| \/ \/ |- | illegally-pocketed 8ball | -| /\ /\ |- | (at the position marked ') | | | | before shooting. |c | | c| | | | | He calls Q*8 and places | -| n . |- | the cueball at ., hoping | -| ' |- | to bank Q off the bottom | | | | rail and capture both 8 |d | | d| and n. This he fails. | | Q | | | / \ | | | /-----------------| |-----------------\ | | Result: O-Q-8-n | - 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4\--/5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 - | +----------------------------------------------+-----------------+ Fig 5 : Stripe to move. Solid has fouled. Stripe places 8 at '.| +----------------------------------------------+ | _ 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4/--\5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 _ | Result: O-Q-8-n | | \-----------------| |-----------------/ | | | \ / | Stripe's shot only cap- | | N | | tured the 8. This he |a | B | a| swaps with n, having no | | | | other option. Thus n | -| |- | is immediately removed. | -| |- | It is depicted at left to | | | | show where 8 originally |b | O | b| came to rest. | | -n | | | -| \/ \/ |- | Now there are no solids | -| /\ /\ |- | left, and no pieces are | | | | adjacent to the 8-ball, |c | Q | c| so Solid slops, hoping | | 8 | | to hit the 8-ball from | -| |- | the bottom rail and pocket | -| |- | N. | | | | |d | | d| | | | | Result: O-8-N | / \ | | | /-----------------| |-----------------\ | | | - 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4\--/5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 - | +----------------------------------------------+--------------------------+ Fig 6 : after swap of captured 8 with n -- n to be removed; Solid to move.| +----------------------------------------------+ | _ 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4/--\5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 _ | Result: O-8-N | | \-----------------| |-----------------/ | | | \ / | The shot did not have the | | O | | intended effect, but the |a | N B | a| 8-ball happened to land | | | | out of the capturing range | -| 8 |- | of every striped piece. | -| |- | | | | | Thus, Stripe slops, trying |b | | b| for O-B-8-X1. | | | | | -| \/ \/ |- | | -| /\ /\ |- | Result: O-B-8-N | | | | |c | Q | c| | | | | | -| |- | | -| |- | | | | | |d | | d| | | | | | / \ | | | /-----------------| |-----------------\ | | | - 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4\--/5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 - | +----------------------------------------------+--------------------------+ Fig 7 : Stripe to move. +----------------------------------------------+ | _ 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4/--\5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 _ | Result: O-B-8-N | | \-----------------| |-----------------/ | | | \ / | Solid immediately calls | | 8 | | 8*N and looks for a good |a | . O | a| position for the cueball. | | | | Placing the cueball just | -| |- | behind the 8 would make | -| |- | for an ideal shot, but is | | | | illegal because a Chess |b | N | b| king cannot reach a1 from | | | | a1. Thus Solid chooses | -| \/ \/ |- | the position marked "." | -| /\ /\ |- | in a2. | | | | |c | Q | c| He attempts to strike | | | | the 8-ball just right | -| |- | of center so it will bank | -| |- | and hit N. | | | | |d | | d| | | B | | Result: O-8-N, O-B-X5 | / \ | | | /-----------------| |-----------------\ | | | - 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4\--/5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 - | +----------------------------------------------+--------------------------+ Fig 8 : Solid to move. +----------------------------------------------+ | _ 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4/--\5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 _ | Result: O-8-N, O-B-X5 | | \-----------------| |-----------------/ | | | \ / | The outcome was better | | | | than expected. Not only |a | | a| was the capture successful | | | | but the cueball also | -| |- | managed to put B into the | -| |- | side pocket. | | 8 | | |b | | b| Stripe has only a single | | | | piece remaining, and it | -| -N \/ \/ |- | is not in a position to | -| /\ /\ |- | make a capture. He must | | | | slop, and attempts to do |c | Q | c| so in such a way that his | | | | queen stays out of the | -| |- | King's reach. | -| |- | | | | | |d | O | d| Result: O-Q foul | | | | | / \ | | | /-----------------| |-----------------\ | | | - 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4\--/5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 - | +----------------------------------------------+--------------------------+ Fig 9 : Stripe to move (after removal of N) +----------------------------------------------+ | _ 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4/--\5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 _ | Result: O-Q foul | | \-----------------| |-----------------/ | | | \ / | The cueball hit Q as | | | | planned, but the shot was |a | | a| a foul because no ball hit | | | | a rail or pocket. A | -| |- | somewhat more forceful | -|. |- | shot was in order. Now | | 8 | | Solid may move the cue- |b | | b| ball whether he slops or | | | | captures. Since there | -| \/ \/ Q |- | are no captures possible, | -| /\ /\ |- | he chooses the former. | | | | |c | | c| Sensing the time has come | | | | for decisive action, he | -| O |- | places the cueball at | -| |- | "." and attempts to pocket | | | | Q with 8. |d | | d| | | | | | / \ | Result: O-8-Q | | /-----------------| |-----------------\ | | | - 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4\--/5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 - | +----------------------------------------------+--------------------------+ Fig 10: Solid (8) to move. +----------------------------------------------+ | _ 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4/--\5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 _ | | | \-----------------| |-----------------/ | | Result: O-8-Q | \ / | | | | | The attempt backfires, and |a | | a| the king finds itself | | . Q 8 | | staring down the Queen's | -| |- | barrel. | -| |- | | | | | Stripe quickly calls Q*8, |b | | b| puts cueball at "." and | | | | shoots. | -| \/ \/ |- | | -| /\ /\ |- | | | | | Result: Q-8=Q |c | O | c| | | | | | -| |- | | -| |- | | | | | |d | | d| | | | | | / \ | | | /-----------------| |-----------------\ | | | - 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4\--/5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 - | +----------------------+-----------------------+ Fig 11: Stripe to move | +----------------------------------------------+ | _ 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4/--\5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 _ | | | \-----------------| |-----------------/ | | Result: Q-8=Q | \ -Q / | | | | | The shoddy work by Stripe |a | | a| has cost him the game. | | O | | His Queen nailed the 8 | -| |- | as planned, but the 8 | -| -8 |- | hit the rail and bounced | | | | back to hit Q. The 8 was |b | | b| a hostile piece because | | | | it had been named target, | -| \/ \/ |- | so it was capable of | -| /\ /\ |- | causing capture. | | | | |c | | c| The game, disappointingly, | | | | is a draw, since no pieces | -| |- | remain on the table. As | -| |- | happens occasionally in | | | | Chess, the player with a |d | | d| clear advantage has thrown | | | | away his win. | / \ | | | /-----------------| |-----------------\ | | | - 1 <> 2 <> 3 <> 4\--/5 <> 6 <> 7 <> 8 - | +----------------------------+-----------------+ Fig 12: Game over - stalemate|
Written by Robert Price.
Webpage made: January 24, 2000.