Quoridor

Infobox_Game
subject_name=Quoridor
image_link=
image_caption=
players=2-4
ages= 8 and up
setup_time=< 1 minute
playing_time= 20 minutes
complexity=Easy
strategy=Medium
random_chance=None
skills=Deduction
footnotes =

"Quoridor" is a 2–4-player abstract strategy game designed by Mirko Marchesi and published by both Gigamic Games and Great American Trading Company. Quoridor received the Mensa Mind Game award in 1997 and the Game of the year USA, France, Canada and Belgium. [ [http://www.previous.us.mensa.org/news_media/newsroom/12152000b.php3 Mensa Mind Games Winners Press Release] ] .

Rules of the game

;ObjectBe the first player to move a pawn to the opposite side of the gameboard. ;Equipment
* 1 9×9 gameboard with 81 squares
* 4 pawns (different colors)
* 20 walls (the length of a wall is 2 squares)

;Setup
*The game starts with the pawns on the gameboard. (See Diagram 1)
* The game starts with no walls on the gameboard.
** In a 2-player game each player starts with 10 walls.
** In a 4-player game each player starts with 5 walls.

;Gameplay
*On a turn a player may choose one of the following options:
** Move the pawn.
** Position a wall on the gameboard.

;Movement
*A pawn moves orthogonally one square.
** If a pawn is adjacent to another pawn it can jump over the adjacent pawn.
*** If there is a wall or a second pawn behind the adjacent jumped pawn the jumping pawn can move to any square adjacent to the jumped pawn.
*** The official rules are ambiguous concerning the edge of the board.
*A pawn cannot move through a wall.
*A wall cannot be moved.
*A pawn must be moved if a wall cannot be placed

;Positioning a wall
* Walls are positioned on the intersections of the gameboard.
* Walls must be positioned so that it impedes movement from 4 squares. (See Diagram 2)
* Walls must be positioned so that the entire wall is on the gameboard.
* Walls cannot be positioned so that it makes it impossible for any of the pawns to reach the opposite side.
* Walls cannot be positioned on an existing wall.

;End of the gameThe first player to reach the opposite side of the gameboard is the winner, regardless of who played first.

History

Quoridor is also based on Mirko Marchesi's earlier game Blockade which was published in the 1970s. Marchesi also created another version of this game called "Pinko Pallino" was published in 1995 by Epta. "Pinko Pallino" was only for 2 players and was played on an 11×11 gameboard with a total of 42 walls and slightly different rules. [ [http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/7581 Pinko Pallino entry on BoardGameGeek.com] ]

trategies

*Reed opening: This opening consists in placing, during the first two moves of the game, two walls on the third row in front of the opponent with a single gap in the middle. This opening is attributed to Dr. Scott Reed (Edinburgh, UK), a known military strategist and frequent player.

References

ee also

* Blockade (board game)

External links

*
* [http://hols749.web.cse.unsw.edu.au/ Korridor Java applet] , focusing on strong AI
* [http://martijn.van.steenbergen.nl/projects/quoridor/ Java implementation] , including computer opponent
* [http://sourceforge.net/projects/corridor/ C++ using SDL implementation] , open source solution

Papers on implementing "Quoridor"-playing algorithms

* [http://www.cs.unm.edu/~lglenden/files/thesis.pdf Lisa Glendenning's thesis]
* [http://www.cs.unimaas.nl/~uiterwyk/Theses/BSc/Mertens_BSc-paper.pdf P.J.C. Mertens' paper]