Dots and Boxes
Dots and Boxes (also box -drawing) is a strategy game with simple rules, which will be played with paper and pen. It is aimed at two, three or four players.
- 3.1 Dots and Boxes / La Pipopipette
- 3.2 Miss
History
It goes back to the French La Pipopipette (probably from the French: " Pipeau " = " little trick shawm " and " Piperie " = " false " games ) back, the first time in 1889 by the school teacher and mathematician Édouard Lucas in the book " La Pipopipette - Nouveau Jeu de Combinaisons " was described. In the same year Lucas wrote in the journal "Nature" article " Nouveaux Jeux Scientifiques de Combinaison, Dedie aux Élèves de l' École Polytechnique ." It was also his book by the editors of " L' Arithmétique Amusante ", a collection of mathematical essays, 1895 again published.
In the 1970s, cheese box was one of the most popular games break at German schools.
The German cheese box differs slightly from La Pipopipette. The French version is available in the U.S. but also in England and Japan, under the name of " Dots & Boxes" (German: "dots and boxes " ) are known. Game theorists have found that this variant is even NP-hard. Since 1994, Dots & Boxes tournaments.
The name comes from the French la caisse ( box or box), with which cheese box is a pleonasm.
Game rules
Preparation
As game material, you need a sheet of squared paper and at least one pen.
It is bordered on squared paper with the pen a rectangular field from, for beginners about 8 × 12 squares. The aim of the game is to conquer the most squares in the field. According to other rules, the field must not necessarily be rectangular, it presents a special challenge to draw a "nice" field with corners, narrow passages, but also longer rectangular surfaces, should be avoided merely a single Karo already on three sides frame.
Pull
Who is the course must draw a line (ie, the pre-printed border between two diamonds in the field increase ).
Who closes with his stick a diamond (ie the last stroke to a diamond draws ) or two diamonds closes, puts into his characters (cross, circle hooks, ...) and is now once again on the course. The outline of the entire playing field counts usually given as underscores.
There is no obligation to close a diamond by a semicolon; you may also draw elsewhere without closing a diamond.
There is a tight spot: As long as not all possible lines are drawn in the field, the player must often on the course so drag until he draws a line, which does not include a check. Are all possible lines drawn, the game is over.
Profit
After completing the game, the marks of all players are counted. The winner, who 's featured in most diamonds for themselves.
Variants
Dots and Boxes / La Pipopipette
In this variant, the Schedule of points that are connected to each other horizontally or vertically. Unlike cheese box and the edge is playable. Édouard Lucas originally recommended a board with 6x6 = 36 protruding pins ( Chevilles ) which should be connected by bridges ( barrettes ).
Miss
Another variant, the " Miss " is, was invented in the 1970s by the cultural scientist Ralf Gering. Here, a straight line is always drawn, which is exactly two squares long. At the end of individual boxes can remain neutral. Otherwise, the "German" is played according to the rules.