Quinten 2012

Quinten is a connection game for two players: Black and White. It is played on the intersections (points) of an initially empty square grid (board). The top and bottom edges of the board are colored black; the left and right edges are colored white.

DefinitionsA region is an empty point along with all points one can reach from it through a series of steps onto orthogonally adjacent empty points.

A territory is a region containing no 2x2 empty areas.

PlayBlack plays first, then turns alternate. On your turn, place a stone of your color on an empty point, then fill every territory with stones of the same color as the majority of stones orthogonally adjacent to it. If a territory is orthogonally adjacent to the same number of stones of each color, fill it with stones of your opponent's color.

At the end of your turn, for any two diagonally adjacent stones of your color there must be another stone of your color adjacent to both.

Passing is not allowed, but, if you have no legal moves available, your turn is skipped.

You win if there is a chain of orthogonally connected stones of your color touching the two opposite board edges of your color. Draws are not possible.

To make the game fair, White will have the option, on their first turn only, to swap sides with Black instead of making a regular move.