Appendix: Complete rules

PREFACE

It is hoped that players will find that these rules clearly and precisely regulate the overwhelming majority of situations arising during a game. However, players are encouraged to seek further clarification by completing the feedback form available on the Home page.

In these rules the words 'he', 'him' and 'his' have been used interchangeably with 'she' and 'her'. Specific terms in judtho are indicated in bold italics.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Article 1: The nature, objectives and process of the game of Judtho

1.1     Overview and basic principles of the game
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1.1.1  Type of game and number of players
The game of Judtho is a game of strategy, based on chess, ideally played between two pairs of opponents (four people) although it can be played by two or three people.  The four player game is described initially.

1.1.2  Pieces and board
Players take turns to place and then move differently shaped and coloured pieces on and around a 12×12 square, chequered board called a Judthoboard.  The pieces differ in the way they move and their ability to remove other pieces.  A piece is said to attack another piece if it could move to the attacked piece's square on its next move (thus removing it).

1.1.3  The King and checkmate

One of the pieces, the King, must be protected from attack by opponents' pieces. If a player's King is under attack, the King is said to be in check. If a player's King is in check and there is no legal move which can relieve the King from check on the following move, then this King is said to have been checkmated.

1.1.4  The aims of the game

The aims in Judtho are to avoid being checkmated whilst trying to give checkmate, initially singly but then in cooperation with other players.

1.1.5  The stages of the game

As Judtho begins with the board empty, the first stage of the game is the Assembly of the pieces where players place, but cannot move, their pieces. The subsequent stages are called Battles.  Each Battle ends in the checkmate of one of the Kings and a change in the relationships of the players.

1.1.6  Names and initial relationships of the players

The players are termed White, Yellow, Red & Black corresponding to the colour of their pieces. Each player has one Rival and two Opponents. For example, White's Rival is Yellow (the Light Rivals) and Red and Black are both Opponents of White & Yellow. Similarly, Red's Rival is Black (the Dark Rivals) and White and Yellow are both Opponents of Red & Black. Rivals cannot capture each other's pieces nor give check to each other's Kings but compete with each other to checkmate one of their Opponents' Kings.

1.1.7 The First Checkmate

With the First Checkmate, a cooperative partnership (called a Double Alliance) is formed between the checkmating (the First Ally) and checkmated (the Second Ally) players.  Subsequently, the First Ally can move the Second Ally's pieces on his move.  Also, all existing Rivalries are broken and so the remaining players become Opponents of the Double Alliance whilst remaining Opponents of each other.

1.1.8  The Second Checkmate

With the Second Checkmate, either the Double Alliance will be increased to a Triple Alliance or a second Double Alliance will be formed.

1.1.9  The Third Checkmate and conclusions of the game

The game ends either with the Third Checkmate or at any time when it is agreed by all remaining players that (further) checkmate is either not possible or can be satisfactorily avoided by the defending player or players. Play may also be ended by players resigning or agreeing a draw or reaching other conditions for a draw.

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1.2  The Assembly of the pieces

1.2.1  Assembly definition
The Assembly is the stage of the game where players take turns to place one piece on the board. No pieces can be moved once placed until the Assembly is complete.

1.2.2  The Judtho pieces

Each player places 12 from 13 pieces (1 King, 1 Queen, 1 Prince, 1 Princess, 1 Rook, 1 Knight, 1 Bishop and 6 Pawns), choosing between a Prince or Princess. Symbols for these pieces are given below. The letters in parentheses are used in the algebraic notation for recording the moves of the game.

 A King (K), (the symbol for a White King is shown).

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 A Queen (Q), (the symbol for a Red Queen is shown).

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 A Prince (C), (the symbol for a Yellow Prince is shown).

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 A Princess(S), (the symbol for a Black Princess is shown).

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 A Rook(R), (the symbol for a White Rook is shown).

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 A Bishop(B), (the symbol for a Red Bishop is shown).

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 A Knight (N), (the symbol for a Yellow Knight is shown).

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 Six Pawns (P), (the symbol for a Black Pawn is shown).

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The 12 vertical columns of squares (labelled a to l) are called files. The 12 horizontal rows of squares (labelled 1 to 12) are called ranks. A straight line of squares (either light or dark), touching corner to corner, is called a diagonal.   

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1.2.5  The Realms of the Board

The area in which a player may place her pieces is called her Realm.This is a rectangular area of 6×4 squares at each corner of the board. The colours of the dark squares are appropriate for each player. The players' Realms are defined as follows:

• White: the light and light grey squares between a1 and f4;
• Red: the light and red squares between a9 and f12;
• Yellow: the light and yellow squares between g1 and l4;
• Black: the light and dark grey squares between g9 and l12.

The light and blue squares between a5 and l8 (i.e. the 5th to 8th ranks inclusive) is termed the Neutral Realm.

1.2.6  The rules of placement of the pieces

The pieces are placed according to the following rules:

1. The pieces can be placed in any order;

2. Either a player's Princess or Prince must be placed and thus 12 pieces are placed in total;

3. The King must not be placed where it would be attacked by a piece of either of the Opponents or the player's Rival;

4. Players may check (attack) one or both of the Opponents’ Kings;

5. If a King is given check, a piece must be interposed, if possible, on the next move to relieve the check.  However, it is not permitted to place a piece in the Neutral Realm;

6. If a King is given check and it it not possible to interpose a piece to relieve check, a piece must be placed such that it could relieve check through capture or interposition on the first move after the Assembly.

7. Players may not move any piece when placed and all pieces must be placed before White makes the first move.

A possible Assembly of the pieces on the judthoboard is shown below:

Note that this position is for illustrative purposes only and does not suggest good practice in the Assembly.

1.3  The Battles of Judtho

1.3.1  The names of the Battles

The Battles in Judtho are named to reflect their increasing importance. They are listed below in the order that they take place:

The Battle for Ascendancy (from the Assembly to the First Checkmate);

The Battle for Control (from the First Checkmate to the Second Checkmate);

The Battle for Dominion (from the Second Checkmate to the Final (Third) Checkmate);

1.3.2  The Battle for Ascendancy

After the Assembly, players can move their pieces and do so in the same turn order as before.

In this context, Ascendancy refers to the advantage a player gains by checkmating another player. Primarily. players must avoid checkmate but they must also judge whether to try to win the initial Battle for Ascendancy or time their attack for later.

1.3.3  The First Checkmate

The following changes take place immediately after the First Checkmate and take effect before any other player moves:

1. The checkmating and checkmated forces are joined in a Double Alliance.

2. The pieces within the Double Alliance are friendly in status towards each other; i.e. they cannot capture other pieces within the Double Alliance or give check to either King of the Double Alliance.

3. The checkmating player is called the First Ally and the checkmated player the Second Ally of the Double Alliance.

4. It is essential that both Allies fully cooperate with each other since their aims for the rest of the game are the same. These aims are to avoid checkmate of either King and to checkmate the Opponents' Kings.

5. A deliberate attempt by either player of the Double Alliance to act against the aims of the Double Alliance (as stated immediately above in 1.3.3.4) is a serious breach of the rules. Examples of such play would include deliberately exposing a King to danger of checkmate, deliberately exposing pieces to capture without any discernible purpose or moving the pieces repeatedly without any discernible purpose.

6. If the Second Ally placed a Princess initially in the Assembly, then the First Ally must replace (promote) one of the Second Ally's Pawns to a Prince and vice versa. This principle of placing a Prince or Princess according to that which the checkmated player did not choose applies to all subsequent checkmates in judtho. The Pawn is removed from the board. If the Second Ally does not have any Pawns remaining, then the First Ally must place the new piece on a vacant square within the Second Ally's Realm. If the Second Ally does not have any vacant squares within his Realm, then the First Ally must place the new piece on a vacant square within her own Realm.

7. The placement of a Prince or Princess (as set out in 6 above) constitutes part of the move giving checkmate by the First Ally and takes effect before any other player moves. No other pieces may be moved or placed on the board at this time.

8. The new Prince or Princess is considered part of the Second Ally's pieces. The First Ally may move any one of the Second Ally's pieces instead of moving one of her own pieces in subsequent turns.  The Second Ally may only move pieces of his own colour.

9. The move sequence is unchanged. For example, if White and Red were joined in a Double Alliance by Red checkmating White, then Yellow will play next (immediately after Red's checkmate of White), followed by Black, White, Red and Yellow again.

10. All existing Rivalries are broken and so the remaining single players become Opponents of the Double Alliance whilst remaining Opponents of each other. Thus, White and Yellow can now capture each other's pieces and give check and checkmate to each other's Kings. The same applies to Red and Black. If, for example, Red and Yellow are joined in a Double Alliance, Black remains an Opponent of Yellow (as well as now being an Opponent of Red) and White. Similarly, White remains an Opponent of Red (as well as now being an Opponent of Yellow) and Black.

1.3.4  The Battle for Control

This Battle offers the opportunity for the Double Alliance to take control of the game by checkmating one of the remaining players. Alternatively, one of the single players can take control by checkmating a King of the Double Alliance. Finally, control will be finely balanced if a second Double Alliance is formed by checkmate of one of the single players by the other. These three scenarios are considered below.

1.3.5  The Second Checkmate

The Second Checkmate either results in victory or defeat of the Double Alliance.

1.3.5.1  The Second Checkmate: Victory for the Double Alliance

Checkmate of either of the single Kings by the Double Alliance results in the formation of a Triple Alliance with the newly checkmated King becoming the Third Ally (the First and Second Allies of the Double Alliance retain their ranks).  Similar rules govern the Third Alliance as those of the Second Alliance (but note the important difference in point 2 below):

1. The First Ally promotes one of the Third Ally's Pawns to a Prince or Princess according to the rules as described above in the First Checkmate section.

2. The First Ally may move any one of the Second or Third Allies' pieces instead ofmoving one of her own pieces in subsequent turns. The Second Ally may move any one of the Third Ally's pieces instead ofmoving one of his own pieces in subsequent turns.  The Third Ally may only move pieces of his own colour.

3. The Three Allies must cooperate and cannot capture or give check to each other's pieces or Kings respectively.

4. The only objective of the Triple Alliance is to checkmate the remaining single player's King and thus win the game.

The main difference between the First and Second Checkmates is that the move sequence changes. After the Second Checkmate, moves alternate between the Triple Alliance and the remaining single player. Thus, the single player moves first immediately after the Second Checkmate, followed by the next player of the Triple Alliance, then the single player, then the next player of the Triple Alliance and so on.

For example, if Red, Yellow and White form a Triple Alliance and Yellow's move brought about the checkmate of White, Black will move immediately after the Second Checkmate (of White), followed by White. The subsequent move sequence would be Black, Red, Black, Yellow, Black, White, Black, Red and so on.

1.3.5.2  The Second Checkmate: Defeat of the Double Alliance

If either King of the Double Alliance is checkmated by one of the single players, the checkmating player will become the First Ally of a Triple Alliance with the former First and Second Allies of the Double Alliance becoming the Second and Third Allies respectively.

Corresponding rules pertaining to the Triple Alliance as described above apply to a Triple Alliance formed by defeat of the Double Alliance.

1.3.5.3  The Second Checkmate: Formation of a Second Double Alliance

If one of the single players checkmates the other, a second Double Alliance is formed with the checkmating player becoming the First Ally. Corresponding rules pertaining to the Double Alliance as described above (after the First Checkmate) apply for this Double Alliance also.

The move sequence is unchanged. For example, if White and Red were joined in a Double Alliance and Yellow has checkmated Black to form a second Double Alliance, then Black will play next (immediately after Yellow has checkmated Black's King), followed by White, Red, Yellow and Black again.

1.3.6  The Battle for Dominion

In this final Battle, two opposing forces fight to achieve the final checkmate that will win the game. Often the forces will be unequal; i.e. in the case of a Triple Alliance facing a single player. Although the Triple Alliance will have great material superiority, it can be defeated by the checkmate of any one of its three Kings. Alternatively, two Double Alliances may face each other, each knowing that the next checkmate will be the last.

1.3.7.1  The Third Checkmate: Victory for the Triple Alliance

Checkmate of the single player's King by the Triple Alliance immediately results in a win for the Triple Alliance and the end of the game.

1.3.7.2  The Third Checkmate: Defeat of the Triple Alliance

Checkmate of any one of the Triple Alliance's Kings immediately results in a win for the single player and the end of the game.

1.3.7.3  The Third Checkmate: Victory of one Double Alliance over the other

Checkmate of one of the Double Alliance's Kings immediately results in a win for the other Double Alliance and the end of the game.

1.4  Non-checkmate conclusions

Resignation of one or more players or a draw by agreement may lead to an early conclusion of the game. A draw also automatically takes place under certain conditions.

1.4.1  Resignation

Resignation is defined as the voluntary cessation of play by an unallied (non-Alliance) player. Particularly in games involving three or four players, resignation is strongly discouraged and can incur a significant points penalty (see points system below). However, a player may resign at any time, for any reason and has no obligation to disclose those reasons.

1.4.2  Agreement of a draw

A draw may be agreed at any time but there must be unanimous agreement among players. If any player disagrees, play must continue or the game declared void.

1.4.3  Mandatory draws

If the following scenarios arise, the game must be declared a draw:

1.4.3.1  Threefold repetition of position

This occurs if the same position arises three times, with the same player to move.

1.4.3.2  Stalemate

This occurs if the single player facing the Triple Alliance has no legal move but his King is not in check.