The Game of Y

Y was invented by Charles Titus and Craige Schensted.  It is another game that deserves to be more widely known and one that will surely appeal to the abstract game enthusiast.  Y is one of the games supported by the GoRilla SGF editor [ gorilla.html ].  Here is an introduction to the game.

( Text and web page by Dariusz Stachowski. )

( A game in progress. )

The Game

The game is a connection game played between two people across a triangular board.  Both players take turns to place a piece on the board.  Black goes first.  The objective is to be the first to complete a chain of pieces that connects all three edges of the board.  Corners are common to both of the adjoining sides.  A game cannot end in a draw.

The Swap Rule

The second player ( white ) has the option to 'swap' immediately after the first player has made his first move.  If swapped the roles will be reversed.  The first player will take the white pieces and will play against his own first move.  The second player is given a swap option in order to counter the first play advantage that the first player would otherwise have.

The Game Board

The game can be played on a range of board sizes.  Size 19 ( 19 nodes along each edge ) should be the minimum for serious play.  With anything smaller there will not be opportunity for enough rounds of attack and counter-attack.

Note that boards with sizes 19, 22, 25... ( incrementing in jumps of three ) will have a node in the direct centre of the board.  With other sizes the board centre will fall on the mid point between three touching nodes.

One interesting variation of the game is to play on a curved board such as the one given here.

( Curved board. )

More Information

The GoRilla Game Editor.   GoRilla is an SGF reader that can be used to analyse and review games of Y ( and also of Go / WeiQi / Baduk, Connect6, Havannah, Othello / Reversi, Hex, Kropki and Unlur ).  It is a compact, non-commercial program, and is available from my web page [ gorilla.html ].  I hope you will find it a useful product.

Play by eMail.  Y can be played by eMail at Richard Rognlie's PBeM server [ http://www.gamerz.net/pbmserv/ ].  I am 'dashstofsk' at the PBeM server and will welcome all challenges to a game.

Y on Wikipedia.  [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y_(game) ]