THE RULES OF FOURPLAY



800-811 Definitions


800. The Fourplay Board

In the definition below, x=15 and y=15.
There exists a checkered board, divided into x by y squares. It is called the Fourplay Board. The Fourplay Board is used for the sole purpose of playing a game called Fourplay Chess. Each column has a letter assigned to it, from a-(the letter of the alphabet corresponding w/ x above. If x>26, then after z, start using double letters, aa, bb, etc) beginning with the leftmost column. Each row has an integer assigned to it, from 1-y. When viewed on a screen, the lowest row is 1, the highest is y, and consecutive rows are marked with consecutive integers. Each square on the Fourplay Board has coordinates made up of a letter, which corresponds to the column the square is part of, and an integer, which corresponds to the row the square is part of. The letter precedes the integer.
Once a Game Cycle has begun, any proposal submitted during that cycle that would alter the size or shape of the Fourplay Board must pass by a vote of 4-0; this takes precedence over the Rule on required number of votes. If the proposal would eliminate any squares that are occupied by Pieces at the time that the proposal passes, however, then the proposal is discarded without taking effect.


801. Definitions: On-board and Off-board

"On-board" Pieces are Pieces which are currently on the Fourplay Board. "Off-board" Pieces are Pieces which are currently off the Fourplay Board. Initially, all Pieces owned by a Player are off the Board.


802. Definition of Public Action

For any action or statement to be publically announced, it must be emailed to all existing Players in the Game.


803. Creation of Money, Fourplaydollars

The currency used for purchases in Fourplay Chess are called Fourplay dollars (abbreviated F$). Each Office may own any amount of Fourplay dollars. Each Player may only receive, use, and give away Fourplay dollars according to the Rules. No Player may make a purchase that would cause him to have less than zero dollars (no voluntarily going into debt). A Player may give any amount of F$ of his own to any other Player by publically declaring that he is doing so. It is the job of the Speaker to keep track of how many F$ each Player has.


804. Definition of an Aggressive Position

A Piece X owned by Player A is in an aggressive position with respect to Player B if it meets any one of the following conditions:
(i) If it were Player A's Turn, Piece X could capture a Piece owned by Player B.
(ii) If it were Player A's Turn, Piece X could destroy a Piece owned by Player B.
(iii) If it were Player A's Turn, Piece X could immobilize a Piece owned by Player B.
(iv) Piece X is currently immobilizing a Piece owned by Player B.
(v) Piece X is a Magnetron, and is in a position such that on the next sequence of between-moves occurences, it will affect a Piece owned by Player B.
(vi) If it were Player A's Turn, Piece X could attach itself to a Piece owned by Player B.
(vii) Piece X is a currently attached to a Piece owned by Player B.

(viii) If it were Player A's Turn, Piece X could stun a Piece owned by Player B.


805. Definition of an Aggressive Move

A Piece X moved by Player A on his Turn makes an aggressive move with respect to Player B if any one of the following statements about the move are true:
(i) Piece X captures a Piece owned by Player B.
(ii) Piece X destroys a Piece owned by Player B.
(iii) Piece X stuns a Piece owned by Player B.
(iv) Piece X moves to an aggressive position with respect to a Piece owned by Player B (it is irrelevent whether or not player A's Piece was already in an aggressive position with respect to Player B prior to the move).
(v) Piece X moves so that another Piece Y owned by Player A is in an aggressive position with respect to a piece Z owned by Player B, and the Piece Y was not in an aggressive position with respect to Piece Z before Piece X moved (it is irrelevent whether piece Y was already in an aggressive position with respect to other non-Z pieces owned by Player B prior to the move).


806. Definition of Check

Player A's King is in check if one of the following conditions are met:
(i) Another Player B has a Piece in a position such that, if it were player B's turn, he could capture Player A's King.
(ii) Another Player B has a piece in a position such that, if it were Player B's turn, he could destroy Player A's King.


807. Neighborhood

A Conway Neighborhood is defined as the set of squares adjacent to a given square either vertically, horizontally or diagonally.

A Von-Neuman Neighborhood is defined as the set of squares adjacent to a given square either horizonally or vertically.


808. Distance

1.The Common Distance between any two squares A and B is defined as the largest of 1.a and 1.b where they are defined as:
    a. The minimum number of King moves it would take for a Piece on an otherwise empty Board to get from square A to a square on the same column as B.
b. The minimum number of King moves it would for a piece on an otherwise empty Board to get from square A to a square on the same row as B.

2. The Manhattan distance between any two squares A and B is defined as the minimum number of King moves it would a Piece, on an otherwise empty Board to get from square A to square B.

3. The Euclidean distance between any two squares A and B is defined as the Square Root of a*a+b*b where a is defined in section 1.a and b is defined is section 1.b of this Rule.

Whenever the Rules talk of distance but do not specify which distance, it is assumed that Common distance is being refered to.


809. Definition of a Beethoven Set

For a given group of Pieces, the Beethoven Set for that group of Pieces is defined as the set containing one of each of type of Pieces in that group. Dollarmen and Kings are an exception, they are never part of the Beethoven Set.

(for example, for a group containing 3 Pawns, 2 Bishops, and 1 Rook, the Beethoven Set is 1 Pawn, 1 Bishop, and 1 Rook).


810. Definition of a Bach Set

For each Player, the Bach Set of a Cycle is defined as the Beethoven Set of that Player's initial Purchase of Pieces, plus the Beethoven Set of all the Pieces that that Player purchases during Play on the Board for that Cycle.


811. Statute of Limitations for Illegal Moves

The Statute of Limitations for Illegal Moves is 3 weeks.


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