Game variations

8 pre-programmed game variations

We present only 8 pre-programmed game variations that increase in relative difficulty. Players may make other combinations. They all can vary in begin and or end position again.

Master Pi Game

The Master Pi Game composition expresses the spirit of perfect harmony and collaboration between the allies. This game contains the necessary methods in order to learn the business of co-operation. New players should look carefully at the mechanism of thought inversion when mp exchange place; in chess one eliminates a piece. When you are able to play the Master Pi Game without written score, you have understood the nature of playing together so that you may proceed to the next games. The Master Pi Game should however be played first as it is. Usually if players try to play it first without written score they become confused and discouraged. Master Pi Game notation >>

Transverse Game

The game board needs to be turned 90°. The players still have a white hexagon on their lower right hand side. The lower horizontal row must show the numbers 8,24,40,56. The pawns may only advance straight forward just like their chess-brothers. When they face each other squarely they block each other. They may exchange place with the other colour on the 30° angle.

Remarks: The six laureates end in mirror position. When we consider the game-board form this position with the blunt side of the hexagons facing the players, it resembles the chess board somewhat. In this position the movement of the pioneers must be limited otherwise they would be able to reach far too many spaces with their double first move. This is why their movement resembles that of their very restricted chess-brothers. Transverse Game notation >>

The Double Hexagon

The mobile parts, mp, are arranged in the begin position of the Double Hexagon, (see diagram). They are played to the end-diagram of the Master Pi Game. On the other side lies their destination. This is an example of a beautifully 'choreographed' game with dance like movements while the initiative of the moves also playfully changes from white to black and back to white again. The imbalance in honour points is re-balanced by the 2 x 4 laureates who make 7 redemption’s (h7) and there are also 7 realisations on each side. This game makes for a smooth, even and pleasant style of co-operative playing showing often imaginative moves. The Double Hexagon notation >>

Pi Olympic Game

The Pi Olympic GameGame is a variation of the Olympic Formation. The point of departure is the begin position of the Master Pi Game while the endpoint is the Olympic Formation, with this difference however, that white and black are reverse as shown in the End position diagram below.

In this variation the hexagons 5 to 8 and 57 to 60 may not be used to crown laureates because these places are reserved for destination points of the pioneers. This restriction however is no problem as will become evident. Witness the symmetrical end position of the laureates, they are arranged in mirror image position. This game proceeds smoothly and harmoniously. It requires on the average 2.5 moves per mp to come to the end point. Pi Olympic Game notation >>

The Cross

The mp are played from the begin position of the Cross to the end position of the Master Pi Game. The laureates do not end up in mirror image position. Try yourself to play in such a way that they do end up symmetrically. E-mail us your score. The Cross variant notation >>

The Pi-Cut

With the Pi-Cut diagram the mp have to be played to the end position of the Master Pi Game. The mp are placed in such a way that a large “circle” of 19 hexagons is saved in the centre of the board. The black pioneer on the right on hexagon 40 is situated on the diameter, while hexagon 36 is the middle-point or centre of the circle. (Pi to the power Pi = 3.14…to the power 3.14. . = ±36) The arrangement is not precisely symmetrical but it approaches symmetry. The periphery, the actual circle, is studded and surrounded by the chieftains, the highly placed ones, the four templars are placed as the four corner pillars while the pioneers wait eagerly hoping to be elevated to become a laureate. The Pi-Cut notation >>

The Olympic Formation

The Olympic Formation is played to the end diagram of the Master Pi Game in 41 moves. This is an elegant begin arrangement with a difficult solution. In this game we see few truly symmetrical moves, and yet it is possible to play symmetric looking loves and it is possible to end symmetrically. Especially the end game with the wise is remarkable. Are you able to play it better or faster, mail us a copy of your game diagram. Of course one can reverse the game also, that is to say, playing from the Master Pi Game begin position to the Olympic Formation as end point. Try it! The Olympic formation notation >>

The Four Circles

In the Four Circles the mp are played to the end position of the Master Pi Game. The allies each have 4 laureates and they finish in mirror position. The four Circles notation >>

Ad Random (an example)

The mp are placed on the game board ad random by means of two lot numbers drawn out of a hat, the first lot is the name of the mp and the second lot is its position from 1- 64. From that totally haphazard position the mp must be played to the strict and very formal end position of the Master Pi Game. In this way one can generate a sheer endless number of ad random begin and end positions, each having its own unknown problems just like they happen to us in life. In this example game it happens that we have to make an exemption to the regent’s rule of standing on a white hexagon in the beginning of the game. They are however, played to the correct white hexagon in the end position. Pioneers 15 and 13 are already home. But this is up to the discretion and choice of the players to determine beforehand what rule they are going to apply. Ad Random example >>