Square Goofspiel

In this Death Match, claim more cells in rows and columns of a grid by winning Goofspiel matches.

Designer(s): chaotic_iak	Match Type: DM (for 2 players)
Featured in: DM Colosseum 2

SQUARE GOOFSPIEL

Can you strategically manage your resources to win many interlocking psychological games?

This game was invented by me, brand new for this tournament. The main inspiration is from Goofspiel, a very simple psychological game with unclear origins, which has been used as a base for multiple games throughout The Genius ORG history.

GAME RULES

⚙️ Setup and terminology

The game features a 6×6 scoring board, made up of 36 cells. There are 12 lines on the board, one for every row and column; this way, each cell of the board belongs to two lines.

Each cell has two values, one for its horizontal line and one for its vertical line. Within a horizontal line, the value of a cell is determined by its column number, listed above the board. Similarly, within a vertical line, the value of a cell is determined by its row number, listed to the left of the board. As an example, the top-right cell has value 6 for the topmost horizontal line, and value 1 for the rightmost vertical line.

Each line is worth an amount of points, increasing 1-6 from bottom to top and from right to left. The worth of a line is indicated below and to the right of the board, in circles.

Each player also has a hand of cards with strength 1-6. At the beginning of the game, each player begins with the following hand: six 1s, five 2s, four 3s, three 4s, two 5s, one 6. During the game, each player will play cards from their hand, and may also receive new cards to be added to their hand.

🧠 On your move

The game is divided into 6 phases. Within each phase, 6 cells will be randomly selected and auctioned for, in a fixed order A-F that is revealed at the start of the phase.

For each auction, each player may play one card from their hand; they may also pass. Both players make their decisions simultaneously. Once both players have decided, their submissions are revealed. The player that plays a higher card claims the cell. Not playing any card is considered as playing a 0. If both players are tied, neither player claims the cell. Any played card is discarded.

At the end of the phase, after all 6 cells have been auctioned, each player receives a new card into their hand. The strength of this card is equal to the number of cells they claimed in the phase. For example, if a player claims 4 cells during the phase, they will receive a card with strength 4. If a player claims no cells at all during the phase, they don't get any card.

💎 Winning

The game ends after all 6 phases, after all cells have been auctioned. The scoring board is evaluated. For each line, the player that claims a higher total value of cells on that line wins the line; if the total values are tied, neither player wins the line.

The player with the higher total worth from lines won is the winner. In case of a tie, the player with a higher sum of card strengths remaining in their hand is the winner.

ADMINISTRATION

🏷️ Writing your move

Your move must consist of your card number. You may use "no submission", "pass", "0", or equivalent for not submitting any card. (If you do wish to pass, please do say so just to make sure it's intentional and not a result of accidentally missing your submission.) If your move is invalid, you are assumed to not play a card.

👁️ Available information

There is no hidden information except for the decisions for the current cell. You should make your move in your private submission channel.

After each move, the current scoring board and the contents of both players' hands will be posted.

⌛ Timing

You have 90 seconds per move; there is no time bank (as this is a simultaneous move game). If you fail to submit in time, you are assumed to not play a card.

CLARIFICATIONS

📌 Examples of submitting

In the middle of a game between Ruby and Turquoise, the board looks like this. It is in the middle of the second phase; four cells have been auctioned, and two remain (E and F). Previously, Ruby has won 1 of the cells in the phase, and Turquoise has won 2. (1 cell ended up unclaimed.)

For cell E, Ruby plays 2 and Turquoise plays 4. Turquoise wins the cell.

For cell F, Ruby and Turquoise decide not to submit anything. They both are considered to submit 0, and neither of them claim cell F.

That ends the phase. As a result, Ruby won 1 cell of the phase and Turquoise won 3 cells; therefore, Ruby gets a new card with strength 1, and Turquoise gets a new card with strength 3. The next phase begins and the cells A-F are revealed; the next round will contest cell A.

📌 Example of scoring

At the end of the example game above, the following is the scoring board:

The results of the lines are:

Row 1: Both are tied 7-7. The line goes unclaimed.
Row 2: Ruby wins 10-7. Ruby claims the line worth 5.
Row 3: Turquoise wins 11-7. Turquoise claims the line worth 4.
Row 4: Ruby wins 9-0. Ruby claims the line worth 3.
Row 5: Both are tied 6-6. The line goes unclaimed.
Row 6: Turquoise wins 11-10. Turquoise claims the line worth 1.
Column 1: Both are tied 6-6. The line goes unclaimed.
Column 2: Turquoise wins 10-6. Turquoise claims the line worth 5.
Column 3: Ruby wins 13-1. Ruby claims the line worth 4.
Column 4: Turquoise wins 12-5. Turquoise claims the line worth 3.
Column 5: Ruby wins 11-5. Ruby claims the line worth 2.
Column 6: Turquoise wins 9-7. Turquoise claims the line worth 1.

In total:

Ruby's lines are worth 5+3+4+2 = 14.
Turquoise's lines are worth 4+1+5+3+1 = 14.

Therefore the two players are tied from the lines, and the tiebreaker is used. Ruby's remaining card gives strength 3, while Turquoise's remaining cards total to strength 4. Turquoise wins.

Square Goofspiel

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