Turncoat is a game for two players. Although it is played on Reversi boards, uses Reversi pieces that are black on one side and white on the other, and involves the capturing and turning of these pieces, the way it is played is quite different from Reversi.

In Turncoat, no pieces are introduced onto the board during play - all the pieces are already on the board. And, instead of using one board, both players have their own board. Each of these boards starts off with the same layout, and the objective of both players is the same: to be the first player to achieve a state where their board contains no white pieces. And, whatever one player does the other player must do next.

Overview

In Turncoat, both players have their own 8x8 board, each set up in the same way, with most squares containing pieces showing white, but with just a few containing pieces showing black (from 2 to 6 squares showing black) and possibly some squares left blank, with no pieces on them (there may be 0-3 blanks).

Play consists of a series of rounds, each of which has two moves (unless a player wins after the first move).

At the beginning of a round, each player selects one of the squares containing a piece, hidden from the other player. These selections are revealed and each player makes two moves based on these selections; the first move by each player is based on his or her own selection, the second on that of the opponent.

So, first of all, the piece on the square that the player has selected is turned on that player's board, so that it shows the opposite colour. Once this has been turned, any pieces trapped directly between this piece and the first piece of the same (new) colour along any horizontal, vertical or diagonal straight line, with no empty squares included, are also turned so that they show the new colour. Three points should be emphasized:

  • trapping cannot pass through an empty square;
  • a move is valid even when no pieces are trapped;
  • trapped pieces must be turned.

Once these moves, based on the players' own choices, have been made, the second moves take place based on the opponents' selections. The piece on the square selected by the opponent is turned, and any trapped pieces are then also turned (as in the first move). Note that this could mean that a piece turned over in the first move is turned back again in the second move of the turn.

The winner is the first player to achieve a situation where all the pieces on their board show black - after the first or second move of a turn. If both players achieve this at the same time, then the game is drawn.

Playing the game

There are two coloured tabs at the top to the right of the New button: a red tab and a yellow tab. Pressing on one of these displays the associated board (the red board has red labels, and the yellow board has yellow labels). The two players must first agree who is to play with which colour.

Next, the More button should be pressed, and the players should agree whether to allow white and black only to be selected, or to allow both white pieces only to be selected (this can provide an interesting variation). By default, selection of both white and black pieces is allowed.

The game is started by pressing the New button. Both boards are then set up identically, with a random selection both of the number of black pieces and blank squares (within the constraints mentioned above), and their locations. The number of black pieces on a board is shown on the relevant coloured tab.

Both players then take turns to make their board visible and to select one of the pieces to be turned by pressing on a valid square. When one player makes a selection the other should look away. Once a player has made a selection an X is shown on the coloured tab instead of the number of black pieces.

It does not matter who makes their selection first. Players may change their minds about their selection and choose another if they so wish. Note that the label (e.g. C3) of the square selected is shown briefly under the board.

Once both players have completed their selections (and both tabs have an X displayed in them), the Turn button should be pressed.

The red board is then displayed, the piece that red has selected is highlighted then turned, and any trapped pieces are also then turned. The yellow board is then displayed and the same happens for yellow's selection.

Next, the red board is again displayed, and this time the piece on the square with the same label as the piece selected by yellow is highlighted, turned and any trapped pieces are also turned. The yellow board is then displayed and turns are made based on red's selection.

At the end of the turn, the numbers of black pieces on the boards are then displayed on the tabs, and play continues with the next turn.

If a situation is reached where one or both boards are displaying only black pieces (plus blanks), either at the end of the first set of moves based on the players' own selections or at the end of the turn, the game ends.

New game

A new game may be started at any time by pressing on the New button. The same setting (white only or white and black selection allowed) will be used as for the previous game, unless the settings are changed via the More button before pressing on New. Although this setting may be changed at any time, even mid-game, it will not take effect until a new game is started. To return to the playing boards from the selection options, just press on the Back button.

Turncoat is an original game devised by Dr. David Wolstenholme

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