Alquerque
Alquerque Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Rules Formulated as Requirements
On the left side of the assignments (left of '=') a unique identifier is given for the requirement.
COMMON is used for requirements that are basic for game play.
ALFONSO is used for rules that are described as sourcing from Alfonso X, "Libro de los juegos".
BELL identifies rules as suggested in Robert Charles Bell, "Board and Table Games from Many Civilizations, volume 1" (Dover Publications, 1979).
ALT is used to show up alternative rules to choose from. Players shall find agreements on these alternatives first.
This way REQ.23.ALT.x.BELL means that if applying Bell's rules suggestion (REQ.19 to REQ.22) players shall consider to choose from the set of alternatives given here.
REQ.24.ALT.x.COMMON is a set of alternatives that to the author's best knowledge are neither clearly covered by Alfonso X nor Bell but shall be basic for game play. Thus it seems mandatory that players shall first choose their appropriate intended alternative here.
REQ.25.ALT.x.y has alternatives that are suggested by Alfonso X or Bell. The Alfonso X version seems to lead to draw game situations often. Bell's version of the rule has the slight drawback that players have to remember the latest move for each checker left in game.
Missing that a capture could be performed has usually a huge impact if applying REQ.26.ALT.1.ALFONSO. If you intend to avoid such hard penalties use REQ.26.ALT.2 instead. This might result in more interesting game plays on the long run.
REQ.27.ALT.1.ALFONSO might result in a huge amount of endless game situations such that players have to agree on draw situations often. Using the rules from BELL reduces these huge number of draws (REQ.27.ALT.2.BELL). Depending on the set of chosen rules to apply it might make sense to use REQ.27.ALT.3 being even more restrictive than just applying BELL's variant.
Requirements
Board, Setup and Players
REQ.0.COMMON=Alquerque is a game.
REQ.1.COMMON=The game is a board game.
REQ.2.COMMON=The rectangular board has fixed dimension of 5 times 5 positions horizontally and vertically.
REQ.3.COMMON=The twelve light checkers are placed on all positions of row 1 and 2, and positions d3 and e3 initially.
REQ.4.COMMON=The twelve dark checkers are placed on all positions of row 4 and 5, and positions a3 and b3 initially.
REQ.5.COMMON=There are two opposing players: one is controlling the light checkers and the other is controlling the dark checkers.
REQ.6.COMMON=The player controlling light checkers moves first.
Movement
REQ.7.COMMON=Movement of checkers is performed strictly along the lines of the board.
REQ.8.COMMON=Alfonso X: Checkers can move to an adjacent free position along the lines only.
REQ.11.COMMON=Checkers can not be stacked by moving one on top of the other.
REQ.19.BELL=Bell: A light checker can not move from it's position to positions on rows with lower numbers. Thus it can not move backwards.
REQ.20.BELL=Bell: A dark checker can not move from it's position to positions on rows with higher numbers. Thus it can not move backwards.
REQ.21.BELL=Bell: A light checker on row 5 can can not be moved but only capture opponent's checkers if possible.
REQ.22.BELL=Bell: A dark checker on row 1 can can not be moved but only capture opponent's checkers if possible.
REQ.23.ALT.1.BELL=In case of using Bell's rule that checkers reaching opponent's base row can not move but only capture: The checker is allowed to move, too, if after the capture it is not positioned on the opponent's base row any longer.
REQ.23.ALT.2.BELL=In case of using Bell's rule that checkers reaching opponent's base row can not move but only capture: The checker is not allowed to move any longer but only capture even if after the capture it is not positioned on the opponent's base row any longer.
REQ.23.ALT.3.BELL=In case of using Bell's rule that checkers reaching opponent's base row can not move but only capture: The checker is allowed to capture opponent's checkers horizontally only.
REQ.25.ALT.1.ALFONSO=Alfonso X: A player is explicitly allowed to return his previously moved checker to it's previous position and thus revert his last move.
REQ.25.ALT.2.BELL=Bell: Each checker is not allowed to return to the previous board position of this checker's latest move.
REQ.25.ALT.3=A player is not allowed to return his previously moved checker to it's previous position and thus revert the player's last move.
Captures
REQ.9.COMMON=Alfonso X: An opponent's checker on an adjacent position along a line of an own checker is captured by jumping over it in straight line onto an adjacent free position along the line.
REQ.10.ALT.1.COMMON=In a player's turn multiple consecutive captures performed with the same own checker are allowed and compulsory.
REQ.10.ALT.2.COMMON=In a player's turn multiple consecutive captures performed by the same own checker are explicitly not allowed. Only single captures allowed.
REQ.10.1.ALT.1.COMMON=If REQ.10.ALT.1.COMMON is used then the first capture of the possible multiple consecutive capture is compulsory. The player may decide on each jump to stop capturing.
REQ.10.1.ALT.2.COMMON=If REQ.10.ALT.1.COMMON is used then the player must continue to capture in the possible multiple consecutive capture until no additional capture is possible. It is not necessary to select the longest possible path to capture the maximum opponent's pieces. On alternative paths the player may decide freely on which one to continue.
REQ.10.1.ALT.3.COMMON=If REQ.10.ALT.1.COMMON is used then the player must continue to capture in the possible multiple consecutive capture until no additional capture is possible. It is mandatory to select the longest possible path to capture the maximum opponent's pieces. Using alternative capturing paths is only allowed if the same amount of captures is possible.
REQ.12.COMMON=Checkers can not be stacked by jumping one on top of the other.
REQ.13.COMMON=Checkers captured leave the board and do not return.
REQ.14.COMMON=Jumping to perform captures is done in straight line without any change of direction.
REQ.15.COMMON=(If REQ.10.ALT.1.COMMON is used then...) After each single straight line jump if performing multiple consecutive captures the direction of jumps may be changed although reverse direction change is not allowed.
REQ.16.COMMON=By each jump exactly one single opponent's checker is jumped over and thus captured at a time.
REQ.17.COMMON=Checkers can not jump over or capture checkers of own color.
REQ.18.COMMON=Captures can be done any time on own turn after the game has started.
REQ.24.ALT.1.COMMON=A captured checker is removed from game play instantly while being jumped. Thus it can not be reused to be jumped again in a multiple capture move.
REQ.24.ALT.2.COMMON=In a multiple capture a captured checker stays on board and is removed from game play after the whole multiple capture is done. Thus it can (and eventually must) be reused to be jumped again during the multiple capture move.
REQ.26.ALT.1=If an opponent misses to capture any checkers although compulsory captures were possible then one of the opponent's checkers able to capture is huffed (removed from game) by the player.
REQ.26.ALT.2=If an opponent misses to perform a compulsory capture then the previous board situation before the invalid move has to be restored.
Winning and Drawing
REQ.27.ALT.1.ALFONSO=Alfonso X: A player wins by capturing all opponent's checkers. A tie or draw game is possible on mutual agreement.
REQ.27.ALT.2.BELL=Bell: A player wins either by capturing all opponent's checkers or if the opponent can not perform any legal move. A tie or draw game is possible on mutual agreement.
REQ.27.ALT.3=A player wins either by capturing all opponent's checkers or if the opponent can not perform any legal move. A draw is achieved by repetition of exact game position and status.
Situations Not Covered by the Requirements
When following game notations, watching others playing Alquerque, and discussing how others interpret and play Alquerque, the author found some game situations that are not covered by the previous rule proposals. The author's analysis of each follows.
Situation 1
Light player's turn.
5X- -X-X-X
|\|/|\|/|
4O- - -X-X
|/|\|/|\|
3 -O- -X-X
|\|/|\|/|
2O- - - -
|/|\|/|\|
1O-O-O-O-O
a b c d e
- Is a4b5 capturing Dark on a5 valid?
This would be a capture along the lines of a board. According to previous rules this would be a change of direction while jumping thus being invalid (REQ.14.COMMON).
Situation 2
Light player's turn.
5 - - -X-
|\|/|\|/|
4 - - - -X
|/|\|/|\|
3X- -X- -
|\|/|\|/|
2 - - - -X
|/|\|/|\|
1X- -X-O-O
a b c d e
- Is multiple capture d1b1a2a4 capturing Dark on c1, a1, and a3 valid?
This would be a multiple capture along the lines of a board. According to previous rules this would be a change of direction while jumping from b1 to a2 thus being invalid (REQ.14.COMMON). A change of direction in a multiple capture can only be performed after each single jump (REQ.15.COMMON) and not while jumping. Each jump must follow a straight line. Thus e1e3e5c5 capturing e2, e4, and d5 would be valid according to the previous rule proposals.
Situation 3
Dark player's turn.
5 - - - -
|\|/|\|/|
4 - -O-O-
|/|\|/|\|
3 - - -O-X
|\|/|\|/|
2 - - - -
|/|\|/|\|
1 - - - -
a b c d e
- Is multiple capture e3e5c3e3 capturing Light on d4, c4, and d3 valid?
Discussion here is if backward jumps are basically the same as backward moves. If applying Bell's rule set especially REQ.20.BELL here then this question arises. The rule text in this document distinguishes between captures by jumps and simple moves. Thus it is assumed that jumps can be performed in any direction and REQ.19.BELL and REQ.20.BELL refer to simple moves only. As a result the multiple consecutive capture would be valid and in fact mandatory here. In this situation e3c3e5e3 would be an alternative multiple capture here with same result: Dark wins by capturing all Light checkers.
Situation 4
Dark player's turn.
5 - - - -
|\|/|\|/|
4 - -O-O-
|/|\|/|\|
3 - - - -X
|\|/|\|/|
2O- - - -
|/|\|/|\|
1 - - - -
a b c d e
- Dark must perform a compulsory capture here. Where does the Dark's turn end?
If using REQ.24.ALT.1.COMMON Dark has to jump e3c5c3 capturing d4 and c4. If using REQ.24.ALT.2.COMMON Dark has to jump e3c5c3e5 capturing d4 and c4. The later means that d4 must be jumped again here since d4 is still not removed and no alternative jump can be performed without jumping reverse (REQ.15.COMMON, reverse direction change in consecutive multiple captures is not allowed).
Situation 5
Dark player's turn.
5 - - - -
|\|/|\|/|
4 - -O-O-
|/|\|/|\|
3 -O- - -X
|\|/|\|/|
2O- - - -
|/|\|/|\|
1 - - - -
a b c d e
- Dark must perform a compulsory capture here. Where does the Dark's turn end?
If using REQ.24.ALT.1.COMMON Dark must jump e3c5c3a3a1 capturing d4, c4, b3, and a2. If using REQ.24.ALT.2.COMMON Dark could either
-
jump e3c5c3a3a1 capturing d4, c4, b3, and a2 (winning the game) or
-
jump e3c5c3e5 capturing d4 and c4 (game continues on Light's turn).
-
Who moves first?
In ALFONSO the first player is determined by a dice roll. It is not described whether the winner of the dice roll plays Light or Dark pieces. In REQ.6.COMMON the interpretation is that such a selection by random result means the selected player will play White pieces. If player change sides and the right to start the game in consecutive plays then they will change color as well.