3-spot

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The Board

3-SPOT is played on a three-row, three-column grid. The bottom three squares, each marked with a spot, are point squares.[img src="a.svg" alt="a" width="300" height="300"]

The Pieces

There are three rectangular pieces that each can cover a 1-by-2 area of the board. The first player controls the blue piece. The second player controls the red piece. Both players control the white (neutral) piece. The pieces are initially arranged on the board as follows:[img src="3spot.svg" alt="a" width="300" height="300"]

Rules

To move: Move your colored piece (i.e., the blue piece or red piece, whichever you control) so that it covers a 1-by-2 area of the board such that at least one of the squares covered by your colored piece was not covered by it immediately before you moved it. Count the number of point squares covered by your colored piece, and add that number to your score. Then, move the white piece such that it coveres a 1-by-2 area of the board such that at least one of the squares covered by the white piece was not covered by it immediately before you moved it.

To win: Have fewer than 6 points while your opponent has at least 12 points, or have at least 12 points while your opponent has at least 6 points.

Both players' scores begin at 0. Point squares covered by the white piece do not count toward a player's score.[br]Suppose it is the first (blue) player's turn at the following example position:a The blue player first moves the blue piece. The blue player may decide, for example, to move the blue piece to reach the following state:a We count the number of point squares that the blue piece covers after the blue piece has moved. The blue piece covers one point square, so the blue player gains one point. The blue player must then move the white piece. The blue player may decide, for example, to move the white piece to reach the following position:a It is now the red player's turn.

Strategies

Variants

3spot 3spot

References

Gamescrafters