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Lines of Action (LOA)

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Lines of action (LOA) is the completely original game that can be played with a Draughts set. The big clash between Fred Kok the Dutch games master and the LOA specialist Nicolas Koichi has still to happen and the question is will there be a newcomer who takes the lead in the game before the encounter happens.

Rules

http://www.boardspace.net/loa/english/index.html
Lines of Action (LOA) is played on an 8x8 board by two sides, Black and White. Each side has twelve pieces at its disposal. It is a two-person zero-sum game with perfect information. LOA is a connection game, albeit non-typical. Claude Soucie invented it around 1960. Sid Sackson (1969) described it in his first edition of A Gamut of Games.At the sixth Computer Olympiad the LOA rules were made immutable for this tournament. They are as stated below in point 1 to 10.

Warning: in some books, magazines or websites rules 2, 8,9, and 10 can be different from what is specified here! The Olympiad organisation is using the rules, which were used at the MSO World Championship of 2000. The black pieces are placed in two rows along the top and bottom of the board, while the white pieces are placed in two files at the left and right side of the board. (see Diagram 1).


Diagram 1: Board set-up.

  1. The players alternately move, starting with Black.
  2. A player to move must move one of its pieces unless there are no legal moves.
  3. A move takes place in a straight line (along files, ranks, or diagonals), exactly as many squares as there are pieces of all colours anywhere along the line of movement.
  4. A player may jump over its own pieces, but not land on them.
  5. A player may not jump over the opponent's pieces, but can capture them by landing on them.
  6. The goal of a player is to form one connected group with all of its pieces. The first player to do so is the winner.
  7. Connected pieces are on squares that are adjacent, either orthogonally or diagonally. (see Diagram 2).
  8. A single piece is a connected group.
  9. If a move simultaneously creates a single connected unit for both players, the game is a draw.
  10. If a player cannot move, this player has to pass.
  11. If a position with the same player to move occurs for the third time, the game is drawn.


    12. Diagram 2: A terminal position.

    You can find out about opportunities to play Lines of Action live at the timetable. Please report any external links that have broken or have changed to contain inappropriate material. More information about how tournament play works can be found in clocks and in MSO rules.

    External Links

    http://www.boardspace.net/loa/english/index.html
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lines_of_Action

    MSO Champions

    YearChampionCountryFlagTitle
    2015Andres KuuskEstoniaWorld Champion
    2014Andres KuuskEstoniaWorld Champion
    2014Alain S. DekkerSouth AfricaWorld Champion
    2013Ankush KhandelwalEnglandWorld Champion
    2012Peter J. HorlockEnglandWorld Champion
    2011Tim HebbesEnglandWorld Champion
    2010Andres KuuskEstoniaWorld Champion
    2009Tim HebbesEnglandWorld Champion
    2008James HeppellEnglandWorld Champion
    2007Tim HebbesEnglandWorld Champion
    2006Fred KokNetherlandsWorld Champion
    2005Koichi B. NicholasEnglandWorld Champion
    2004Fred KokNetherlandsWorld Champion
    2003Koichi B. NicholasEnglandWorld Champion
    2002Fred KokNetherlandsWorld Champion
    2001Koichi B. NicholasEnglandWorld Champion
    2000Jochen DrechslerGermanyWorld Champion
    1999Fred KokNetherlandsWorld Champion
    1998Hartmut ThordsenGermanyWorld Champion
    1997Fred KokNetherlandsWorld Champion

    Full results for Lines of Action can be found here.

    MSO Ranked Players at Lines of Action

    MSO International Grandmasters


    MSO International Masters


    MSO Candidate Masters