MSG Abstract Games

OUST	Intense game of annihilation. Magnificent architecture and dramatic play. You can get behind and come back, a few times, in one play. Oust is an exhilarating game to win. And a shtty game to lose. The Oust game tree is ginormous. Moves are more restricted than in Go, but large groups are removed, and the vacated spaces repopulated - again and again. Oust has been copied, but never equaled. No serious AI exists for Oust. Nor will it exist, for many years to come. See also square Oust. Same rules but played with a Go set. Equipment:* Hex hex game board, Go stones. Played at: Ai Ai, ig Game Center, Mind Sports. Oust strategy guide.
BAMBOO	Bamboo grows in clumps. Likewise in the game of Bamboo. Equipment: Hexagonal grid.
GOPHER	Super simple game. Equipment: Hexagonal grid. Update: Two designers had simultaneously invented a similar game (Chris Huntoon's Spider Lightning is essentially identical to Stephen Tavener's Snowpaque). That game employs only one color stone and starts in the center of the board. Normally I withdraw games that turn out to be similar to existing games, but this is different. The central mechanism is elementary. If you own the hydrogen atom, I don't have any reservations about laying claim to the helium atom. My addition of another color doubles the complexity of the rules. And two colors is a vast improvement in my opinion. Two color games are much more vibrant than one color games. They're not boringly Nim-like. Drew Edwards found an easy win for Red on size 5, 7, 9... boards. Red starts by placing a stone in the center or a corner. Then, whichever way Blue branches out, Red continues the branch in the same direction.
MARMOT	Variation on a rodent. Equipment: Hexagonal grid.
ZOLA	Simple annihilation game. Unique mechanism for bringing enemy checkers together. Equipment: Checkers set. Played at: Ai Ai, Ludii, Mindsports.
INCHWORM	Game of inchworms. Unusual and intriguing. I like this game a lot. I discovered that deadlocks were possible in the initial, slightly different version of Inchworm. I made some changes to correct the problem, one of which was suggested by Michael Amundsen. Thanks Michael. Equipment: Checkers set.
FLUME	Super simple game. Related to Dots and Boxes. Equipment: Checkers set. Can play on intersections for a 7x7 grid. Played at: ig Game Center.
RIVE	Extreme churn rate. Full sized game on a tiny board. Good travel game. I use the truncated size 4 board to the left of the title. Equipment: Hex hex game board, Go stones. Played at: Games By Email
MONKEY QUEEN	Magnificent game. Annihilation and checkmate. Equipment: 8x8 checkerboard, eight ivory colored checkers and eight cigar colored checkers. Played at: ig Game Center, Mind Sports.