Irensei
Encyclopedia
Irensei is an abstract strategy board game
. It is traditionally played with Go
pieces (black and white stones) on a Go board (19x19 intersections), but any equipment with which Go can be played is also suitable for Irensei.
Black plays first, and players alternate in placing a stone of their color on an empty intersection. The winner is the first player to get an unbroken row of seven stones horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
There are two restrictions on this: (1) A line of seven stones which covers any point on the outer two lines of the board is not a win, and (2) Black cannot make a line of eight or more stones. However, when a group of stones is enclosed by the enemy as by the Go rules, the stones are removed (remember that diagonal is not considered a connection for capturing but is considered a connection for a win). Also, the suicide
and Ko rules apply, and indeed are often crucial in winning the game.
Thus Irensei is a game that unites elements of the game of Go with those of Gomoku
. Similar to Atari-Go, it may be played to become familiar with aspects of Go, but is interesting on its own.
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
. It is traditionally played with Go
Go (board game)
Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...
pieces (black and white stones) on a Go board (19x19 intersections), but any equipment with which Go can be played is also suitable for Irensei.
Black plays first, and players alternate in placing a stone of their color on an empty intersection. The winner is the first player to get an unbroken row of seven stones horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
There are two restrictions on this: (1) A line of seven stones which covers any point on the outer two lines of the board is not a win, and (2) Black cannot make a line of eight or more stones. However, when a group of stones is enclosed by the enemy as by the Go rules, the stones are removed (remember that diagonal is not considered a connection for capturing but is considered a connection for a win). Also, the suicide
Life and death
Life and death is a fundamental concept in the game of Go, where the status of a distinct group of stones is determined as either being "alive", and may remain on the board indefinitely, or "dead," where the group will be lost as "captured"...
and Ko rules apply, and indeed are often crucial in winning the game.
Thus Irensei is a game that unites elements of the game of Go with those of Gomoku
Gomoku
Gomoku is an abstract strategy board game. Also called Gobang or Five in a Row, it is traditionally played with go pieces on a go board ; however, because once placed, pieces are not moved or removed from the board, gomoku may also be played as a paper and pencil game...
. Similar to Atari-Go, it may be played to become familiar with aspects of Go, but is interesting on its own.