Troika
| Troika(Trojka) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jan Divecky | ||
| Tic-Tac-Toe in 3D | ||
| Players: | 2 | |
| Length: | unknown | |
| Complexity: | Medium | |
| Trios per color: | 1 | |
| Number of colors: | 6 | |
| - - - - - - Other equipment - - - - - - | ||
| Color die, 3x3 grid | ||
| Setup time: | 1 minute | |
| Random chance: | Low | |
| Status: Complete (v1.0), Year released: 2012 | ||
With 18 pyramids tic-tac-toe changes in three-dimensional challenge. The situation on the board is changing fast and simple rules forcing the starting player to the activity. Draw is not possible.
Preparation of the game[edit | edit source]
You will need one trio each of white, yellow, red, blue, green and black pyramids.
Players divide pyramids. One of the players has all nine pyramids of lighter colors (white, yellow, red), the second has all nine pyramids of darker colors (green, blue, black).
Game[edit | edit source]
The younger player throws the die. The player who has the color on the die starts (atom counts as white). Players alternately place one of their pyramids on the board.
Placing of Pyramids[edit | edit source]
You can place (lay down) one pyramid per turn. Once laid pyramids can not be moved during the game.
Pyramids can be placed on free fields, yours or your opponent's pyramids.
Attention! Pyramids can not be placed on pyramids of the same size nor on pyramids two size bigger/smaller.
When laying pyramids may therefore occur following four options:
You can lay down:
- any pyramid on a free field
- small pyramid on any middle pyramid
- middle pyramid on any small or large pyramid
- large pyramid on any middle pyramid
Only top pyramid counts for the goal!
Object of the Game[edit | edit source]
Players try to create a troika of pyramids lying in one row or one column, or the two main diagonals on the 3x3 board.
Troika[edit | edit source]
Troika is any combination of your own pyramids in which the two basic parameters (color and size) occur either in the ratio 3:0:0 or 1:1:1 (either all the same or all different, like the card game SET).
Examples:
- Large red, medium red and small red FORM a Troika, because their color scheme is 3:0:0 (three red, no white, no yellow) and size scheme is 1:1:1 (one large, one medium and one small pyramid).
- Medium blue, medium green and medium black FORM a Troika, because their color scheme is 1:1:1 (one blue, one green, one black) and size structure is 3:0:0 (three medium, no large and no small pyramid).
- Large blue, medium blue and small green DO NOT FORM a Troika, because their color scheme is 2:1:0 (two blue, one green and no black pyramid)
Troika Training[edit | edit source]
To explain the rules it always helps when you form several Troikas, especially if you play with school children. Take any two pyramids and challenge players to find the third pyramid required to form a Troika. Practice this several times.
End Game[edit | edit source]
- The game ends when the first player creates Troika in a row or one column or one of two main diagonals on the board. This player is the winner.
- If a player has at least one of his pyramids, but cannot place any of them, he loses the game.
- If both players run out of all their pyramids and no player created Troika, the player who did NOT start the game, wins. (For this reason it is good to keep the die next to the game board.)