CUBOMINOS
(formerly Dé-compte (or Dé 6 Dé) (or STRAdéGIE) DéCLIC
Laurent Dubois

Demonstration

"Controled chance" (the symbol of chance becomes a tool of strategy, an instrument of control).

This play is a kind of play of domino in three dimensions. Play of the third millenium.

MATERIEL :

- a square of 5 X 5 boxes (preferably, a rotary table), with indication of the orientations Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western.

- 100 dice 1 2 3 4 5 6.

AIM :

- To obtain a maximum of points by the best placement of the dice. Each one in its turn, the player places a die on the square. It must place the face of the die of which it wishes the benefit of the points against the face of a die already placed presenting the same number of points. The orientation of the die is free, that is to say 4 possibilities for the placement of a die against an insulated die. When one places the die against the faces of two dice, there is not of course more but only one possibility.

RULES :

- Each player has 50 dice.

- The first player must obligatorily place his first die in the center of the checkerwork, face 4 upwards. This blow brings back 6 points to him.

- A die placed must obligatorily touch another die by at least one of its side faces.

- It is necessary to place the die in order to present adaptable faces with those of the dice already placed.

- When a problem of adaptability arises, the priority must be given to the adaptability of the next die.

- The adversary must announce the not-adaptability of the next die placed close to the last die placed, or even several blows in advance, proof with the support.

- The play is exploited four levels (either 3 stages) but the placement of a die on a higher level requires the complete recovery of the lower level.

- At a higher level, the priority is given to side adaptability. If it blocks the adaptability of one next close die (or more remote, with the remark of the adversary), the lower face can be exploited, in so far as the adaptability is respected.

- The first die placed at a higher level, is the 26ê, 51è and 76è dice placed, must be it on the central box. The placement brings back the number of points indicated on the lower face, that is to say 3 or 4 points according to the level, plus 6 points. The following dice must be placed against the side face of at least a die; a die cannot be insulated.

- The value brought back by the placement of the lOè, 20è, 30è and 40è of each player is multiplied by 3.

- The 4 boxes of corners multiply the value of the faces placed by 3.

- The two preceding no-claims bonus can be cumulated only If the multiplied value does not exceed 3 points; in this case, the value is multiplied by 9.

- The match is played in 2 parts so that each player has the advantage of the first blow

- The notation will be carried out in the following way :

the first figure is that of the face top of the die placed the second figure is that of the most expensive face of the die placed an index ', ' ' or ' ' ' accompanies possibly the second figure to specify that the die is placed on level 1, 2 or 3 a letter, N for North, S for South, E for Is, O for West, indicates the direction of the face of the second figure

a letter A, B, C, D or E indicates the column in which the die is placed

a figure 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 indicates the line in which the die is placed

a number indicates the points reported by the placement of the die.

Example : the notation 64' ' N Al 18 means that the die is placed face 6 to the top, face 4 round towards North, that the die is placed on the second floor in the first column and the first line and that this placement brings back 18 points.

Let us note that the play offers the possibility of three types of strategies :

- a space strategy by placement of the die to one precise place at any time

- a temporal strategy by placement of the die wherever you want but at one precise time

- a combination of the two preceding strategies by placement of the die at the adequate place at the convenient period.

DéCLIC :

Alternative : the placement of a die on a higher level can be carried out when is formed a square of 3x3 at the lower level; the first die placed can be it anywhere on this square, but the following must be joined laterally with a die already placed. Dice can be placed beyond this square provided that that is on the surface of another square of 3x3 obtained by the prolongation of the initial square 3x3.

Points : after each pair of blows, i.e. when each player played a blow, one makes the difference in points and the player which profits from the positive difference piles up tokens to the amount of the number of points of difference. Thus, If the first player made 15 points and second 8 points, the first player piles up 7 tokens, that is to say 15-8; with the following blow, If the first player makes 3 points and the second, 12, the difference is of 9 points to the advantage of the second player, but as it counted 7 points of delay, it will pile up only 2 tokens, and the first player will lose his seven tokens.

Therefore difference in points initially, difference of tokens then. This system has the advantage of an accumulation minimum of tokens and a direct and brought up to date presentation the situation.

To know when intervenes the multiplication of the 10è, 20è, 30è, and 40è blows, it is enough to form before the part of the groups of 10 dice ; the value of the last played die of the first 4 packages is multiplied by 3.

3 players :

263 = 041

712 = 753 = 420

155 = 020