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SQUAREOLOGY J A Enness, Poole, Dorset, has written a well-documented program which plays a game based on the old favourite where two players take turns to link dots in a matrix, with each player trying to avoid placing a line in such a manner as to allow the other to complete a square. If a player completes a square, it is marked for the player, who then gets a second turn. In this version the player plays against the computer, and a pattern of lines is drawn up to start the game off at a more interesting level. The matrix is 1 2 x 9 dots giving 195 possible moves, the score and "whose turn", etc is printed below. The pattern choice is not random in any manner and the same choice of pattern number will result in the same pattern. The patterns 1-9 will fill up 60 or so moves in the matrix and then return to "Your move". Patterns from A-Z may or may not start with "Your move", and some squares may be "claimed" by the pattern. These will be marked with an "/" in the centre and are not counted on the score. If 0 is the choice of pattern then no pattern will be produced and the game will start with "Your move". 124 <strong>ZX</strong> COMPUTING SUMMER 1982
After taking your move the computer will react "My move" followed by "Search". The search routine then checks all 195 possible moves to see if it can claim any squares. If it can, it will complete the square and start again with "My move". Unfortunately the search takes approximately 1 2 seconds. This routine may be altered to a FAST mode by inserting a new line 153 FAST followed by a new line at 167 SLOW. This means that the screen will blank out for a couple of seconds during the search, which in my opinion is not so good. If the search is unsuccessful the word "Search" is followed by an "X" after which it makes its choice of move. This is reasonably fast and normally takes only a second or two depending on the complexity of the situation. It does this by the simple reasoning: if one of its choices is impractical then it will not take that move into account again. When the grid becomes so full that it is impossible to move without giving any squares away, the program is not able to take into account how many squares you can claim from its move. For this reason the computer scores two points for every square it takes. The ultimate object being not only to win, but to beat the computer 88 to 0, which is almost impossible. If, however, you beat it by 50 points (which is very difficult), the coveted "Congratulations" line prints up. The BREAK key will stop the program at any time. (This can be useful for sampling the patterns by simply: BREAK, RUN, another choice of pattern number.) Working out where the computer is going to move next has been deliberately made difficult to follow after its first couple of moves. The Program Lines 2-10 set up the instructions. Note:- Double words, (eg fora) are separated by the end of one line and the beginning of the next. Line 12 goes to an inkey $ trap. (Sub 400.) The program will not continue until a key is pressed. The value of the key is recorded in Z $. Not used in this case. Lines 16-26 set up the variables. A:- Keeps a record of the 195 possible moves. V:-Records the score. C:- Defines "whose move". F:- Starts the computer's turn position. G:-lndicates if there are any safe moves left. I:-Is used to search/ modify the data in A. Lines 28-52 set up the display grid etc. Lines 54-60 set up D which is used for the pattern routine. Lines 62-64 set up "My score", "Your score". These look better in inverse characters. Sub 420 simply blanksout the line at 1 9, 0; and sets the next print position again for this line. Lines 66-72 sort out whose move. (The pattern starts at 220. The "My move" starts at 1 50.) Lines 74-100 set up all the variables and traps for "Your moves" choice. X - Value for the position acrots the grid. This can be from 0 to 11. (0 for A, 1 for B and C, 2 for D and E etc.) This, together with information of whether an odd or even line number down, sorts out the print position. This arrangement prevents illegal entries on the dots or in the middle of the squares. Y = the up/ down position. Line 102 goes to the last line of Sub 470 to get the odd or even number which is stored in E. E=0 for even, 1 for odd. Lines 104-106 again prevents illegal entries and prevents entering a move already taken. Lines 108-110 store and print a move. Line 112 Q = The number of sides to be taken into account in Sub 440. Sub 430 simply zeros J, K, L and M in Sub 440 these variables change to 1 if anytjf the four directions possible from a position has Q number of 16K Programs. sides altogether (eg in this case Q = 4 thus any four sides in any four directions will let J, K, L or M at least equal 1). Lines 118-126 If the four sides of a square are present, then the program will go to various parts of subroutine 480. This routine works out by J, K, L or M, the direction of the print statement, which will 'black' the squares and insert an "*" a " -" or a "/" depending upon whose move claimed the square. This simply takes the value of whose turn (in C) adds 22 and prints the CHR $. U is simply used to help simplify the print statements. Line 128 If there is no pattern or winning move then let C = ABS (C-1). This changes the player's turns. If C=1 it becomes Q and vice versa. Lines 130-134 sort out the score. If all 88 squares are taken then the game finishes at line 144 where pressing any key starts another game. Otherwise line 1 36 starts the next turn by jumping back to line 64. Lines 150-166 Starts the search routine during "My turn" using part of Sub 440, only this time Q = 3. If L or M = 1 then its found a threesided square. In this case line 200-210 loop around until the missing side position is found. Since "My turn" looks directly at a position (I) and doesn't choose X, Y co-ordinates then sub routine 470 supplies X, Y, and E. it then jumps back into the original program at Line 106 having worked out its move. Lines 168-196 constitute the computer's turn if the search for three sides is unsuccessful. This will choose any untaken position other than one which will make up more than two sides in any square. (Q = 2 this time.) It starts at position two (I) and jumps in steps of 60, to find a suitable position. If l> 1 95 then let 1-1-193 keeps this within the "A" boundary. This tests each number from 2 to 195 without repeating, looking reasonably at random. Once 1 95 is reached G = 1 and Q = 4 allowing the next available position to be taken. This time at line 196 we return to the main program 104, to allow a little longer to display the "My moves" choice (line 194). (X * 2 + 37 + E) works out the relevant letter. Note: If you wish to set up the pattern fast then insert Line 221 FAST and line 69 SLOW. 2 CLS 4 PRINT "SQUAREOLOGY",„"BY J. ENNESS" 6 PRINT AT 3,3;"THE OBJECT OF THIS GAME IS TOJOIN THE DOTS AND COMPLETE AS","MANY SQUARES AS POSSIBLE. THE"," COMPUTER ALSO TRYS THIS: AFTER "," MAKING THE FOURTH MOVE ON ANY'V'THIRD SIDE." 8 PRINT " [ ] ( ] [ ] THE COMPLETION OF A SQUARE "/'WILL BLACKEN THE GREY LINES AND","PUT AN .»OR""-"" IN ITS CENTRE"," NOTE:-THE COMPUTER SCORES TWO'Y'POINTS PER SQUARE YOU LOSE." 10 PRINT "[ ] [ l t ] TO START SELECT A PATTERN 1-90R " "0" " FOR NO PATTERN OR A-Z FORA MYSTERY START. TO ENTER A MOVEPRESS THE LETTER THEN NUMBER/S'V'OF THE REQUIRED POSITION. THE","WINNER OF A SQUARE HAS A SECOND MOVE.",," [ ] [ 1 [ ] ( ] PRESS ANY KEY TO START" 12 GOSUB 400 14 CLS <strong>ZX</strong> COMPUTING SUMMER 1982 125
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