Resolve - a new solution to the square board connection game "crosscut problem"

[a***@gmail.com]

Today, I designed a new game called Resolve.


Resolve is a connection game for two players, Black and White, with sufficient black and white stones. Players take turns placing stones on the intersecting points of a square grid which is initially empty. Passing is not allowed. Cutting stones are four stones in the following generic crosscut configuration:

OX
XO

If a stone placement generates a crosscut, it is called a resolving stone. When a player places a resolving stone, they continue to swap it with different adjacent enemy cutting stones until no crosscut contains the resolving stone. If that player does not resolve all crosscuts, the player's opponent must swap adjacent cutting stones until all remaining crosscuts are gone.

Stones with orthogonal adjacency are connected. The game is over when a player wins by connecting their designated sides of the board with a single group of connected stones of their color.

[a***@gmail.com]

Post by a***@gmail.com
Today, I designed a new game called Resolve.
OX
XO
If a stone placement generates a crosscut, it is called a resolving stone. When a player places a resolving stone, they continue to swap it with different adjacent enemy cutting stones until no crosscut contains the resolving stone. If that player does not resolve all crosscuts, the player's opponent must swap adjacent cutting stones until all remaining crosscuts are gone.
Stones with orthogonal adjacency are connected. The game is over when a player wins by connecting their designated sides of the board with a single group of connected stones of their color.

One modification: Only one time during the entire game, a player may pass turn without placing a stone. After this happens once, no further passes are allowed by either player.