This is an AutoGeneratedTextVersion of PowerLines

Power Lines

(v1.10) for piecepack
Copyright (C) 2000, 2001 by David Boyle
2 players - 15 min

Summary

The first player will choose a tile and place it in the middle of the table. On subsequent turns, players will add tiles, eventually forming a square grid that is four tiles high and four tiles wide. Since the grid is formed as play continues, the first tile played could potentially be in any grid position at the end of the game.

Throughout play, one player will attempt to get the tiles in any given row, column, or diagonal of the grid to match by suit, while the other player will try to get them to match by value.

After all sixteen tiles have been played, the grid will be fully formed, and the game is scored.

Setup

Find the 2, 3, 4, and 5 tiles from all four suits. Only these sixteen tiles will be used; set aside the rest of the piecepack. Place the sixteen tiles face-up (so that values and suits are showing) to one side of the playing area.

Decide which player will play suits and which player will play values.

Roll to see who will take the first turn.

Play

On your turn, choose one tile from the tiles remaining to be played. Place the tile adjacent (not diagonal) to any other tile already played, provided the placement does not cause the grid of played tiles to exceed a 4x4-tile square. Then, pass play to your opponent.

Scoring

When all tiles have been placed in the grid, the game ends. Together, the players examine and score each four-tile row, column, and diagonal in the grid (collectively called power lines).

In each power line, look for the greatest number of any given suit or value. If the greatest number of matches is by suit, then score points for the suits player equal to the number of tiles matching by suit. If, instead, the greatest number of matches is by value, then score points for the values player equal to the number of tiles matching by value. If the number of tiles with matching suit is equal to the number of tiles with matching value within a power line, it scores for neither player. If a power line contains two pairs of matching values or suits, they do not all count together as four matching tiles.

The values on piecepack coins may be used to conveniently keep running totals as the scores for each power line are determined. The player with the highest total score after all ten power lines have been scored is the winner.

Match

For a full match, play two games of Power Lines; the player that makes the first play in the first game must make the second play in the second game. The highest total score for both games wins the match.