Quantum Control

Quantum Control by Néstor Romeral Andrés and Kanare Kato has49playable spaces in seven7-space areas and12unoccupiable gaps. Black starts with one placement; White then starts alternating two-stone placements. A pair must occupy two areas whenever empty sites in different areas remain. After all49sites are filled, White starts capture play.

A capture jumps along one of the six grid directions by exactly the moving stone’s number of adjacent friendly stones, counted BEFORE moving, including across area boundaries. Zero neighbours means no move. The destination must contain an enemy stone, which is removed; intermediate pieces and gaps can be jumped over. Each gap counts as one unit of distance.

During captures either player may pass, including with captures available. End when both pass in succession or neither has a legal capture. Each area is claimed by the colour with more surviving stones; tied/empty areas are unclaimed. Most claimed areas wins. Tied area totals are broken by the last capture. The first Little Golem format uses standard placement, without Blitz or swap.

Select the placement(s), or the capture source and destination, then use the standard Send move action. Pending moves can be cancelled. Pass is available only during capture play.

Computer opponents use the independently tested enhanced alpha-beta engine. Its highest profile uses depth12,200,000nodes and a cooperative2-second search limit. Lower levels are not calibrated human ratings. Completed-game analysis is separate from move-selection bots and is not provided by this implementation.

Publisher rules. Implementation agreement with Néstor was confirmed by Richard.

Placement step by step

1. Black places one stone on any playable space.
2. White places two, then Black places two, continuing in alternating turns.
3. The pair must use different areas if at least two areas still have empty spaces. Only when all remaining empty spaces are in one area may both go there.
4. Once all49 spaces are occupied, Black has25 stones and White24. White starts the capture phase, although Black started placement.

There is no pass or colour swap during standard placement. The twelve dark spaces between the seven areas are gaps: stones can never occupy them.

Capture example

A stone with two friendly neighbours must jump exactly two spaces in one of six straight directions onto an enemy stone. It cannot jump one space or land on an empty space. Remove the enemy and put the moving stone in its place. Intermediate stones do not block the jump. Gaps count towards the distance but cannot be landing spaces. Count neighbours before moving, including across area boundaries. With zero friendly neighbours a stone cannot move. Each turn captures just one stone; there is no multiple-capture sequence.

Passing, ending and scoring

During capture play you may pass even when a capture exists; with no capture, you must pass. A capture resets the consecutive-pass count. The game ends after two consecutive passes, or as soon as neither colour has a legal capture.

An area with three White stones and two Black stones belongs to White. An area with one of each, or no stones, belongs to neither. Controlling four areas beats controlling three regardless of the overall stone count. If controlled-area totals tie, the player who made the last capture wins; passing does not change the last capturer.

Sending and correcting a move

During placement select an empty playable space, then the second placement when required. During captures select your stone and then the destination. Review the pending move and press Send move; selecting spaces does not submit the turn. Cancel before sending to choose again. Pass is available only in capture play and uses the standard move submission workflow. You may resign.

Formats and computer opponents

This is standard Quantum Control, without Blitz or swap. Quantum Leap is a separate game with different rules. GolemBot One through Five are registered for test games. Their levels are not calibrated human ratings. Completed-game analysis is not currently provided.