X and O
by Sid Sackson
in Games Magazine
A paper and pencil game for two players.
Equipment: A pencil for each player; one gamesheet. (The
gamesheet provides grids for a round of two games and an
area for recording scores.)
Object: To achieve the highest score through the strategic selection of game squares.
Play: One player is chosen (in any convenient manner) to play
"X"; the other plays "0."
Player "X" begins Game #1. For his first turn, "X" blackens
in any square he wishes. Player "0" then blackens in a square
of his choice. Each player similarly blackens in a single square
on his second turn. (At the end of their second turns, the players will have filled in a total of four squares.)
Players then alternate placing Xs and Os in any empty
squares they choose-one square per turn-until all of the
squares have been taken. Each player on his last turn, may if
he wishes, blacken in a square instead of claiming it with his
symbol.
Scoring: Players win or lose points depending on the horizontal, vertical, or diagonal rows formed by their adjacent symbols. The scoring is as follows:
For two adjacent squares in a row, score 1 point.
For three squares, lose 5 points.
For four squares, score 10 points.
For five squares, lose 15 points.
For six squares, score 25 points.
The example shows a completed game marked for scoring.
In the sample game, "X" would score 25 points for a row of six
squares, 10 points for a row of four, and 7 points for seven
rows of two. He loses 5 points for a row of three, and ends up
with a net score of 37 points. Player "0" scores 30 points for
three rows of four squares, and 10 points for ten rows of two.
He loses 10 points for two rows of three, and ends up with 30
points. Incidentally, "0" chose to blacken in a square (the one
with different shading) on his last turn.
Completing the round: For Game # 2, the same four squares
blackened in at the beginning of the first game-but not those,
if any, blackened in at the end-are filled in on the grid. The
second game is then played, with "0" making the first play.
Winning: The player who has the higher total score after both
games is the winner.
