Game Basics
How to Use the Applet
Playing Example

Game Basics

Paddachee is a class of games in which you earn points by forming patterns. You take turns with an opponent claiming cells. If your complete a scoring pattern, you get the corresponding points.

How to Use the Applet

The patterns are shown on the right side of the applet, like the ones shown below. Any orientation of a pattern is valid. They can be flipped or rotated. Overlapping patterns score points for each occurence. For example, if the line of four is worth a point, a line of five would be worth two because it contains two overlapping lines of four.

one pattern

another pattern

In order to make scoring less of a surprise, the applet displays any immediate threats. An immediate threat is a pattern that a player can make by claiming one more cell. The points for that pattern are shown in that cell, in that player’s color. In the example below, the blue player is threatening to make two squares and a line. Points are not awarded until the player actually claims the cell. If the opponent claims the cell instead, the threat disappears. If the player does complete the pattern, the points remain shown in that cell, and are added to her score.

threats shown on board

one threatened square

another threatened square

a threatened line

The example above also shows the double outline used to show each player’s most recent move.

If you are having trouble visualizing the threats, the applet can show you all the patterns that are threatened. Control-click on the threatened cell to see the first pattern (it will be highlighted in yellow). Additional control-clicks will show you any remaining threatened patterns.

In addition to showing threats, the applet can show you all the possible patterns through a given cell. Shift-click on the cell to see the first pattern. Additional shift-clicks will show you the remaining patterns. This is useful to do before your first move the first time you play, as it can show you all the patterns that will count.

Cells in which it is no longer possible for either player to score are removed from play (they are set to gray).

You can change between human and computer opponents. The player control panels are shown below. You can choose the type of player by clicking on ‘Human’ or ‘Computer’. For computer players, you can adjust the smartness from 99 (smartest) down to 0 (dumbest). The zero setting gives completely random play, the equivalent of playing against a computerized chicken pecking at the board.

one player’s control panel

other player’s control panel

The applet doesn’t allow you to have two computer players. However, if you would like to let the computer take a move for you, you can just click on ‘Computer’ when it’s your turn. After the computer makes a move for yout, you can click on the other ‘Computer’ to resume the game.

Playing Example

The scoring patterns for this example are shown below. A 2x2 square is worth two points, and four in a row is worth one.


The game begins innocently enough (below left). Blue moves first, at A. Pink moves at B. Blue then moves at C, and pink replies at D, blocking any chance for blue to form a square below A and C.

Blue the moves at E (below right), threatening to extend his three in a row to four.

the first four moves

blue threatens a point

Pink blocks the threat at F. Blue moves at G, creating a pair of two-point threats. Pink will only be able to block one of them.

Pink blocks at H, and blue completes the square at I for two points.

blue makes a double threat

blue takes two points

Both players are building threats. Blue has an open-two that, if unchecked, can be extended to an open-three at either y or z. An open three would threaten a point on each end. Pink can also threaten, by moving at x. This would allow her to make an open-three on the next move, either horizontally or vertically.

But pink decides to block instead, at J. Blue follows suit and blocks at K. At this point, pink has pretty much corralled blue.

both players are building threats

both players make blocking moves

Pink makes a strong move at L. While this doesn’t create an immediate threat, blue will have to respond. On pink’s next turn, she can move at either y or z, both of which will create a double threat (a square and a line).

Blue blocks one, at M, and pink takes the other one, at N. This creates a 2-1 couble threat.

pink makes a strong move

pink makes a 2-1 threat

Blue blocks the 2 point threat at O. When pink takes her point at P, she continues to threaten. The cell beyond the line she just made can combine with the top three cells of that line to make another line.

Q blocks the end of the line at Q. But Pink continues on the offensive. Her move at R threatens an immediate 2 points. But it also gives her an open-two that she can extend into an open-three at y or z. Blue is in a tough position.

pink takes a point and threatens

pink continues on the offensive

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