Spline+ (2011)

Overview

Spline+ was evolved from Spline by adding ball movement. It's a ball-stacking game that can be played with a Series: Shibumi set, as it uses a 4x4 holes board and balls in two colours (white and black). Larger boards can also be used, but no more than 6x6 is recommended.

Rules:

Definition: A pinned ball is a ball that supports 2 or more balls on the level above. Pinned balls cannot be moved/removed. Movable balls are balls that are not pinned.

2 players. The board starts empty. Starting with white, players take turns either:

a) placing a ball of their colour on an empty space or platform (2×2 arrangement of marbles) or...

b) moving a movable ball of their colour already on the board to another valid location. If supported balls drop as a consequence of the ball removal, you can't place your ball on top of the dropped balls.

Aim:

The first player making a full line of his color on any layer wins. Lines may be diagonal.

This is, for a 4×4 set, a 4-in-a-row on the first layer, or a 3-in-a-row on the 2nd layer, or a 2-in-a-row on the 3rd layer.

In case of several lines being created as a result of balls dropping, the largest line prevails.

ONLINE PLAY

http://www.jocly.com/jocly/hubquick/shibumi-splineplus

(Human and AI)

Included in the Shibumi Rule Book

Soft cover:

http://www.lulu.com/shop/cameron-browne-and-nestor-romeral-andres/shibumi-rule-book/paperback/product-18940123.html

Downloadable PDF:

http://www.nestorgames.com/rulebooks/SHIBUMI_EN.pdf