Recently I met up with my old friend Aditya who demonstrated unexpected mental dexterity at Quart. Dr Wood retails this clever strategy game at `399. It’s deceptively simple when you get started. And about the time I realised Quart requires keeping an eye on the enemy pieces as well, I was hammered!
Play unfolds on a traditional 8x8 grid. Sixteen tiles per player, in a mix of four symbols (square, triangle, circle, hexagon), and in four symbol-colours (blue, green, red, yellow). To win, you need to line up four tiles of your colour in a row.
The ingenious rule engine centres on an evil twist. You can only place a tile that either shows the same symbol (in any colour), or any symbol in the same symbol-colour as the tile played before your turn.
The play grid features four repeats of every symbol and symbol-colour. Tiles are placed on corresponding cells on the grid. A quick read of this in isolation seems bewildering. But with a Quart game open in front of you, it will all rapidly come into sharp focus. Playing it well, is another matter entirely!
With each move you make, you limit the opponent’s options. Keeping a close eye on the opponent’s pieces, you can maneuver him into a wretched position, where whichever tile he is forced to play, it will lead to a winning move for you on your next turn.
Even without having to endure his company often, Aditya is an aggravating part of my life. The man with too much time on his hands between merchant navy calls to duty, is apparently a skilled frisbee player. And most annoyingly, the person who completely outwitted me at Quart!
The author may be contacted at arup_kavan@yahoo.com [1]
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