EDWARD DE BONO'S GAMES

3-Spot Game US Patent 5,5076,494 patents pending in other countries

How to play the 3 SPOT game

Pieces

The Board is made up of 9 squares, in three of the squares there is a dot as shown in the picture. Each player (only 2 can play) has a piece (the white piece is neutral) which he must move when it is his turn.

Object

The object is to score 12 points provided that the other player scores at least 6 points - if the other player scores less than six points then the player reaching 12 points is the looser! Whereas in most games the person scoring the highest number of points is the winner - in the 3 Spot game the 'winner' can be the 'looser'.

As a result the players have to keep switching strategies:

Do I score as many points as I can?
Do I force the opponent to score points?
Do I seek to avoid scoring points?

This game is very much what social justice should be like - move ahead but do not leave others too far behind!

3 Spot Rules

1. Starting position as shown on the right. Note that each piece covers its spot.
2. Each player selects a coloured playing piece for the duration of the game. The white piece is neutral.
3. Play begins when one player moves his/her piece to a new position on the board. At least one new square on the board must be covered by the new position.
4. After the player has moved the coloured piece, that player MUST move the neutral piece to a new position.
5. After each play, the player scores a point for each spot covered by his/her coloured piece. Spots covered by the neutral piece do not count.
6. The player who reaches 12 points wins if the opposing player scores six or more points. If the opposing player scores less than six points, then he/she is the winner.
7. Optional. Players may, if they wish, agree that a high score win (12 points) counts as two wins, and a low score win (less than 6 points) counts as one win.

Background

The game was designed because Edward de Bono enjoys playing games and yet hates to concentrate on a large number of pieces. The intention was to produce the simplest possible game that could be played with a high degree of skill. An attempt was made to fulfil the following conditions:

1. A minimum number of playing pieces, preferably one each.
2. The smallest possible board.
3. A game with very few rules, one that would be very simple to learn and play.
4. A game that could be played with a high degree of skill.
5. A game that would not be determinate. A determinate game such as nim or noughts and crosses, is one in which the starting player could always win if he knew the strategy. An indeterminate game is one which two perfect players would play for ever.

Like the L-game, the 3-spot game is simple but in this case it has a twist in the 'tail'. Edward de Bono calls it the 'Social Justice Game' - what a challenge!