Loadstar 128 42/q42.d81/t.+crib+

Text File | 2022-08-28 | 7KB | 157 lines

                                + C R I B +

                 Program and Text by Kate and Ron Slaminko


 OVERVIEW
 --------

    +CRIB+ is a variation on the classic game of cribbage, with a much
higher strategic content. You construct five cribbage hands by laying cards
one at a time in a 5 x 5 grid. Simultaneously, your opponent, the computer,
is building five cribbage hands. Your five hands are the horizontal rows of
the grid; the computer uses the vertical columns. Each card is therefore
part of one horizontal and one vertical hand, and you want to maximize your
score while minimizing your opponent's.


 GETTING STARTED
 ---------------

    The game begins with you selecting amongst several options. The meaning
of these will be explained later, so for now assume you've chosen the
simplest game: to play a single deal, with no doubling cube, the computer
at level 1 (the least skillful), and look-ahead off.

    Choose (1) a 1351 mouse, (2) a joystick in port 2, or (3) the keyboard
as your control device.

    The dealer is randomly selected, 12 cards are dealt face down to each
player and the next card in the deck (the cut card) is placed in the center
position (row 3, column 3). The non-dealer makes the first move.


 PLAYING THE GAME
 ----------------

    You alternate placing cards with the computer. When it's your turn, a
single card will be turned face up, and you then select the cell into which
it will be placed, which must be empty. Play continues until all 25 cells
of the grid are occupied.

    Your score for the deal is the sum of the scores for the 5 horizontal
rows, while the computer scores for each of the vertical columns. Scoring
follows traditional cribbage rules:

 15's - any combination of cards that adds up to 15 is worth 2 points
        (Aces count as 1, picture cards as 10, all others at face value).

 RUN - 3 or more consecutive cards, regardless of suit. The value is equal
       to the length of the run (i.e. a 3-card run is worth 3 points, a
       four card run is 4 points, etc.)

 FLUSH - 4 or more cards of the same suit. Value equal to the number of
         cards in the flush.

 PAIR - 2 cards of equal rank, 2 points.

 HIS KNEES - 2 points awarded to the dealer if the cut card is a Jack.

 HIS KNOBS - 1 point for a Jack of the same suit as the cut card, but only
             if played in row 3 (you get a point) or column 3 (computer
             gets a point).

    A hand such as 5H, 4H, 6H, 9S, and KH would be worth:

 15's - 6 points (5+K, 5+4+6, and 6+9)
 RUN - 3 points (4-5-6)
 FLUSH - 4 points (5,4,6, & K of Hearts)
 Total Score: 13 points.

    Another example: 7H,8D,8S,7C,9D

 15's - 8 points (7H+8D,7H+8S,7C+8D,7C+8S)
 RUN - 12 points (7H-8D-9D,7H-8S-9D,7C-8D-9D,7C-8S-9D)
 PAIRS - 4 points (7H&7C,8D&8S)
 Total Score: 24 points.

    For additional scoring examples, try playing a few times and studying
the results. At the end of play, the individual scores for each of the 10
hands is displayed, along with the total score for each player. High score
wins!


 THE GAME OPTIONS
 ----------------

 (1) Length of game. You can play a single deal (as above), or a series of
     deals until a set score is reached. Choices are to play to 100, 300,
     or 500 points. For multiple deal games, the dealer alternates.

 (2) Crib On/Off. This option is only available if not playing a single
     deal. The crib is a 6th hand for the dealer only. It is composed of
     the cut card and 2 cards discarded by each player. If playing with a
     crib, each player is dealt 14 cards instead of 12. For look-ahead on
     (see below), you and the computer each choose your 2 cards to toss
     into the crib before the cut card is revealed. If look-ahead is off,
     you can choose to toss a card to the crib at any time (but not more
     than 2) and are immediately given another card to play. If the grid
     fills up before you've thrown 2 cards, the remaining cards in your
     hand are placed in the crib.
     The crib is displayed in the crib window - the cards you've thrown
     are face up, the computer's cards are face down. As with traditional
     cribbage, the crib hand can only score points for a 5-card flush, not
     a 4-card flush, and cannot score HIS KNEES. All other scoring is
     identical.

 (3) Doubling Cube Pre/Post/Off. Add a little spice to the game. The
     doubling cube is a standard 6-sided die, rolled for each deal. The
     scores for the row and column matching the number on the die is
     doubled. If the number rolled is a 6, the value of the crib hand (if
     on), is doubled. A 6 with no crib is essentially like having no
     doubling cube for that deal. If you select PRE, the doubling cube is
     rolled before starting play - if POST is selected, the die is rolled
     after all cards have been placed.

 (4) Level (1-4). Select the computer's skill level: beginner,
     intermediate, advanced, or expert.

 (5) Look-Ahead On/Off. This option is only available if you didn't pick
     Expert level. With look-ahead ON, you are shown all your cards and
     can choose which one to play as well as its location. Look-Ahead OFF
     means your cards are revealed one at a time.


 QUITTING +CRIB+
 ---------------

    You can quit playing +CRIB+ by pressing Q whenever you are prompted for
a card to play or location, then pressing Y to verify that you do wish to
end the game. Any other key resumes play.


 FENDER'S POSTMUMBLE: I learned how to score Cribbage while testing a 64
version published on LOADSTAR 64 a few years back but have never played the
game enough to instinctively know the "best play". Of course, in real
Cribbage you take turns playing cards from your hand to a waste pile so
your strategy involves more than just knowing how your hands are scored.
Here you're also taking turns playing cards from your hand but they're
going to a grid for future scoring, not immediate scoring. Plus, if you
don't use the Look-Ahead mode, it's like playing without looking at your
hand!

 I guess what I'm saying is that I never learned good Cribbage strategy and
I still don't know good +CRIB+ strategy. Fortunately, there are so many
options that the Slaminkos offer you in the setup of the game (including
the computer's skill level) that no matter what your level of expertise at
Cribbage is, you can find a setting where the computer will give you
exactly the challenge you crave.

 +CRIB+ makes a terrific introduction to the Slaminko Trilogy on this
month's LOADSTAR 128.

                    \\\\\ R - Run   RETURN - Menu \\\\\