Splay (2011)

"Splay is a two player abstract strategy game. The object of the game is to acquire more territory than your opponent. The two players, called "white" and "black", alternately take turns placing their pieces on the playing field, or stacking them on their previously played pieces. Once a piece is played, it is never removed from the board. Splay is a game where the players are constantly battling for territory acquisition. A space which has a player’s piece(s) on it represents a unit of territory which is owned by that player. A "tower" consists of one or more like-colored checkers stacked on top of one another. A tower represents potential for acquiring additional territory. Players who utilize their towers effectively will gain a territorial advantage. Towers can also pose a liability so they must be developed with care. Splay was inspired by the process by which borders are formed between competing entities. Please refer to the included "Splay_Rules.pdf" for a complete description of the rules. Splay placed first in the 2011 rec.games.abstract stacking games contest. "