Corners — Strategy
VOG — Vinco Online Games
Diagonals: don't get locked in
In the diagonal variants pieces step and jump in eight directions. The game is faster, the home deadline is shorter — 30 moves — and locking in is allowed.
A locked piece
A piece is locked in when it can neither step nor jump: all neighbouring squares are occupied, and behind them stand more pieces or the board edge. With diagonals a piece has eight neighbours and is harder to lock in, but in the corner of the home three neighbours are enough.
Why it matters
A piece the opponent locked in its own home does not break the deadline. But while it is locked, it is not heading for the target, and the rest of your pieces have already gone far ahead. If the last piece is locked in, the game may run to the limit, where pieces in the opponent's home are counted.
How to avoid the trap
- Don't leave the corner piece for last: the corner is the easiest square for the opponent to plug.
- Keep an empty square near your home while pieces remain in it.
- Lock in your opponent's pieces only when it costs you no tempo: a piece standing as a plug is not heading for the target either.