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(Note: This is not intended to be a complete description of Cannon.
This page is intended to be a brief introduction to Cannon for people playing
in the
Variant
Tournament
to be held September 28, 2008, at the
Carrel Chess Club
in Canton, Michigan. For complete information about Cannon, follow the links at the
bottom of this page.)
And now for something completely different, Cannon. Cannon is not a Chess variant, and it
does not have a long history. It was
invented in 2003 by David Whitcher of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Cannon is a modern abstract strategy game in which two players maneuver an army
of fifteen soldiers on a 10x10 board in an attempt to capture an enemy town.
So why is it being featured in a tournament of Chess variants? Cannon has
features that might appeal to Chess players. Like Chess, it is an abstract
strategy game, which means it is played with no hidden information, and no
element of chance. In both internet and over the board play, it has been
shown to have a depth of play that is superior to many modern abstract games.
It gets consistently high ratings from internet players. If you are
looking for a "brain game" from a new source, and want a real break from Chess
play, you might want to consider this game.
Cannon has elements of a capture game, a game where the object is to capture
enemy pieces, and also of a race game. The town is placed on turn one, and
cannot be moved. The object of the game is to capture the enemy town, so
the key to victory is to get to the town first. The game often develops as
an effort to capture enemy defenders in order to clear a path to the enemy town,
followed by a race to the finish. The key to victory is to keep your units
positioned forward so that when the opportune moment arises, they can race to
the enemy town ahead of the opponents. In games between experienced
players, it frequently happens that there is one turn difference between victory
and defeat, like an end game in Chess, where the difference between victory and
defeat may depend on whose pawn reaches the back rank first. Recognizing the difference between a winning position and a
losing position makes all the difference, but the difference may be a hair's
breadth.
Unlike Chess and its international variations, Cannon cannot be said to have
stood the test of time. It has not been analyzed for hundreds of years to
find the best moves. It has not been played by millions of people.
Perhaps a few hundred have played the game. It is a new game, but it shows
some real promise. For people who have played every traditional board game
and every commercial product they can find, Cannon might be the best game you've
never heard of. If you are looking for something new, instead of something
ancient,
Cannon might be something worth looking into.
More Information: (If you have a Cannon resource you wish to include, email
Dave@gamesinmichigan.com)
Publisher's home page: (includes rules, tactics, and game description.Pyro
Myth Games
Online play (human opponents):
Super Duper Games
offers turn based play.
I am not aware of any "live" online play.
Computer play:
Zillions of Games
supports Cannon in the registered
version.