Passage Pawns

A race with walls. Each turn you either step your pawn or drop a barrier to lengthen your opponent's route. The catch: every pawn must always keep some way through.

Race your pawn across the board, slowing your opponent with barriers — but never trapping them.

FreeOn this device

OpponentPosition

Where you can step

Jumps and sidesteps

If the other pawn is right in front of you, you may jump straight over it. If a barrier or the edge is directly behind it, you may instead step diagonally to either side of it — as long as no barrier is in the way.

You to play (blue, heading down). Shortest routes: blue 6, red 6. Barriers left: blue 6, red 6.

Controls

Move pawn: tap a highlighted square or use the list of squares you can step to.
Place barrier: pick the gap's column and row and whether it runs across or upright; the preview turns green when legal. Then press Place barrier.
Undo takes back your last move (and the computer's reply). Tactical positions are in the Position menu.

The rules

Blue starts at the top middle and must reach the bottom row; red starts at the bottom middle and must reach the top row. Each has 6 barriers.
A barrier blocks two cell edges. Barriers may not overlap or cross, and may never cut either pawn off from its goal row.
If the other pawn is directly ahead you may jump it; if a barrier or the edge is behind it, step diagonally around it instead. Reaching the goal row wins immediately.

Scoring, saving and limits

A game is won or lost; no score is kept or shared.

Your game, including whose turn it is and the barriers left, is kept on this device only. Download a backup to move it.

No online play. The computer compares shortest routes and looks at most one reply ahead; it plays sensibly, not perfectly.

Questions

Why was my barrier refused?: Either it overlaps or crosses another, or it would leave a pawn with no route to its goal. The preview says which.
When can I move diagonally?: Only to step around a pawn directly in front of you when something blocks the straight jump.
Should I use all my barriers early?: Usually not — a barrier is most useful when it lengthens your opponent's shortest route, which the status line shows.