Groups is played on an 8x8 board. Each player has six pieces. The board is empty at the beginning of the game. The players take turns dropping their pieces onto the 4x4 square in the middle of the board. White drops its pieces only onto the checker pattern defined by c4, c6, d3, d5, e4, e6, f4, and f6. Black drops its pieces only onto the other center squares. After all twelve pieces are placed on the board, the players take turn moving a piece one space in any direction -- orthogonal or diagonal -- to an empty square. The first player to connect all six pieces orthogonally is the winner. In a winning connection, it is possible to move from any piece to any other friendly piece by moving only through orthogonally adjacent friendly pieces.
 
Groups is related to Lines of Action, with the differences being that pieces in Groups move only one space, only orthogonal connections count, there are no captures, and the game begins with a drop phase. The game also bears a resemblance to Teeko, with the movement of pieces to attain a configuration, although in Groups a winning configuration can take any form provided all pieces are orthogonally connected.
 
In the Fixed Set-up variants, the pieces begin the game already on the board and there is no drop phase.
In the Queen variants, all pieces can move like a Queen to an empty square.
In the Jumping variants, all pieces can jump over a piece of either player.
 
For more information on Groups, please visit Richard Hutnik's web site at http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Fortress/7537/index.html.
 
Please send any comments or bug reports to dtroyka@justice.com.