Abstract strategy game
Abstract strategy games are games like Chess, Draughts and Go. They are typically strategy games with minimal or no narrative theme, an outcome determined mostly by player choice, and in which there is little to no hidden information. Many abstracts are also perfect information games. Pure abstract strategy games are typically deterministic, fully observable, and governed by simple, explicit rules whose strategic depth arises from combinatorial complexity rather than chance. Abstract strategy games are also games of analytical skill, usually with significant depth or strategic complexity. Skill grows over time as players develop experience, and a greater understanding of a specific game. Experienced players with greater ability to analyze multiple moves in advance will almost always beat beginners at abstract strategy games.
There are numerous types of abstract strategy games, from pure strategy to mixed strategy games that may have elements of random or hidden information. Go, Pente and checkers are "pure" abstract perfect information games since they perfectly fulfill all three criteria; Chess games, Tafl games and Hive feature recognizable themes ; Stratego is a borderline or exception case, since it is deterministic, loosely based on Napoleonic warfare, and features some concealed information. Furthermore, some games with elements of chance, like backgammon and pachisi, may also be considered abstract strategy games, though there is disagreement on this issue among ludologists. However, since they contain an element of luck and randomness, they are not "pure" abstract strategy games.
Several traditional abstract strategy games like Chess and Go have a long history and are culturally significant products that have been played for generations in various regions of the world. Beyond entertainment, abstract strategy games have served as educational tools to teach logic, patience and foresight. They have also served as status symbols for the intelligentsia and elite classes, and as competitive mind sports. For example, during the Cold War, Chess matches were seen as intellectual battles between East and West.
Definition
The term abstract refers to a game’s formal detachment from representational content and theme, rather than any artistic style or inscrutability. While pieces in abstract games may have conventional names, these labels do not imply a simulation of historical, physical, or fictional realities. In cases that the piece design resembles a theme, it is purely for aesthetic reasons, remaining unimportant to game play. A related element of an abstract game is simplicity. Most abstract games have a simpler rules and mechanics in comparison to more complicated games like war games and other simulation games. Similarly, even if an abstract game has a theme, it is often simple and minimalistic, and has no necessary logical connection to the game mechanics. Thus, an abstract game's play is centered on spatial and geometric relations, move rules, and logical consequences within a closed system.The term strategy meanwhile indicates that game outcomes depend primarily on players’ decisions over extended sequences of choices and moves, rather than on reflexes, dexterity, bluffing, guessing, collecting, negotiation, or probabilistic events.
Another aspect of abstract strategy games is that the game elements are all self-contained in the game pieces, parts and rules. Playing the game does not rely on anything external to the game, like physical skill and dexterity, knowledge of language, or any other kind of specific knowledge.
A further trait shared by the majority of abstract strategy games is a spatial or geometric element, often based on a board of tessellated regular polygons.
The formal definition of an "abstract strategy" game is often debated, but several key elements are shared by most games in this family:
- Close to perfect Information: Little to nothing is hidden from all players, and all players can see the entire state of the board, pieces and all other game elements at all times.
- Little to no randomness: There are usually no dice rolls, shuffled decks, or random events. The "input randomness" is close to zero, and the game's complexity arises from the players' moves and position.
- Minimal theme and narrative: While some games have minimal "themes", the mechanics do not rely on this or on any narrative element. The game would function identically if the pieces were replaced with simple geometric shapes.
- Discrete turn structure: Game play proceeds in alternating turns, with clearly defined legal moves.
- Strategic focus: Game play is largely based on spatial reasoning, pattern recognition, and strategic planning.
file:Deskohraní 2008 0109.jpg|thumb|A game of Tigris and Euphrates, a tile laying strategy game with a Mesopotamian theme
file:A four-player game of the board game Azul.jpg|thumb|A four-player game of Azul
Nevertheless, some abstract strategy games have thematic elements in their design, such as Tigris and Euphrates, though this is often a non-essential element, and could be replaced with totally different themes without changing the core of the game. Furthermore, some abstract games like Azul do have elements of chance, and these may still classified as abstract strategy games. However, these games are not "pure" strategy, but "mixed" or "hybrid" strategy games. This issue is debated among game designers and ludologists, depending on how strict their definition of "abstract strategy" is, and whether it must be purely combinatorial. Thus, the term abstract strategy game can refer to a superset of pure strategy games which also includes games that do not perfectly fit the definition of combinatorial games but are still very close, since strategic choice remains the most important element. Thus, according to Cesco Reale, this broader definition of abstract strategy includes mixed abstract strategy games like "Backgammon, Chinese Checkers with more than 2 players, 55stones, or Stratego.
According to J. Mark Thompson, abstract play is sometimes said to resemble a series of puzzles the players pose to each other:
There is an intimate relationship between such games and puzzles: every board position presents the player with the puzzle, What is the best move?, which in theory could be solved by logic alone. A good abstract game can therefore be thought of as a "family" of potentially interesting logic puzzles, and the play consists of each player posing such a puzzle to the other. Good players are the ones who find the most difficult puzzles to present to their opponents.Many games which are abstract in nature historically might have developed from thematic games, such as representation of military tactics. In turn, it is common to see thematic version of such games; for example, chess is considered an abstract game, but many thematic versions, such as Star Wars-themed chess, exist. Nevertheless, the theme is aesthetic and interchangeable, and does not affect actual play.
Traditional abstract strategy games are often treated as a separate game category, hence the term 'abstract games' is often used for competitions that exclude them and can be thought of as referring to modern abstract strategy games. Two examples are the IAGO World Tour and the Abstract Games World Championship held annually since 2008 as part of the Mind Sports Olympiad.
Typology
At the core of abstract game typology are pure strategy games like Chess and Go, where a player or computer can, in theory, analyze a game "tree" of all possible moves to find an optimal play. These games are deterministic, meaning they have no hidden elements or luck. Within this category, scholars further distinguish between "impartial" games and "partisan" games.Other critical dimensions of these games include finiteness and information. Games can be finite, cyclic, or transfinite. Transfinite games involve infinite states, such as Infinite chess and "Continuous Go" played on a coordinate-free plane, or "Tamsk," which uses time-based movement. Furthermore, one can distinguish between "perfect information" and "complete information". Incomplete information arises when a player’s motivations or "utility functions" are unknown to others.
If one includes other types of games, the category of abstract strategy may then expand into a broader class of games that are less than pure strategy. This category encompasses games with hidden information, elements of luck, or simultaneous moves. Since games of pure chance like snakes and ladders have no strategic elements, they are not abstract strategy games.
By level of determination
Based on these fundamental distinctions on how game outcome is determined, the following typological classification can be applied to abstract games:| Game Category | Key Characteristics | Examples |
| Combinatorial | Pure abstract strategy deterministic games, no hidden information, with sequential moves. | Chess, Go, Hex, Hive, Nim |
| Imperfect Information strategy | Abstract strategy games with hidden information elements, but no chance | Stratego, Kriegspiel, Gunjin Shōgi |
| Chance + Choice | Includes elements of chance but retains perfect information, "impure" strategy games | Backgammon, Azul |
| Chance + Choice with hidden information | Includes elements of chance and hidden information | Poker |
| Simultaneous moves | Since players make moves at the same time, all information is not totally available at all times | Morra, 55Stones, or Simultaneous Chess |