The rectangular coordinate system. Rows and columns addressing cells as tiles (chess, draughts), intersections (go), or zones (xiangqi river, shogi promotion). One topology, multiple layout modes.
The grid topology provides rows, columns, and cell addressing. Layout mode determines whether pieces sit on cells (tiles), intersections (points), or zones. The game never knows which mode it uses.
Standard rectangular grid with pieces occupying cells. The checkered pattern is a board theme concern, not a topology concern. The grid just provides coordinates and adjacency.
engine:
topology:
type: grid
rows: 8
cols: 8
players: [white, black]
setup: "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR"
plugins:
chess:
castling: true
enPassant: true
doubleStep: trueChess (8x8 grid, tiles layout) — pieces occupy cells
Same grid topology, different layout mode. Stones sit on intersections rather than inside cells. The topology provides the same coordinate system; only the rendering changes.
engine:
topology:
type: grid
rows: 19
cols: 19
layout: intersections
players: [black, white]
setup: ""
plugins:
go:
komi: 6.5
scoring: "territory"
superko: true
suicideAllowed: falseGo (19x19 grid, intersections layout) — stones on crossings
Grid with semantic zones: a river dividing the board, a palace constraining the general. Same coordinate system as chess, but the plugin declares zone rules that restrict movement based on position.
engine:
topology:
type: grid
rows: 10
cols: 9
players: [red, black]
setup: "rheakaehr/9/1c5c1/p1p1p1p1p/9/9/P1P1P1P1P/1C5C1/9/RHEAKAEHR"
plugins:
xiangqi:
hasRiver: true
flyingGeneralRule: true
cannonJumpToMove: falseXiangqi (9x10 grid) — river and palace zones on the same coordinate system
Every grid-based game is available in the board studio and play surface.