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Paydirt solitaire part I

SOLITAIRE SYSTEM FOR PAYDIRT (version VII)

Here's an AI (artificial intelligence) I've developed for the
Paydirt game from the Avalon Hill Game Company.  This system
will call both the offensive and defensive plays for the team
you are playing against.  All you have to decide for the other
team are things like: when to punt, when to kick a field goal,
when to accept a penalty, etc.  I've developed this system
(with playtesting help from Brian King) over the past 10 years
and have found it to be pretty fun and challenging.  You will
need a copy of PD, a ten-sided die, and a 20-sided die.  


Preparations before using the system:

First, you must decide some things for any team the AI will
coach.  You must determine its best plays to call in short (to
gain 1-7 yards), medium (to gain 8-16 yards), and long (to gain
17+ yards) situations.  I abreviate these plays as that team's
SO, MO, and LO and write them on the front of the team chart. 
Example: The 1983 Lions may have SO=Off Tackle, MO=Sideline
Pass, and LO=Long Pass.  These will vary for each team, and
will help the AI to play up a team's strengths.

You must also do the same for defense: determine a team's SD,
MD, and LD, and write it on the backside of the team chart. 
Example:  The 1893 Lions will play SD=B, MD=D, LD=E.

The final thing you must do is determine whether the team has a
good Blitz or not.  Many teams have blitzes that give up
touchdowns very easily vs. the screen pass.  Because of this, I
would consider this team as a "NO" for a blitz rating.  If a
team's blitz is relatively safe and strong, I would write "YES"
on their chart.  Now we're ready to begin.


How to Use the System.

Make all the calls for your team first--ie. which offensive or
defensive play your team will use.  Then, you must find out
what play the AI is calling.


DOWN-YARDAGE Situation.

Before every down, you must first consult the DOWN-YARDAGE
situation chart.  This chart will tell you whether the game is
now in an AA, A, B, or C situation.  Simply check the current
Yards to Go under the correct down and find out which letter
(on the left) to use for the next charts.


When the AI Has the Ball:

Now take the situation letter (AA, A, B, or C), and Roll 1d10,
consulting the OFF. PLAY TYPE chart to find out whether it will
be a long play or a short play.  (If the result is "Long +2",
you will add 2 to the 1d20 roll in the next step.)

Now you know what play TYPE the AI is going to call.  Look
under that type on the OFF. PLAYS chart, roll 1d20, and that is
the play the AI is calling.  When the AI's offense is within
the opponent's 20 yard line, you must use an alternate play for
LONG plays of #s 15-20.  Also notice that there is a result for
22--this will only come up when the OFF PLAYS chart [or the
ahead/behind chart] calls for 2 to be added to the d20 roll. 
If this occurs, a result of 22+ will be a RAZZLE-DAZZLE play
(see PD rules).


When You Have the Ball:

Take the situation (AA, A, B, C) from the DOWN-YARDAGE chart
and roll a 1d20, consulting the correct column and row on the
DEF. PLAY chart.  That is the play the defense will use.

Note that there is an extra column here: the CRUNCH column. 
This column is to be used any time you have the ball within the
11 yard line of the AI's defense.  In these situations, ignore
the DOWN-YARDAGE chart and go directly to the DEF. PLAY chart,
using the CRUNCH column.

Note that some plays have an "#" behind them.  If a team is
noted as "YES" for the blitz, ignore the listed play and use a
blitz instead.

Also, any time you have the ball within the defense's 20 yard
line, replace any E calls with D.


Ahead/Behind situations:

Sometimes the AI will be too far ahead or behind to not adjust
its play somehow.  This will occur only in the second half.  

The AI is considered "behind" if it is:

trailing by 15 midway through the 3rd period
trailing by  8 at the start of the 4th period
trailing by anything midway through the 4th period

The AI is considered "ahead" if it is

leading by 15 midway through the 3rd period
leading by  8 at the start of the 4th period
leading by anything midway through the 4th period

When the AI is "behind", these alterations will apply:

+1 to the d10 roll on the OFF. PLAY-TYPE chart
+2 to the d20 roll on the OFF. PLAY chart
-2 to the d20 roll on the DEF. PLAY chart

When the AI is "ahead", these alterations will apply:

-2 to the d20 roll on the OFF. PLAY chart
+2 to the d20 roll on the DEF. PLAY chart


DOWN-YARDAGE 

        1       2       3       4        
AA     25+     20+     13+     10+                  
 A    11-24    9-19    8-12    8-9
 B     1-10    1-8     4-7     3-7
 C      NA      NA     1-3     1-2


OFFENSIVE PLAY TYPE

d10 AA  A  B  C
1    L  S  S  S             
2    L  S  S  S
3    L  S  S  S
4    L  L  S  S
5    L2 L  S  S
6    L2 L  S  S
7    L2 L  L  S
8    L2 L  L  S
9    L2 L  L  L
10   L2 L  L  L 

NOTE: L2=add +2 do the 1d20 roll on the OFF. PLAY chart.  If a
team is considered "behind", do not do this--2 is the maximum
that can be added.


OFFENSIVE PLAY

d20  SHORT          LONG
1    line plunge    end run
2    "     "        "   "
3    "     "        draw
4    "     "        "   "
5    off tackle     "   "
6    "     "        screen
7    "     "        "   "
8    "     "        (MO)
9    end run        "   "
10   "     "        "   "
11   screen         med. Pass
12   "     "        "   "
13   (SO)           sideline pass
14   "     "        "   "             INSIDE the 20: 
15   "     "        (LO)               (MO) 
16   short pass     "   "              (MO)  
17   "     "        "   "              medium pass
18   "     "        long pass          medium pass
19   "     "        "   "              sideline pass
20   "     "        "   "              sideline pass
21   same as 20     same as 20         sideline pass
22   razzle-dazzle  razzle-dazzle      razzle-dazzle 

NOTE: If the AI brings the ball inside the defense's 20 yard
line, use the far right column for LONG plays 15-22.



DEFENSIVE PLAY

    AA    A    B    C    Crunch

1    F    F    B#   F    F
2    F    F    B    F    F
3    C#   C#  (SD)  B    F 
4    C    C   (SD)  B    B
5    C    C   (SD)  B    B    
6   (MD) (MD)  C    B    B
7    A#   A#   C   (SD)  B
8    A    A    C#  (SD)  B#
9    A    A    A   (SD) (SD)
10   D   (MD)  A   (SD) (SD)
11   D   (MD)  A#   C   (SD)
12   D#  (MD) (MD)  C   (SD)
13  (LD)  D#  (MD)  C    C
14  (LD)  D   (MD)  C    C
15  (LD)  D    D    D    C#
16  (LD) (LD)  D    D    D#
17   E#  (LD)  D#   D    D
18   E    E#   F    A    D
19   E    E    E    A    A 
20   E    E    E    A    A
21+ = same as 20..........

NOTE: Whenever the AI's defense is within their own 20 yard
line, they will use D instead of any E result.


And that's it!  I must say that this system will not work real
well with 1990 or later team charts.  I use charts from the 80s
(83-86), and the system will work much, much better with charts
from this period.  The newer charts simply do not work well
with this system, as they are radically different in their
defenses.

                                                                     



Solitaire Play (Third Edition)
The solitaire rules in the third edition Bowl Bound focused on the defense.
To determine the defense you roll the RED and GREEN dice and adding.

1st and 10
1 - Def A
2 - Def A
3 - Def C
4 - Def D
5 - Def A

2nd and 1-4 yards
1 - Def D
2 - Def B
3 - Def A
4 - Def B
5 - Def D

2nd and 5-10 yards
1 - Def A
2 - Def D
3 - Def C
4 - Def A
5 - Def F

3rd and 1-3 yards
1 - Def A
2 - Def B
3 - Def B
4 - Def A
5 - Def F

3rd and 4-10 yards
1 - Def D
2 - Def F
3 - Def F
4 - Def E
5 - Def C

Prevent Defense (2 minutes to go or leading by 21 or more)
1 - Def C
2 - Def E
3 - Def E
4 - Def A
5 - Def D

Goal Line Defense (within 5 yard line)
1 - Def C
2 - Def B
3 - Def B
4 - Def A
5 - Def D


Solitaire rules for offense.  I used a 20-sided die.

          1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
1st < 7   A  B  B  B  B  B  B  B  C  C  C  D  D  D  D  D  E  E  F  F
    7-10  A  A  B  B  B  B  B  B  C  C  C  D  D  D  D  D  E  E  F  F
    > 10  A  A  A  B  B  B  B  C  C  C  D  D  D  D  D  E  E  F  F  F

2nd < 6   A  A  B  B  B  B  B  B  B  C  C  C  D  D  D  D  D  E  F  F
    6-9   A  A  B  B  B  B  B  B  C  C  C  D  D  D  D  D  E  F  F  F
    > 9   A  A  B  B  B  B  B  C  C  C  D  D  D  D  D  E  F  F  F  F

3rd < 5   A  B  B  B  B  B  B  B  B  B  C  C  C  D  D  D  D  E  F  F
    5-8   A  A  B  B  B  B  B  B  C  C  C  D  D  D  D  D  E  E  F  F
    > 8   A  B  B  B  B  C  C  C  D  D  D  D  D  D  E  E  E  E  F  F

4TH < 4   A  B  B  B  B  B  B  B  C  C  C  D  D  D  D  D  E  E  F  F
    4-7   A  A  B  B  B  C  C  C  D  D  D  D  D  D  E  E  E  E  F  F
    > 7   A  B  B  C  C  C  D  D  D  D  D  D  D  D  E  E  E  E  F  F

