Breakthrough

Breakthrough is a modern abstract strategy game with chess-like pawns. Each side has two rows of pawns. A pawn moves one square straight forward or diagonally forward into an empty square, and captures by moving diagonally forward onto an enemy pawn. The first player to reach the opposite back row — or to capture every enemy pawn — wins.

The computer uses minimax search with alpha-beta pruning and a positional evaluation, looking one to four moves ahead depending on the difficulty.

1. You play light pawns and move up the board first.
2. Tap a pawn, then a highlighted square.
3. Straight moves need an empty square; diagonal moves can capture.
4. Reach the top row or capture all enemy pawns to win.

• Keep a solid back line — one gap can let a runner through.
• Trade when you are ahead, and avoid trades that open files.
• Pawns side by side defend each other against diagonal captures.