StreetSoccer on LittleGolem

Game Facts & History

StreetSoccer on LittleGolem is modeled after a board game of the same name. The game was
developed over 20 years ago by Corn van Moorsel and was published as a board game by his company
Cwali in 2002. StreetSoccer is played on LittleGolem with the permission of the developer. StreetSoccer
is an emulation of the Dutch football game Straatvoetbal as it is played in parks and squares in the
Netherlands.
Description
The playing field has goals on both ends of a 10 by 6 grid of squares on which the ball and the playerfigures are positioned. The graphic for the playing field is an image of the board from the Cwali board
game (illustration by Christof Tisch). The field markings and the time bar along one side of the field have
no role in playing the online game. Online StreetSoccer is played for 25 turns per team after the playerfigures are positioned on the field.
The two online game players of StreetSoccer are called coaches to distinguish them from the playerfigures. Each coach manages a five-man football team represented by 5 colored player-figures. One
team has yellow player-figures and the other has red. One of the 5 player-figures on each team is
marked to designate it as the goalkeeper. The LittleGolem on-screen List of Moves shows the yellow
teams move data in white and the red teams in black. To facilitate the football emulation, there is also a
round white & black ball that is kicked around the playing field by the player-figures.
There is a white die (one-half of a pair of dice) above the playing field. This die shows a number if dots
(1-6). The number of dots changes randomly as the coaches take their turns. This emulates the throwing
of the die in the StreetSoccer board game.
Player-Figure Placement
At the start of the match, two player-figures are prepositioned for each team. One of the prepositioned
player-figures is the goalkeeper. In the first 2 moves the coaches place the remaining player-figures on
the field. [During player-figure placement the number of dots on the die is ignored.] The yellow team
plays first.
Move 1 - the yellow teams coach strategically places three yellow player-figures on the field.
Move 2 - the red teams coach strategically places three red player-figures on the field.
The Match Begins
After the player-figures are placed, the coaches take turns moving a player-figure and moving the ball
trying to score goals. A normal match lasts 25 turns for each team (moves 3-52). For the rules of normal
(nearly all) turns, see the Rules for Field Position Play below. There are only two exceptions. One
exception is the first kick (move 3). The other exception occurs after the opposing team scores a goal.
See Rules for Goalkeeper Kick After a Goal is Scored below.
Move 3 the 1st turn for the yellow team. The yellow player-figure in the center ring kicks the ball.
The Rules for Field Position Play apply with the exception that the player-figure need not move
to the ball. The dots on the die are all unused.
Move 4 the 1st turn for the red team

Move 51 the 25th turn for the yellow team

Move 52 the 25th turn for the red team
When both teams have the same number of goals after 25 turns each, play continues until the first goal is
scored sudden death. It is yet to be determined if there is a limit to the length of sudden death.

Scoring a Goal
A goal is scored if the ball passes the end line and the last square it passes is one of the 2 spaces in front
of the goal. When scoring a goal is possible, one of the squares behind the goal are highlighted.
Rules for Field Position Play
As each turn begins, the ball is either in-play or out-of-play - following a goal scored by the opposing
team. The following steps are followed when the ball is in-play:

The coach sees the number of dots on the die above the playing field.
The coach moves ONE of his 5 player-figures.
The number of steps moved is limited to the random number of dots shown on the die.
Each step that the player-figure moves must be to an adjacent orthogonal square.
The direction of steps can change within the move.
Each step taken uses up 1 dot of the number on the die.
Player-figures may not move to or through squares occupied by either teammates or opponent
player-figures.
If the player-figure reaches the square with the ball, that player-figure must stop there and kick
the ball.
The coach selects the position of the ball after the kick (including passes). The movement of the
ball ends the teams possession (turn).

Playing online StreetSoccer is simplified because the coach doesnt need to calculate all the details of ball
movement. The software highlights all final ball positions that are possible following the kick (including
passes). The unused number of dots on the die is used to determine the possible kicks and passes.
See the Ball Movement Rules if interested in how the software selects the possible final ball positions.
Rules for Goalkeeper Kick After a Goal is Scored
After the other team scores a goal, the ball is out of play. The goalkeeper puts the ball back in play with a
kick (/throw).
The coach sees the number of dots on the die above the playing field.
The coach selects the position for his goalkeeper. The only squares allowed are the two directly
in front of the goal.
The coach selects the position of the ball after the kick (including passes). The movement of the
ball ends the teams possession (turn).
The software highlights all final ball positions that are possible following the kick (including passes). The
unused number of dots on the die is used to determine the possible kicks and passes. See the Ball
Movement Rules if interested in how the software selects the possible final ball positions.
Tips & Strategy
Skill and experience are needed to establish a balanced field position for the player-figures, select the
best player-figure to move, and select strategic kick destinations. If the team cant score immediately, the
coach tries to leave the ball in a field position that avoids a score by the opponent while retaining later
scoring opportunities. The sequence of numbers from the random die adds a strong element of luck to
the game and also some excitement.
Tournament Scoring
As suggested by the developer Corn van Moorsel, tournament scoring is consistent with the original
scoring method from street soccer tournaments. The game may end with one team winning or with a
draw.

The team with the most goals at the end of the regular time, scores 5 points to the opponents 0
points.

The team with the most goals at the end of a sudden death, scores 4 points to the opponents 1
point
If the game terminates with an equal number of goals for each team, the last to make a goal
scores 3 points to the opponents 2 points.
If the game terminates with a goal score of 0:0, both teams get 2 points.

The possibility of a draw is inconsistent with unlimited Sudden Death. It is yet to be determined whether
a draw is possible in LittleGolems StreetSoccer.
Reviews of StreetSoccer
There are a few published reviews for the Cwali board game StreetSoccer. They are generally favorable.
The game was nominated for the 2002 Dutch Games Prize.
StreetSoccer Links
http://www.cwali.com/ - The site for the publisher of the StreetSoccer board game.
http://www.cwali.com/streetsoccer/streetsoccer.htm - The publishers page for StreetSoccer, containing
rules, an example, and a puzzle.
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/viewitem.php3?gameid=3421 - Board Game Geek web page for
StreetSoccer, containing description, game classification, rating statistics, user articles and comments.
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/viewarticle.php3?articleid=8349 - Comments from the developer Corn
van Moorsel.
http://www.pevans.co.uk/Reviews/Spiel2002a.html#Cwali - Report from the Spiel 02 games convention.
http://www.kumquat.com/cgi-kumquat/funagain/13447 - Funagain Games page for StreetSoccer,
contains sources for the board game and a review of the game by Mike Clifford, from the December 2002
Issue of Counter magazine.
http://www.bouldergames.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=1352 - Boulder Games page for StreetSoccer.
Ball Movement Rules
In online StreetSoccer, the coach doesnt need to calculate all the details of ball movement. The
StreetSoccer software calculates all kicks and passes and highlights the possible final ball positions.
When the ball is in play, the coach needs to consider the number of dots on the die to select the best
player-figure to kick the ball. The possible kicks and passes depend on the number of unused dots from
the die.
Kicks and passes may not pass through squares occupied by either teammates or opponents.
If the ball is kicked (passed) to a teammate, that teammate must also kick or pass the ball.
Multiple passes are allowed.
Kicks and passes may travel in both orthogonal and diagonal directions.
Kicks and passes may include a 45-degree change of direction but only 1 direction change.
For all field position kicks and passes:
One dot, from the die, is used up for each square as the player-figure moves to the ball.
The distance for a kick to another field position must equal the number of unused dots PLUS 1.
The distance of each pass to a teammate is limited to the number of unused dots PLUS 1.
One dot is used up for each square the ball travels when it is passed, except for the first square
per pass, which is free.
For a goalkeeper kick:
The distance for a kick to a field position must equal the number of dots on the die. This kick
does not include the normal free square.
The goalkeeper kick (pass) to a teammate is limited to the number of dots on the die. This kick
does not include the normal free square. One dot is used up for each square moved.

Disclaimer
Les Hazlett compiled this information for the benefit of other players at LittleGolem who are interested in
learning to play StreetSoccer. The information was gathered from the LittleGolem site, from experience
playing the game, and from everything in English that could be found on the Internet. It was written from
notes and nothing was copied from any existing site. Some information may be in error. Anyone who will
edit this material for improved clarity and readability is invited to do so. Hopefully, Richard Malaschitz will
include some or all of it in the LittleGolem rules for the StreetSoccer.
Version 1.5 - August 10, 2003