Game Board and Layout Rules
The game is played on a 4×4 board with cells numbered 1–16 in row-major order. A fixed number of hazards are placed on the board. The selection of the hazard layout follows these strict rules:
- The layout is sampled uniformly from the published constraint support of the selected hazard count.
- At least one hazard in the eight-neighbour king graph is adjacent to every other hazard.
- Other hazards need not be adjacent to each other.
The hidden layout is never redrawn during a round. Once the game starts, the positions of all hazards are determined but hidden until revealed.
Pricing and Scoring Mechanics
Each selected safe cell is priced from the exact posterior over consistent layouts. The pricing updates dynamically as cells are revealed.
- Gross Value: Starts at 0.97 times the stake. It becomes the current value divided by that cell's safe probability.
- Known-Safe Cells: Leave value unchanged.
- Proven Hazards: Are disabled and cannot be selected.
- Live Gross Quote: Calculated as 0.97 times the original support count divided by the surviving support count.
After the first safe pick, you may collect your winnings. A click whose next gross multiplier exceeds 1,000 is rejected before reveal. The round stays active and unchanged; the cap does not disable the cell button. A hazard return yields zero.
Stakes, Controls and Modes
Choose one virtual stake of 10, 20, 50 or 100 coins and a hazard count of 3, 4 or 5 before starting. One complete stake is deducted when the round begins.
During every active round, stake buttons, hazard settings and refill are locked. Sound remains available. Eligible uncertain board cells can be selected, and collection becomes available after the first safe reveal.
These control rules apply equally to every stake. A hazard ends the round with zero return. A prospective quote above 1,000 times the original stake is blocked before revealing the cell.
Settlement and Stopping Rules
Collection is allowed only after at least one safe reveal. Automatic collection occurs only when no eligible uncertain move remains.
- Auto-Settlement: If no uncertain cell remains after a safe pick, settlement is automatic.
- Blocking: A choice with a prospective quote above 1,000× is blocked without changing state.
- No Queue: There is no automatic queue.
A hazard returns zero. The game ends when you collect or when all uncertain cells are resolved.
Wallet and Persistence
The demo wallet operates independently of any external account.
- Initial Balance: 1,000 virtual coins.
- Restoration: Idle balance below 10 manually restores the balance to exactly 1,000. This is a manual set, not an automatic replenishment.
- Fractional Carry: Persists through settlement, manual refill and reload.
- Unfinished Round: An unfinished round ends without refund or resume upon reload.
Local settled balance, including zero, persists in the browser's localStorage.
Mathematical Evidence and Probabilities
The following table displays the exact expected return and simulation measurements for different hazard depths and counts. Simulation measurements are supporting sample observations, not the mathematical payout law.
| Depth | Hazards | Support Count | Exact RTP (%) | Measured RTP (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 132 | 96.9999999999997 | 97.0763 |
| 2 | 3 | 132 | 96.99999999999984 | 97.005865 |
| 3 | 3 | 132 | 96.99999999999997 | 97.13541 |
| 1 | 4 | 233 | 96.99999999999996 | 97.00009 |
| 2 | 4 | 233 | 96.99999999999974 | 96.980485 |
| 3 | 4 | 233 | 96.99999999999999 | 96.945945 |
| 1 | 5 | 272 | 96.9999999999998 | 96.993755 |
| 2 | 5 | 272 | 97.00000000000021 | 97.0144 |
| 3 | 5 | 272 | 96.99999999999989 | 97.179385 |
Frequently asked questions
How is the hazard layout determined?
One complete 4×4 hazard layout is sampled uniformly from the published constraint support of the selected count and stays fixed. At least one hazard in the eight-neighbour king graph is adjacent to every other hazard.
What happens if I reload the page during a game?
An unfinished round ends without refund or resume. The settled balance, including fractional carry, persists in local storage, but the current board state is lost.
Can I restore my balance if it drops below 10?
Yes. If the idle balance is below 10, you can manually restore it to exactly 1,000 virtual coins. This preserves any fractional change from previous settlements.
