Barons Court Manoeuvre

One of the many innovations which can be ascribed to Eamon Ruttsborough. It seems to be some kind of cross between a 'loop escape' and a 'loop exemption', whose chance of success (and indeed of legality) depends on the total gravitational force of the loop station(s) (usually Dollis Hill). Also, it can only be played by a person 'who is not currently in the loop', and the effect is a kind of single-player 'denial' that leaves the currently-looping player(s) trapped.

As such, the Barons Court Manœuvre is primarily of use in one-on-one matches: while in larger games with many players, as a guideline it is seldom of use unless there is only one person currently trapped in the loop, or possibly two if both are light on tokens (or, at least, on the heavier metallic ones). Consequently, the chances of success are borderline at best if there are three or four people already playing to the loop, and pretty much non-existent with five or more.

In dual-station loops (such as the Amersham-Aldwych loop, or any loop occurring under conditions of a bifurcation), one can succeed with the manœuvre under more flexible conditions, since the split nature of the gravitational force allows one to 'ride' the line between the two.

[JLE]

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